Tweet

Sales Prospecting Success - How to use Google to be a sales superstar and avoid the Gatekeeper

Guest post by: Peter O'Donoghue

Article Overview: Are you still trying to overcome the gatekeeper or are you still getting stuck with a no names policy? Forget all those old excuses and find out how to get the direct dial number for any business contact you want...

Sales Prospecting Success - How to use Google to be a sales superstar and avoid the Gatekeeper

Are you still trying to overcome the gatekeeper or are you still getting stuck with a no names policy? Forget all those old excuses and find out how to get the direct dial number for any business contact you want...Using Google and The Internet To Find Out Specific Contact Names: One of the applications of the Internet that really excite me more than most, is the ability to get direct contact numbers for almost anyone you want contact with. Historically, appointment setting sales training and traditional sales material has largely focused on:

• Getting past the gatekeeper
• Overcoming the gatekeeper
• Tricking the gatekeeper
• Bypassing the gatekeeper
• And sometimes befriending the gatekeeper

My aim for you is to make these things irrelevant. They will become irrelevant because you will develop the skills and attitude to enable you to

leverage the power of the Internet to gain the direct telephone number for just about anybody you want to talk to.

Let me introduce you to your best sales prospecting tool: Google.

Firstly you should get used to knowing the rules of search engines. To help clarify the terminology I have put search terms in [brackets] but these are not needed as part of the search. Understand that:

• ["question marks will get you precise phrases in the question marks"] so HR director would become "HR Director"
• [Sharks site:bbc.co.uk] will only give the instances of the word shark mentioned on the bbc web site. Think of the power of using this to research your target market. For example a quick search on [president: site:ibm.com ]soon provides hundreds of pages of references to Vice Presidents and Senior Vice Presidents of Technology, sales, marketing operations.... For us UK people we use Director but the Americans use President.

These are just the first steps in learning your new best prospecting tool. When you feel the time is right to know more then venture out on your own and find out what other little search tricks there are out there for you.

So, how can you get the direct dial number of the person you want to speak to every time without worrying about gatekeepers or no name policies.

Check Their Company Web Site:

I know this sounds crazily easy but half the time it is. If you know the name of the person you want to speak to then spend a couple of minutes looking on their website or doing a [site:their web site search] . It is becoming increasingly popular to have the telephone numbers listed somewhere on the site.

This gets me and my clients the direct dial number roughly 60% of the time. It may not always come from the ‘About Us' either. Unless told to do so, the search engines will keep a record of every page and every document on a web page. We have found direct dial telephone numbers listed on a web site in all manner of easy to find places, such as:

• An internal telephone directory hosted on the same web server as the website
• A staff newsletter
• A news bulletin to suppliersPress Releases
• Notes from presentations, keynote speeches and PowerPoint slides.

If you don't know the direct name of the person then you can search by their job function i.e "HR Director BBC"

Search Google:

The second port of call for you. Use the same principles as given above and I would be amazed if you do not find a direct telephone number reference.

We share top sales tips like this in our free sales newsletter which you can access for free via the link in my bio....see you there....

Related Articles
  Sales Prospecting Techniques - How To Use Google So You Never Have To Get Stuck At The Gatekeeper
  4 Keys to Gett ng Past the Gatekeeper
  Sales Prospecting Techniques
  Sales Prospecting for Sales Results
  Sales Management, Prospecting, and a Sense of Urgency©

Article Tags: appointment setting, bbc web site, business contact, contact numbers, dial number, direct contact, direct dial, first steps, getting past the gatekeeper, google, hr director, li li, question marks, sales marketing, sales material, search engines, senior vice presidents, sharks, target market, technology sales



Related Forum Posts
Prime Means of Selling - Prospecting and Selling aren't the same. Prospecting is finding the few within a target group who are prime candidates for your service. I don't think everyone will agree on what "prime" means but I'd say if the prospects actively want what you're offering and have the ability to pay for what you're offering then they qualify as "prime".
What to avoid when cold calling? - Cold calling is the nemesis of all sales people. What words to avoid, what not to do when cold calling? I will start first: avoid the word "maybe". When you're cold calling, your best chance of success is to be self assured, confident, and 100% well versed in what you are selling. If you're using the word 'maybe' in your sales scripts, you run the risk of sounding wishy washy. It either is or isn't. Pick one. Another word: "hope" When you tell your client you're 'hoping' for something, you're not sure, are you? If you're not sure, then why should they be? Never let a prospect hear that you're not 100% behind your product, your company or your service, or it's entirely likely you will lose the sale. So, what other words should we avoid?
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz] I second the request...
Re: Kevin's Case Study #7 - How do you promote your new book? - [quote="orxan":kako3o5q]Hi Kevin, Normal conversion rate is 2% for me. High conversion rate can be 5-6% or more probably. But if you use Google Adwords techniques properly and have the good sales letter, then it can be 25-30% or more. It depends on books too. If it is exciting and shocking book with great sales letter then it will determine the rate of conversion, too. Orxan[/quote:kako3o5q] Hi Orxan, What are some Google AdWords techniques you can share with us that generate 25-30% conversion rates? Thanks


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMING TEAM

10 Reasons Your SBA Loan May Be Declined

Providing Feedback

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.