| As you prospect, do you long for a real live | | | | You must ask for your prospect by first and last |
| person to answer your phone calls? | | | | name and pronounce both correctly. |
| Are the phrases, "I'm not able to answer your call | | | | Here's an Insider's secret peek into the mechanics |
| in person right now ..." "I'm in a meeting right now | | | | of the executive suites that will equip you to |
| or talking with another client ..." and "If you want | | | | understand what's going on in their world. Really |
| help with this, please press #2, #1, ..." starting to | | | | good executive assistants, with the approval of |
| wear on your last nerve ... like nails on a | | | | their executives, talk with receptionists and give |
| chalkboard? | | | | them specific guidelines for handling inbound callers |
| Are you feeling trapped by the very technology | | | | who ask for the President's office. |
| that was supposed to serve you? | | | | There are so many calls each day that they must |
| Well, you're in good company. | | | | come up with a system of handling them. Or |
| Our informal survey shows the overwhelming | | | | never get any work done! Executive assistants |
| majority of sales professionals share your | | | | direct receptionists to divert inbound callers who |
| frustration. One of the most frequently asked | | | | say, "I'd like to be connected to the President's |
| questions asked by our clients is, "I leave a lot of | | | | office please." The preferred method of handling |
| voice mail messages without getting any personal | | | | such callers is to politely reroute them to voice |
| contact--ever. Do you have any tips for me?" | | | | mail jail. |
| Yes, I do! | | | | With your new knowledge of this Insider's secret |
| There are simple, yet effective steps to take | | | | you'll want to call and say, "I'm calling to speak to |
| that will get you around voice mail so you can | | | | Jack Doe or his assistant, Mary." You'll find you |
| make contact with a human! | | | | receive a different kind of treatment when you |
| Whether the recording indicates it or not, many | | | | use these words. Because of their "in-house" |
| systems will reroute your calls to a human being if | | | | system for handling inbound calls, the operator |
| you press the "0" Operator button on your phone. | | | | receptionist will be more likely to give you the |
| Then when your prospect's operator/receptionist | | | | inside scoop as to their whereabouts. |
| answers, you can honestly say, "I was connected | | | | Then, because your words indicate that you |
| to the executive's voice mail and I'm looking for a | | | | "know the rules" the receptionist is far more likely |
| real, live, breathing, speaking human to talk to | | | | to be forthcoming with information that will help |
| directly. Is the executive or the executive | | | | you, information such as whether or not the |
| assistant in today?" | | | | executive is in the office and the best time to call |
| Chances are that you'll get an empathetic chuckle | | | | back to reach them in person. |
| from the receptionist. Those folks understand | | | | Those executives and their assistants are early |
| how annoying pre-recorded messages can be. | | | | risers! |
| If your prospect isn't readily available in person, | | | | They frequently slip into the office between 7:00 |
| the operator often knows that and will be glad to | | | | and 7:30 AM. Executives take advantage of the |
| offer to reroute your call to another human being | | | | still of the morning to work through the |
| within the company, such as the executive's | | | | ever-present to-do list without interruption. |
| assistant, who can tell you the whereabouts of | | | | Knowing this about the habits of executives, |
| your prospect. | | | | many a successful sales professional will make |
| Equally as import as circumventing voice mail jail is | | | | prospecting calls during those times and connect |
| knowing what to say when you succeed and | | | | with their high-level prospects on the first ring. |
| make contact with your prospects operator | | | | Use these tips to circumvent voice mail, be |
| receptionist! | | | | relentless in your pursuit for a human, and get |
| In many companies, the operator is authorized to | | | | ready to smile as you make personal contact |
| page the prospect for you or to connect you to | | | | with a real, live, person who wants to do business |
| direct line-if you do one thing in particular ... | | | | with you! |
| What's the key to "authorizing" the operator to | | | | Forward this article to friends-they'll thank you for |
| search for your prospect on your behalf? | | | | it! |