ou know me. I am the one you absolutely don't want to talk to. I am the one keeping you from attaining your goal. I am the gatekeeper.

You have tried everything to get around me. You have cajoled, lied and even threatened me. But you still get nowhere. Some of you won't even talk to me anymore. You just hang up. You have tried to figure out when I won't be at my post, hoping to slip through the gate unnoticed. I am amused by your antics. I have seen and heard it all.

Perhaps it is time I give you some important information: I am not a machine. I am a person just like you. I have good days and bad days and I really don't like to be yelled at. And, yes, I really like it when someone asks me how I am. So few seem to bother to take the time to get to know me. Yet, I am the key to your goal.

Remember, I know more about my company than you do. Typically, the most mild-mannered person (and yes, the lowest in the food chain) has the most information. You may not talk to me, but almost everyone in the company will talk to me.

I am screening all the calls and have more information than most give me credit for. I know who is taking a long lunch, who is shopping for a new service for the company, etc. I can help you if I want to. It is your new goal to make me want to help you.

Try starting out by asking my name. It makes me feel a little more human, and I am more likely to help you if you know me a bit and I know you a bit. You don't have to be my best friend, but you do have to be honest, so don't try to trick me. I know most of the tricks, and if you do succeed in deceiving me, you can be sure it will be the only time.

Instead of just routinely asking to speak to the decision-maker, talk to me a bit. If you give me a little information, I will give you a little information. After you have my name, perhaps you would like to ask me for my help. Make me feel important. This lets me know that you respect me and understand that I am an important part of the sales process. I like to feel empowered.

I have the ear of the person you want to talk to. That person respects me because I am so good at keeping you out. A new approach for you may be to try to sell me first. You stand a much better chance of getting through to the decision-maker if I know what you are trying to sell.

Keep in mind that I, too, may be ambitious, and I probably don't want to be a gatekeeper all my life. If you honestly have a product or service that will benefit my company, giving me the opportunity to present the idea will benefit me greatly and ensure that you now have an advantage over any competitors who may show up later.

Show respect for my time. Yes, you want to get me on your side, but understand that I am probably juggling many tasks. I still have to answer the phone while I am talking to you, so please don't be impatient.

Let me know that you understand and will either hold or arrange for a better time to speak to me. Keep the conversations brief. This is a process and probably will take more than one phone call, but if you can gain my trust it will be worth your time in the end.

And please don't just hang up on me when I don't let you through the first time. Most companies today have caller ID on the phone system. I will remember your number if you are rude and you will be even less likely to get through the next time. Also, since I can see your number, I will know if you are calling back every five minutes. This will probably only annoy me. Annoying me or making me angry is probably the worst thing you can do. Remember, you need me.

Discounting the amount of power I have and trying to go around me instead of attempting to work with me would be your biggest mistake. Instead of always trying to climb over the fence, try using the key to the gate. You may be surprised by how much easier it is to attain your goal.

Oh, one more thing: I know a lot of the other gatekeepers, too!