THE SECRET LIVES OF GATEKEEPERS
Jeb Blount · 2015
Salespeople hate gatekeepers. Sometimes to the point that they become so frustrated with gatekeepers that they experiment with tricks that, too often, make them look foolish. This chapter first presents seven keys for dealing with gatekeepers: be likable; use please, please; be transparent; connect; hold the cheese; ask for help; and change the game. If the gatekeeper, usually a receptionist or lower-level blocker, is unwilling to give the name and contact of the decision maker, and the sales representative is unable to find the person through an online or social search, then there are three ways (hacking) to succeed. These hacks are: calling-other-extensions hack; salespeople-help-salespeople hack; and go-around-back hack.