Q: My first job in sales requires me to make cold calls to small companies, so I usually meet the receptionist first, hoping to get in to see the person in charge of purchasing. I took the job because I'm not afraid of working on commission, and I thought it would be good training for eventually getting a higher-level sales job. I know sales people can do well financially, especially if they have good social skills; I just don't know what field I want to end up in, so this is a good place to start. I talked my way into the job, convincing the company that they had nothing to lose in hiring me since it's a straight commission job.
What I'm not sure about is how to approach receptionists. I've always been confident, friendly, easy to talk to and a good communicator. I'm good at explaining things, but I don't know how much or how little to tell someone for me to get into the buyer. Some receptionists seem to have control of things while others have none or are not interested in anything you have to say. Is there a "best" approach to a person in this position?
A: Receptionists have different levels of responsibilities and tasks, so treat each one as an individual, rather than as a certain group type that is going to respond to you the same way. You may have a dynamic product or service, but if you turn off the receptionist, you may never get a chance to sell it to the person you need to see. A receptionist can influence the person in charge with information that either makes you seem knowledgeable and polite or makes you sound like the biggest jerk out there.
Don't use a "canned" introduction when meeting a receptionist on a cold call. Your introduction will sound rehearsed, which makes it easy for anyone in a "gatekeeper's" position to shut you down before you can say anything of importance. When you meet people face-to-face, sensing their conversational boundaries will help you know what to say. Follow the receptionist's lead and if you are asked for a description of what you're selling, keep it brief. A receptionist may have strict instructions regardless of what you say, so adjust your intro for each situation.
In-person cold calling is an old-school approach for sales, which can be annoying at best. Despite your company's instructions, call the company first to ascertain the name of the office manager or person in change of purchasing. A face-to-face cold call disrespects the potential buyer's time; it ignores that the person has work to do, and no one these days, not even a receptionist in small company, sits and does nothing.
If your company has marketing flyers or brochures, learn the information before you make a sales call so you won't have to refer to the documents while talking to the potential buyer. It's highly unprofessional to fumble over the product or service you're selling, and encourages the buyer to automatically reject you, whether in-person or on the phone.
If you can get the name of the purchasing manager, call for an appointment, offering enough information to peak his or her interest without overwhelming the person with details. If you're invited for a meeting, listen carefully to the person and respond appropriately. Be careful not to cross the line from being politely friendly to acting like the customer is your childhood friend.
Just as you respect the manager's time, treat the receptionist with the same respect by introducing yourself with a smile. He or she is not without feelings, but instead a person who because of the job level may not receive much acknowledgement or credit for the work.
Email career and life coach LindseyNovak@yahoo.com with your workplace questions and experiences. For more information, visit www.lindseyparkernovak.com and for past columns, see www.creators.com/read/At-Work-Lindsey-Novak.
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