Another week is upon us to move toward crushing our goals. I was going to say a top o’ the mornin to ya, in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day this week, but it dawned on me that this goes out at 4 in the afternoon. So it’s just a plain good afternoon instead.
This week’s word is a person that we all know, whether we realize it or not.
The Gatekeeper is the most important person you will encounter at an organization, even more so than the actual decision maker. This person can make or break your experience at a prospects facility.
A gatekeeper is traditionally a receptionist, assistant, or other person who has been tasked with filtering who has access to their boss. These individuals are generally very respected and wield a lot of power so it is best to treat them as if they themselves are the decision makers. The more the gatekeeper likes you, the more access you will have to their boss, the decision maker, and if your cards are played right, they may actually help your case by suggesting the decision maker use your services. Be sincere though, gatekeepers see a lot of tricks to get by them and can sniff out disingenuousness in a heartbeat.
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