In the world of sales, gatekeepers are the people who serve as the first line of defense in organizations, filtering out unwanted or irrelevant sales pitches and providing access to decision-makers only to those who are deemed worthy. Working effectively with gatekeepers can be critical to the success of a sales campaign. Obviously, the ultimate goal is to avoid a gatekeeper. However, for many who sell to the executive level leaders, a gatekeeper is unavoidable and someone you need to talk with first to maintain rapport.
So.... when you are faced with a gatekeeper, what can you do?