The hardest part of making a sale is often simply getting on the phone with the right person. Tune in to the first episode of our new podcast series “Strictly Sales with Jeff Hoffman” to discover the secrets to getting past the gatekeepers holding you back.

As any salesperson knows, having a good product or solution is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes completing a sale. Being a sales superstar requires a rock-solid dedication to prospecting, unwavering patience and persistence, and of course the ability to be a killer closer. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’re proud to be partnering with sales training, management, and strategy expert Jeff Hoffman on a new podcast series we’re calling “Strictly Sales”.

Get ready for a weekly dose of the latest sales tips, insights, and real-world advice all geared toward helping you become the top sales rep at your company and boosting your entire team’s performance with real impact and results.

In this first episode, Jeff is taking on one of the toughest potential roadblocks in any sales process: getting past gatekeepers. You’ll learn the secrets not just bypassing these crucial contacts, but how to actually engage them to convert them from potential obstacle to an integral part of your success.

Looking for more insights from Jeff? Don’t miss Episode 2: Breaking Up with Bad Sales Leads.

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Key Takeaways

“Virtually every salesperson deals with assistants, gatekeepers, and receptionists all day. But my guess is none of them have ever had one of these people working for them. So, everyone’s guessing how they think, how they behave, and how we’re supposed to work with them — and we’re probably wrong.”

— Jeff Hoffman, M. J. Hoffman and Associates

* One common mistake that sales reps make is acting as if they are familiar with the person they are trying to reach. It is better to admit you don’t know anyone at the beginning of the call. [4:00]

* Don’t just tell them that you can help, talk about how prospects are similar to your current customers. [5:50]

* Close by asking a specific question about helping you determine the best person to contact within the organization. [7:00]

* The “Call Back”: As soon as you hang up the phone you can try the “Call Back” technique to disarm them. [9:00]

Transcript

Announcer: This is Strictly Sales with Jeff Hoffman and CeCe Bazar. For more information go to OpenView Labs or mjhoffman.com.

CeCe: Hi there everyone, and thank you so much for joining us on our first podcast of Strictly Sales with Jeff Hoffman. Jeff, thanks so much for being here today.

Jeff: You’re welcome, CeCe. It’s great to be here.

CeCe: We’re so excited to have you here. Everyone from the prospectors to the closers want more tactics. They are asking us whether it’s through our newsletter or through Twitter. We hear you people. We’re here to give you those golden nuggets of information that are going to help you win more deals. One of the questions, Jeff, that I’m getting all the time whether it’s in the portfolio or I’m seeing it on Twitter is I’m getting stopped at the gatekeeper.

Jeff: Right.

CeCe: It doesn’t matter how many calls I’m making, how many people I’m talking to. Every time I dial in and I get that gatekeeper live on the phone I feel like I’m hitting a wall. Let’s talk a little bit about how we cannot just navigate those g...