How to get past the toughest gatekeepers

By Michael Feuer

Print This Page

Send this page to a friend

In the typical company, about 80 percent of business decisions are made by only 20 percent of its employees. Before your team members can get to a “yes” for an order or deal, they must first navigate past the gatekeeper to reach the decision-maker with the big pen.

Most companies spend their efforts training salespeople how to sell but neglect to teach them how to get in front of the manager who can give the nod.

As the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, I was always impressed and, at times, even amused by the renegade peddler who made his or her way across the desk from me for a one-on-one session. I would wonder if this person was the no-account brother-inlaw of my gatekeeper, had incriminating photos or perhaps was a bona fide seller who had convinced my assistant that he was offering something that could make a difference.

So what’s the combination to unlock that formidable door? First, make sure your people are targeting the right person. Translation: Find out who in the company calls the shots on what your organization is trying to sell and, equally important, who is this honcho’s trusted assistant.

Sometimes, reaching the higher-up is easier if one initially starts a step lower. Increase the odds for success by writing and/or calling the target’s assistant, addressing him or her by name. Always remember an administrative assistant has real clout and must be treated accordingly.

Unless the salesperson is lucky, the initial call or note will probably not get the job done. Instead, teach your people how to stand out in the crowd. Start with a letter to the assistant and follow up with a phone call two or three days later, but no longer, or the note will be long forgotten. Any combination of phone calls, e-mails or personal handwritten notes can be effective in breaking through the clutter that bombards an overworked assistant.

Bear in mind that assistants aren’t obstructionists. It’s just their job to block time-wasters. The worst nightmare for any gatekeeper is being rebuked by the boss asking, “Why did you let that turkey in?” One must always provide meaningful rationale for the proposed tête-à-tête with the leader.

I vividly recall around the spring of 2000 when my assistant suddenly started telling me “wonderful things” about the state of Pennsylvania. Turns out that Tom Ridge, the then-governor of the Keystone State, learned that I would be making a decision on where to locate a new mega-sized distribution center that would employ hundreds of people.

Instead of sending me the usual propaganda, he chose to call my assistant, introduce himself and explain why Pennsylvania would be the right site for us. My assistant later “confessed” that she had several calls and a note of thanks from the governor, who subsequently became the country’s first security czar.

Although she never admitted it, I suspect the assistant provided the governor tidbits of useful insights about the other states with which Pennsylvania was competing.

It sure doesn’t hurt, either, as was the case with Gov. Ridge, to convince this right-hand person she would be fulfilling her mission by getting him through to me because, in fact, Pennsylvania really was the best location.

Things to avoid include calling and saying, “I’m from the IRS,” or implying that it’s a “sensitive personal matter,” which might get one through to the boss but also result in having the phone slammed down in the caller’s ear within three seconds.

Also, never, ever bully the gatekeeper with threats, such as, “Do you know who I am?” This tactic is guaranteed to put the pursuer at the top of a “black list” — which can prove more difficult to get off than Homeland Security’s “No Fly list.”

For those who ultimately reach the sacred ivory tower and are successful, it’s wise to give the gatekeeper credit for having had the smarts to let them in, which is exactly what Tom Ridge did. Teach your team members that the velvet-glove approach can spare them the wasted energy from huffing and puffing and trying to blow the door down.

P.S. Yes, Pennsylvania won the competition to become the site of the new facility.

MICHAEL FEUER co-founded OfficeMax in 1988 with a friend and partner. Starting with one store during a 16-year span, Feuer, as CEO, grew the company to almost 1,000 stores worldwide, with annual sales approximating $5 billion before selling this retail giant for almost $1.5 billion in 2003 to Boise Cascade Corp. Feuer immediately launched another start-up, Max-Ventures, a retail/consumer products venture capital operating and consulting firm headquartered in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. Feuer serves on a number of corporate and philanthropic boards and is a frequent speaker on business, marketing and building entrepreneurial enterprises. Reach him with comments at mfeuer@max-ventures.com.