Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Every sales person faces this issue. How to get by the gate keeper/s. I have seen people turn this into a strength rather than weakness. I know one sales person who I called the candy man. He at least a dozen candy jars with his name on them in his car most days. He bought candy in bulk and every time he visited the gate keeper (who he knew by first name.. kids name, etc) he delivered a new jar and took the empty with him to refill. And, while he was there, he got shuffled past everyone else to the right person by guess who, the gate keeper. Once he was with "mr right" he was fast efficient and very complimentary of the fine job the gate keeper did of making sure nobody' s time was wasted.
This plan with a useful informative handouts to the docs should work..
Frank Hurtte

response to rbauman and frank hurtte:

These are very helpful to me. I appreciate your fast response. I agree with having something "in hand" of value to the offices I'm visiting and will definitely employ these ideas immediately. Thank you for your help!

Response to mbarber:

I really enjoyed your comment. It would definitely get my point across of how unannounced visits can actually backfire if not conducted in the right manner (and sometimes even if they are). I'll check out the book. Thanks for your help also!

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Hi Nheye,

first of all let me begin by saying I didn't read all the post here because as Randall said time is expensive on both sides. My reading time and your listening time so let me throw my million dollar response in the ring.

DOING SALES IS WHAT GREAT SALES PEOPLE GET PAID TO DO...note Doing Sales is hard work but the reward is worth the effort.

Now I've got that off my chest let me move on.

I'M NOT PLAYING YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE SELLING BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY. Having spent nearly the last 12 years submerged, engulfed, ignited and just plain strung out on the drug called sales I'll be the first here to just admit that although Harvey Mackay author of Swim with the Sharks believes that everyone from the receptionist to your top sales person is involved in the selling process everybody is not good at sales, most people lack the skill set to get the job done or they just hate the process.


YOU'VE GOT TO BECOME A SALES JUNKY...HOOKED ON SELLING.

SOME HOW YOU'VE GOT TO FIND OUT...
Now different industries require different lag time for the follow-up, the repeat follow-up and the follow-up to the follow-up but nothing happens until you follow-up or as one person puts it NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL A SALE IS MADE.

TOP SALESMAN IN THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY
When I was in the mortgage industry as a broker the follow-up time was a little longer than what it was when I moved into providing the loan money for the mortgage brokers. Same industry different lag times for the follow-up.

SAME INDUSTRY DIFFERENT FOLLOW-UP TIMES...
For example as a broker you called people who could send you business based on your relationship with the person providing the leads But cross over the line to the financing side of the industry and every week I was required to go out to the mortgage brokers office. Yes every week I had to peep my head in the door. Most mornings I brought donuts but if I arrived near lunch I brought pizza. Not every time but if I stopped through 4 times a month I better stop in at least a fourth of the time to maybe 50 percent of the time with something in my hand to eat or a new rate sheet or some type of special benefit to the woman or man I'm trying to build a relationship with.

IMPORTANT...FIND OUT BEST PRACTICES FOR YOUR INDUSTRY.
Now again different industries have different standards and you better find out what is Best Practice for that industry if you really want to be extremely financially successful.

LIKE RICH DAD POOR DAD EVERY INDUSTRY HAS "RICH SALES PERSON poor sales person" and you become what you think about most of the time. Just remember you attract what you are. You can only obtain what you have the ability to retain.

THAT'S IT OR I'M GOING TO HAVE TO START CHARGING MYSELF.
I'm going to stop while I'm ahead because I can talk all day and night about the selling process because I LOVE IT and if you are going to become successful you've got to love it too. Your boss is right you've got to show some face time or you're going to miss the sell at least until you build a strong relationship with the client. Now normally a boss that really wants you to become successful provides knowledge or training that helps you to become successful because your success provides the resources for theirs. But if you're not getting adequate training you need to do just one thing and here it is...

FIND OUT WHO IS THE LEADING COMPANY IN YOUR INDUSTRY THAT EVERYONE IS BUYING FROM AND figure out how they're doing it.

Or

CALL SOMEONE IN ANOTHER STATE WHO YOU'RE NOT COMPETING WITH AND FIND OUT WHO THE LEADING SALES PERSON IS AND GIVE THEM A CALL.

Or

FIND OUT WHO THE LEADING SALES PERSON IS IN YOUR COMPANY AND GENINUNELY MAKE FRIENDS AND learn how their doing it.

SOMEBODY IN YOUR INDUSTRY IS MAKING A WHOLE LOT OF COMMISSIONS....YOU BETTER FIND OUT HOW!
Well I've given you as much as I can give you without having to write myself a check for the work I've just done. That's my experience and some how you've got to get a whole lot of that because somebody' s making a whole lot of money in your city selling your product to your client and you've got to figure out how and then what you can do to out serve your competition. Is there anything else I can do for you?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)

Some good suggestions here... as you read them, you may see that many are suggesting things which would be HELPFUL or WELCOME from the perspective of the gatekeeper, e.g. candy, information they can use, a chance to share their "insider's view" of the company.

I'm a proponent of "prospect centered" marketing. Your question is, "How can I get around the Gatekeeper?". Maybe another question you could ask yourself is, "How can I help? What information or expertise can I provide which would be welcome and encouraged by the gatekeeper, the RN, the doctor?"

What would happen if you put yourself in their shoes, and thought about the situation from their point of view? If you asked a dozen of them, "If you were me, and you wanted to make your service known to doctors, what would you do?" - what would they say? Do you know anyone personally who is in such a position - could you take them to lunch and ask them which successful techniques they have observed?

Response to michael:

I like your direct approach in asking, "How do we get on Dr. Smith's referral list?..." And it is clear to me now, after seeing all these wonderful suggestions, that I have a lot of work to do and some preplanning techniques that will be beneficial to working WITH the gatekeepers instead of trying to scoot PAST them. I thank you all for your help. It's been invaluable! Thank you!!!!! I'm closing now but will continue to watch postings.

When marketing to doctors remember that they see a steady stream of reps and sales people daily. Most of them will not remember you until the third time they see you, let alone send you a referral, so persistence is important. Branded products such as pens are good items to bring to doctors offices, make sure they are good quality or they will not be used. Also, pre-printed prescription pads with check boxes indicating each of your services are a plus. Print them in a flourescent color so they are easy to find when needed. Office staff are interested in saving time, so if you can streamline your referral process that will interest them. Doctors are interested in how you can help them solve their patients problems. If you have a great orthotic product, talk about the type of patient that can benefit from that product. Leave informational materials for docs to give patients, leave samples, bring food and candy occasionally. Keep it brief: everybody is busy. If you want more time, ask if you can bring lunch.