Getting Past the Gatekeeper

One of my jobs is contacting people.  Influential people.  People with gates around them.  And ferocious keepers of the gates who are good at guarding it.  Now, sometimes my calling card gets me through the door with no problems.  But other times, they respond with, "And you are...? And you want...?"

I've learned how to respond to these awkward situations - and thought I'd share some insights with you:

1. Always take the humble path. Their gig is always bigger than yours, no matter what the reality.
2. Ask for an absurdly little amount of time. They'll increase it if they so choose.
3. Don't be a crazy person. One time, someone tried to nab my CEO's attention by jogging alongside his car in the parking lot. Not a good idea.
4. Be honest. But if you have to state the nature of your call, don't shoot your one and only bullet too early.
5. Honor the gatekeeper. They got that position because they're the most trusted person in that leader's life.
6. Don't take no for an answer. Not in a mean way. In a really nice, sugary sweet way that begs the gatekeeper to consider a different perspective.
7. Thank them for taking a chance on you.

Comments

[daniel d]

I can relate 100% to this post. I do a lot of prospecting myself and have learned a great deal over the years. I think #5 above is one of the most important. Respecting and honoring the gatekeeper can make or break the ability to get through. But not respecting them just because that's how the game is played, rather respecting them truly because they are a person just like you or I who is doing their job and trying to do it to the best of their abilities. I’ve developed some really good and fun relationships with some gatekeepers over the years. Many yield much more influence than one might expect.

Here’s a bonus... I always start my call to the gatekeeper with "Hi, I'm hoping you can help me" before launching into anything else. That one line seems to put someone in a totally different mindset more often than not.

[TJ]

The SNL skit with David Spade comes to mind. I thought that Jesus going to Dick Clark's office to announce he had come back was a great idea. Maybe now he should alter the plan to Ryan Seacrests office.

[anne jackson]

I am a gatekeeper, and holy crap, is it a tough job. Thanks for the flip side perspective. Hope you're doing well!

[andre]

Very helpful. Thanks for codifying these for the rest of us