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Inspiration

Gatekeepers, your new best friends

SO owners and merchant level salespeople (MLSs) a manner that conveys confidence, not aggression, identify
typically begin each new year full of optimism and yourself professionally. Give your name and company
enthusiasm. They'll obtain leads and tear into them, name, state the purpose of your call, and briefly highlight a
I but then sometimes get discouraged by a major few benefits of your service.
roadblock: gatekeepers.
From there engage the gatekeeper; make the individual feel
Now, a minority of the people who screen calls and visits important. "If we employ a modicum of empathy toward
for business owners will resist you no matter what you them, it can differentiate us from other less sympathetic
do. However, a greater number know that to help their sales people who employ a variety of ruses to get to the
employers, they need to spot potential opportunities and boss," Laszig wrote.
facilitate promising connections. The trick is to make a
good enough initial impression so that gatekeepers will be Reap rewards
open to hearing what benefits you will bring to the table. One way to engage gatekeepers is to ask permission to
question them on a few points. Research each organization
In Good Selling! SM: The Basics, Paul H. Green offered do's beforehand, so that your questions are appropriate and
and don’t's to help ISOs and MLSs do just that. He pointed likely to lead to new insights. And think on your feet when
out that it is critical to treat gatekeepers with the same you respond. Don't just offer canned responses.
professionalism and friendly manner you would have
when speaking with your most valued prospects. After you have established rapport and feel that both
Give attention, respect you and the screener have gained insights into how your
companies could work together, ask for an appointment
In "Gatekeepers are people too," The Green Sheet, Dec. 23, with a decision maker. In-person appointments are terrific,
2013, issue 13:12:02, Dale S. Laszig emphasized this point, but phone appointments can work, as well. If the best
as well, when she wrote, "One of the many rewards of you can do with a particular gatekeeper is to receive an
selling merchant services is the ability to meet and interact invitation to email further information, don't lose heart.
with numerous people. Of the many people with whom we The person may genuinely be interested in reading the
engage not everyone has the ability to sign a contract, but information you send, and your follow-up call could end
each person is an integral part of every client's business and up being highly productive.
deserves our attention and respect."
If you forget about stereotypes and remember each
During phone calls respect will be conveyed by such factors gatekeeper is a unique individual just doing his or her
as your tone of voice, pacing and your responses to what job, this alone may lead to valuable connections and new
gatekeepers have to say. These also apply during in-person business rather than barriers and rejection.
visits, where body language will also play an important
role.

Green also advised not to open by asking the individual how
he or she is doing after your initial exchange of greetings,
because this blares that you are a salesperson. Instead, with Kate Gillespie, President and CEO

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