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Ever seen the Lord of the Rings movies? When you think of the gatekeeper that you have to face before getting the opportunity to meet with a potential client, maybe you’re envisioning someone like Gandalf, screaming “You shall not pass!” Luckily, your friendly local receptionist is not Gandalf. Gatekeepers can be an asset to you, not a barrier, as long as you play your cards right.
Gatekeepers are often thought of as surly receptionists or assistants that exist for the sole purpose of keeping you away from the company’s top executives. In reality, gatekeepers are just people. (Shocking, right?) They’re people who control an executive's calendar, understand that the executive's time is valuable and limited, and want to be treated with respect like anyone else. So it’s in your best interest to get on the gatekeeper's good side.
Understand Their Motives
As a salesperson, your intent might be to jump into conversation with the executive as quickly and efficiently as possible to land a sale and make a positive impact on your own company. What the gatekeeper is getting paid for, on the other hand, is to make sure that their boss is not wasting time with unhelpful or obnoxious solicitations. These missions are not incompatible as long as you are actually planning to offer the executive something valuable in a concise amount of time. If that’s not the case, you might want to reevaluate your whole strategy.
Since you know that the gatekeeper is aiming to deliver meetings that require limited time and provide excellent results, tailor your discussion to that message. You might say something similar to, “Martin, one of your managers and I were talking about how we could address the decrease in profits from your company’s swimwear line. Is that a quality use of Jessica’s time? We want to focus on what’s important to her. I know Jessica is very busy, but do you think we could find 5 minutes in her schedule to discuss our approach might be a good fit for you?”
At this point, you’ve committed to taking up such a small amount of the executive's time that the benefit of that conversation is very likely to exceed the cost. You’ve also communicated subtly that you know the world does not revolve around you. Instead of pushing your own agenda, you empathize with the gatekeeper’s need to fit meetings into a tight schedule and express your desire to help with a problem that might be time-consuming in itself. You’re on your way to the gatekeeper’s nice list -- and the executive's calendar.
Tell The Truth
With all the fancy tricks and tactics that salespeople have been wrongly taught to get past the gatekeeper, it’s no wonder that assistants aren’t always thrilled to see another salesperson walk through the door. Many of these strategies rely on white lies and assume that the gatekeeper is a bit stupid. In general, lying and treating smart people like idiots are not stellar ways to make a first impression on a client - at least not a positive one.
So just be honest. That means not telling the receptionist that you’re best friends with the CEO and then whispering them a message conspiratorially and reassuring them that “they’ll know what it means.” It also means not disingenuously promising them that you’re not here to sell anything when you clearly are. Instead, concisely present the problem you solve, briefly summarize your typical results, and inquire as to whether a solution would be of interest to their boss.
Along the same lines: when you decide on the timing of a meeting, commit to it. Nobody likes someone who shows up late or weasels their way into a 30-minute conversation when they asked for 10. The gatekeeper can tell time just as well as the executive. They’ll notice.
Follow The Golden Rule
This should really be the easiest part. Just be nice. Be considerate. Remember when your parents taught you to say please and thank you? Those rules should always apply to your interactions with company gatekeepers. Appreciate when they do something nice for you, and if appropriate, ask if you can do anything for them in return.
Treat them like you would want to be treated by keeping them feeling happy, respected, and included. Simply greeting a receptionist with a smile and complimenting their patience or diligence will get you far. CCing them on introductory emails to the boss and following up appointments with a thank you note to them are also good ways to make a brilliant impression and get on their calendar more often. Remember: gatekeepers are just human beings with a challenging task.
It’s Your Turn
That’s my take on how to curry favor with gatekeepers and make it onto an executive's calendar. In short: know what they want and show up with integrity.
How have you succeeded or failed in collaborating with the gatekeeper to your best advantage? What do you think makes gatekeepers tick?
