Homework Key to Navigating Past Gatekeepers, Voicemail

Mike Maloney picked up more than an impressive collection of classic albums during his years in radio.

Before forming Maloney Marketing Group of Cave Springs 17 years ago, he honed his skills at cold-calling and came to the conclusion that when it comes to the most difficult of sales pitches, you’ve either got it or you don’t.

“I really believe it takes a special person,” Maloney said. “I know people who are really good at it. You have to have charisma to do it, to break through the ice quickly and succinctly. It’s developed early on in a person.

“I know some people, very intelligent people – Ph.D.s – and the thought of making a cold call frightens them to death.”

Getting past the gatekeeper is an art, and learning a few tricks of the trade can make an average salesperson good and a good salesperson great.

One of the first things to remember about cold-calling is that the initial call isn’t to make a sale, but to get the opportunity to make a sale.

Five contacts or more are typically required before a deal is closed, and cold-calling is a percentage game.

“The more cold calls you make, the higher percentage of results,” Maloney said.

But cold-calling shouldn’t be the machine-gun blast of a telemarketer’s automated dialer, and prospectors shouldn’t simply be flipping through the phone book looking for potential clients to call.

Being well-informed about the company being called upon as well as being direct and conscious of others’ time is where any cold call should begin, Maloney said.

“You have to do your homework,” Maloney said. “That’s standard operating procedure for anyone that is successful. It’s not uncommon to waste time with people who are not relevant to what you need, so you have to understand the company and who you need to talk to.”

With that in mind, Maloney says he gets straight to the point with gatekeepers. Requesting an appointment at a specific time and date is preferable to just asking if they have any time.

“You should be very direct,” he said. “Say you have something to talk about that may be of interest to the company. You have to be respectful of their time. Use some eloquence in doing that, but be serious, allay their fears that this will not a long, drawn-out affair and say, ‘A few minutes would be greatly appreciated.'”

Timing of the call is also critical. Maloney said most would advise the call should not be the first thing of the day or the last and the worst time is right after lunch.

Don’t call at odd hours, either, Maloney said, as that shows you’re not being respectful of their time.

In the tech age, a new gatekeeper is voicemail.

Many businesses may forego a traditional receptionist, which makes leaving the right kind of message critical. In addition to leaving plenty of info that makes it easy for the prospect to contact the salesperson, Maloney said one way he’s discovered to get responses is to tap into the network of Chambers of Commerce.

“If you’re a member of the Fayetteville Chamber and calling someone who is also a chamber member, you can say something to the effect of, “As a fellow Chamber member, I wanted to talk to you about my company,'” he said. “You could also have some allegiance or connection with a prospect. There is great loyalty in some organizations.

“It’s not subterfuge. But if you’re trying to do a job and get through a technological wall, take steps that are aggressive. People will think, ‘He’s working hard.'”