Have you checked out Telemarketing Tips, From the Pros – Part 1 and Part 2 yet? If not, go catch up before continuing with this article!

With 23 years of business under our belt, the Dunlap Marketing team has a great deal of telemarketing experience. Part 1 of this series reviewed tips on call preparation; Part 2 reviewed tips to utilize during your calls. Moving on to Part 3, we will discuss tips related to the million-dollar question: How to reach the decision maker.

Reaching the Decision Maker

One of the biggest struggles during cold calling is getting past the gatekeeper. At Dunlap Marketing, this is a challenge we encounter daily. Check out the following tips from the Dunlap pros about getting through the gatekeeper and to the decision-maker.

• Be friendly with receptionists and try to get as much information out of them as possible. It will make it easier to get through to the decision maker the next time you call.
• If you encounter a difficult gatekeeper, try calling early in the morning or in the evening. There’s a chance the gatekeeper won’t be there and you can get straight to the decision maker.
• Do your best to build trust with the gatekeeper. If they ask you to call back at a certain time, be timely with your call back. If they request an email, send the email promptly, then follow up with a call in a few days.
• If you ask for the decision maker and they’re not available, that doesn’t have to mean the call is finished. You should always ask, “Who else is there that can handle this matter?”

Part 4 will wrap up our Telemarketing Tips, From The Pros series. Stay tuned for the grand finale, going live in November.