You call a great prospect. Your product fits right with the account’s needs. But then…the receptionist starts asking questions.
Before you know it, you’re hit with the dreaded:
“Can I take a message?”
Yep. You and I both know that message is going right in the trash.
The key to handling a gatekeeper is not to be their friend, but to act like you own the place.
We have 3 steps to do that in The Gatekeeper Triple Bypass.
But first, to frame how you think about gatekeepers, here’s a story on how a celebrity’s aunt bypassed a gatekeeper…me:
Story: How Drake's Aunt bypassed the gatekeeper
At USC, I worked at the Ticket Office when Drake was coming to town. Sold out show (obviously).
Normally it’s a quiet job, but the day of the show…nonstop dials
- 42 dudes who said “my man, hook it up for me” (I couldn't).
- 61 screaming Moms who didn't believe me.
- Countless other teenage girls
Everyone was trying to schmooze, so I got really good at gatekeeping.
One dialer called. The conversation went like this:
Caller: “I have tickets in section 102, row 1 under my name.”
(BS. Best seats in the house. Nothing on file.)
Armand: “Sorry miss, I don’t see anything under that name. Could it have been--”
Caller: "He said the head of the ticket office has them. Please put me through.”
(“He”? What is she saying? Also, I’m the gatekeeper)
Armand: “Sorry miss, I don't see anything. Who left the tickets?”
Caller: “Drake. I’m his aunt.”
(After 6 people claiming today was their birthday, this was the best claim yet. I tried calling out the BS with this brilliant question).
Armand: ᵤₕ...ₐᵣₑ ᵧₒᵤ ₛᵤᵣₑ?
Caller: “YES, I’M SURE. WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT?”
My life flashed before my eyes. I was about to get fired if I didn’t listen to her.
I let her through, on the spot.
–
A gatekeeper has two jobs:
- Job #1: close the gate on strangers.
- Job #2: open the gate for important people.
To bypass the gatekeeper, YOU have ONE job:
- Remind them of Job #2
(AKA act like you’re Drake’s aunt.)
Gatekeepers are hardwired to detect strangers. They sniff a pitch or telemarketer uptone…and close the gate.
The wrong way around them is to befriend the gatekeeper or treat them like a prospect. Trust me…lots of people tried to butter me up or sell me with a sob story. They still didn’t get concert tickets.
There are two reasons I let Drake’s aunt through:
- What she said: she claimed to be Drake’s aunt.
- How she said it. She made me feel ridiculous for questioning her, which made it believable.
That’s how you have to approach gatekeepers. Make them think: Shoot, I better get out of this person’s way, otherwise my boss is going to be pissed.
Now that you’re ready, let’s walk through our 3 step formula to bypass the gatekeeper.
Introducing…The Gatekeeper Triple Bypass.
The three steps to bypass the gatekeeper
You get 3 tries to bypass (without lying or being disrespectful…which we don’t support):
- The Slide-by. When they answer, ask to be put through. Nothing else.
- The Context. If they stop you, share context, not product.
- The Social Proof. If it happens again, lean on social proof to explain what you do.
Let’s break each down one by one.
1st Bypass: The Slide-by
Since you want them to think, “Yep, I’m gonna stay out of that person’s way,” you want to reinforce a sense of conviction, familiarity, and casualness.
Here’s how it looks:
Gatekeeper: “Aubrey Graham’s office.”
Nick (Slide-by): “Hey, could you get me over to Aubrey? It’s Nick.”
The Slide-by is pretty straightforward in nature, but how you deliver this will be key.
First, your tone should be confident. Cool, calm, and collected means no telemarketer uptones.
Also, stay away from too much context. First name’s all you need, and you don’t have to share which company you’re from.
Lastly, end with a question. The one who asks the questions controls the conversation.
2nd Bypass: The Context
Sometimes the Slide-by is all you need. Other times, the gatekeeper asks, “What’s this regarding?” or “What company are you calling from?”
Remember: they’re on high alert for anything sales-y. If you bluntly share your company name or mention your product, you’re busted.
If you start pitching your product now…you’re toast.
Instead, use context as the reason for our call and establish familiarity like this:
Gatekeeper: "Aubrey Graham’s office."
Nick (Slide-by): "Hey, could you get me over to Aubrey? It’s Nick."
Gatekeeper: "What’s this regarding?"
Nick (Context): "I work with a few other Skadden partners in the LA office. Would you let him know that it’s Nick Cegelski?"
That’s an example for a law firm, but some other examples to set context could be: something you recently read (i.e. Press Release for new office) or a compelling event (i.e. upcoming merit cycle).
And don’t forget to end with a question. Have the gatekeeper answer your questions. The one who asks the questions controls the conversation.
3rd Bypass: Social Proof
The toughest gatekeepers will push you to finally reveal what you actually do. Even if you nailed attempts 1 and 2.
At this point, you have to explain what you do. You might feel pressured to pitch. Resist.
Becoming Drake’s aunt means establishing yourself as a familiar face who works with their peers.
That’s why social proof works so well here.
For your 3rd (and final) Bypass, here’s the full script:
Gatekeeper: “Aubrey Graham’s office.”
Nick (Slide-by): “Hey, could you get me over to Aubrey? It’s Nick.”
Gatekeeper: "What’s this regarding?"
Nick (Context): "I work with a few other Skadden partners in the LA office. Would you let him know that it’s Nick Cegelski?"
Gatekeeper: "I need to see if he’s available. What company are you with?"
Nick (Social Proof): "We help a couple other partners in the office with their tax planning; it’s Northwestern Mutual. I sent him a note the other day, mind letting him know it’s Nick"
If you’re still stonewalled at this point, it’s OK to throw in the towel and ask to leave a voicemail. Some gatekeepers cannot be passed.
We don’t recommend repeatedly fighting the impassable gatekeeper, so if you’ve been shut down 1–2 times, you’re better off avoiding them entirely by …
- Calling Mobile Numbers. The gatekeeper isn’t gonna answer their iPhone for them.
- Calling During Off-Hours. That CIO you’re calling probably works longer hours than the gatekeeper. Try calling in the early morning, during the lunch hour, or after 5:00 p.m.
- Trying a Different Channel. The phone isn’t right for every prospect; if you keep getting shut down, try another channel like email, LinkedIn, or direct mail.
***
Normally I'd say all the reasons you should check out our book, but today, I'll share Jason Bay's testimonial because he was literally a guest editor for the book:
"Most sales books are filled with fluff, stories no one cares about, and psychology without practical application. Nick and Armand have, hands down, written THE best book out there on cold calling. Now go hit the phones and use these tactics to land a s*** ton of meetings!
-- Jason Bay
CEO of Outbound Squad and Contributing Book Editor
(Sales Trainer to Gong, Zoom, Rippling, Monday.com)
So if you liked this noozy, you can order the book here :)
