Understanding the Gatekeeper’s Role
Gatekeepers: love them or loathe them, they’re a critical part of your journey to decision-makers. But here’s the thing, they’re not there to ruin your day. Their job is to filter calls, and if you approach them strategically, they can become your allies.
Reframe the Relationship
Stop thinking of gatekeepers as obstacles. Instead, treat them as partners in getting connected.
Listen for their “tells.” Each gatekeeper has their own approach, learn to recognize patterns and adjust your tone or language to match.
Tips for Navigating Gatekeepers
Navigating gatekeepers is a common challenge in sales. In fact, only 46% of salespeople manage to reach decision-makers, and this figure drops to 13% for experienced salespeople excluding procurement professionals.
Choose Your Words Wisely: Phrases like “I wonder if you can help me” scream “sales call” and put them on alert. Instead, speak confidently and skip the over-apologies.
Politeness Pays Off: Remember, they’re human too. Be professional, courteous, and grateful for their time, it can go a long way toward earning their cooperation.
Get Tactical: If they send you to voicemail, don’t stop there. Call back and ask questions like, “When’s the best time to reach them?” or “What’s their direct extension?” You’ll show persistence without being pushy.
Objections like “I’m too busy” or “We already have a provider” are common. Gracie May Bryant, Campaign Ops Manager at Air Marketing, emphasizes the importance of tact:
“Diffuse negativity by acknowledging it. For example, ‘I know I’m interrupting, and I really appreciate your time.’ It often turns the conversation around.”
The Multichannel Approach: More Than Just a Phone Call
If phone calls are your bread and butter, multichannel outreach is the butter. Using LinkedIn, email, and even voice notes alongside your calls can skyrocket your connection rates—if you do it right. Studies reveal that businesses employing such strategies witness a 287% increase in customer engagement compared to single-channel approaches. Moreover, companies with multichannel strategies retain 89% of their customers, compared to 33% for those using single-channel methods.
Multichannel Without the Overload
Keep It Simple: Don’t pitch your whole life story on LinkedIn. Instead, breadcrumb your way into a conversation. A short, friendly message works better than a three-paragraph sales pitch.
Get Personal: Sending a video or voice note can make your outreach stand out, but use these strategically. Asking for permission first (“Mind if I send over a quick video to introduce myself?”) keeps things professional and less intrusive.
Finding the Right Cadence
Your strategy will depend on your audience. Small businesses, mid-market, and enterprise leads may need entirely different approaches.
Experiment and track your results. Tweak one element of your cadence at a time to see what moves the needle.
Active Listening: The Most Underrated Skill in Sales
Listening isn’t just polite, it’s a superpower. Decision-makers often reveal more than you expect if you truly pay attention, but too many salespeople miss these opportunities.
What Is Active Listening?
It’s not just waiting for your turn to talk. Active listening means focusing on the speaker, capturing details, and responding thoughtfully.
Think of it as building a puzzle. The more pieces (details) you collect, the clearer the picture of your prospect’s needs becomes.
Active listening isn’t just polite, it’s a superpower. Marco Alfano Rogers, Head of Academy at Air Marketing, emphasizes that decision-makers often reveal more than expected when you truly listen:
“Active listening is about focusing on the speaker, capturing details, and responding thoughtfully. Think of it as building a puzzle—the more pieces you gather, the clearer the picture becomes.”
Tips for Becoming a Better Listener
Take Notes: Don’t trust your memory, jot down key points as you go. It shows you’re engaged and gives you a reference for follow-ups.
Ask Smart Follow-Ups: Use “secondary questioning” to dig deeper. For example, “You mentioned X as a challenge, can you tell me more about how that impacts your team?”
Paraphrase to Build Trust: Summarize their points back to them. It proves you’re paying attention and helps clarify any misunderstandings.
Leave Voicemails That Get Callbacks
Let’s be honest, most voicemails don’t get a second thought. But with the right approach, yours can grab attention and prompt a callback. Leaving effective voicemails is crucial, especially considering that 80% of cold calls go directly to voicemail, and the average response rate for B2B voicemails is below 5%.
Keep It Short and Sweet: No one has time for a rambling message. Stick to 20–30 seconds, just enough to get your point across without losing their interest.
Spark Curiosity: Give them a reason to call back by highlighting how you can help, without spilling everything upfront. Try something like, “We’ve worked with companies like yours to solve [specific challenge]. Let’s connect—I’d love to share how we can help.”
Speak with Confidence: Your tone matters. A clear, professional, and unrushed delivery shows you’re worth their time and makes your message more engaging.
With these tips, your voicemails won’t just be another one in the pile, they’ll be the one that stands out.
Key Metrics to Track Your Success
Improving your contact rates is as much about measurement as it is about execution. Keep tabs on:
Response Rates: How many people are engaging with your outreach?
Contact-to-Conversation Ratios: How often do you connect with decision-makers?
Conversion Metrics: Are your calls leading to meetings or deals?
Top Takeaways for Better Connections
Be Interested, Not Just Interesting: Focus on what your prospect cares about, not just what you’re selling.
Polish Your Delivery: Confident, professional communication builds trust with gatekeepers and decision-makers alike.
Keep Gatekeepers on Your Side: Treat them with respect, they can either open the door or slam it shut.
Conclusion: Take Action
Mastering connection isn’t just a “nice-to-have” skill, it’s essential for success in sales. From navigating gatekeepers to crafting multichannel strategies and listening like a pro, these tips will help you stand out and drive real results.
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