Subject line says it all. If you’re cold calling a firm I doubt the secretary will lead you speak to the VP or whoever it is if your just a lowly undergrad student. What’s the best way to get passed the gatekeeper?
I get passed by everybody when I drive slow in the fast lane.
Send her an email with ‘you complete me’ as the salutation.
Past. Sorry about that. I forgot how important grammar is on this anonymous forum. English isn’t my first language. Nor my 2nd for that matter.
Bring a box of cuban cigars and tell her it’s for the VP’s birthday, that they were expensive, and very hard to get. Then tell her that she better go him a present too.
Redox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Past. Sorry about that. I forgot how important > grammar is on this anonymous forum. English isn’t > my first language. Nor my 2nd for that matter. I forgot how important honesty was on this annonymous forum as well. SMIRK Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Bring a box of cuban cigars and tell her it’s for > the VP’s birthday, that they were expensive, and > very hard to get. Then tell her that she better go > him a present too. Isn’t that a little over the top for equities in Dallas?
nuppal Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I forgot how important honesty was on this > annonymous forum as well. Not sure if you are insinuating that I’m being dishonest. I speak Russian and Hebrew fluently. Something that is very common for the one million people that left for Israel after the Soviet Union broke up. Currently living and going to school in Canada.
Go to the office and wear a monocle and a top hat. A monocle and a top hat can get you in anywhere.
ANOTHER QUESTION: When the secretary says the person is away from his desk and asks if she can take a message, is that her screening you or is the person most likely just away from their desk?
Redox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ANOTHER QUESTION: When the secretary says the > person is away from his desk and asks if she can > take a message, is that her screening you or is > the person most likely just away from their desk? Screening. Hence, use monocle and top hat while on phone.
Redox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ANOTHER QUESTION: When the secretary says the > person is away from his desk and asks if she can > take a message, is that her screening you or is > the person most likely just away from their desk? Screening. Hence, use monocle and top hat while on phone.
The day before take some pics and video of the secretary while in the shower, then tell her to give you face to face time with the VP or else you’d publish the vid on p0rnhub. Share the pics on AF. Flawless.
I think the ^^ really is probably the only way. Really though… who is this person you are trying to get in contact with and why do you think they want to talk to you? I don’t want to sound mean, but reason through it in your mind. Here is this VP of X who has a crapload of stuff that he needs to deal with and you are wanting him to take a cold call from some random person off the street? Why? If you are trying to pitch yourself you should seek another route. Perhaps join a local organization where you would be given the opportunity to network and meet these sorts of people. Or use your school alum network to try to fond an “in”. The secretary is there to weed out calls from people like you (and unsolicited sales of course). Sorry to be bearer of truth.
If you have the person’s name, why can’t you email them directly?
Who are you calling on? If you share what you are selling and who your audience is I might have some more ideas. There are multiple tactics. Each requires a different attitude. I usually decide which as soon as they answer and I hear their voice and attitude. 1. Pretend you are returning a call. Obviously this is high risk but if you are bulk cold calling you dont really care how you get through. I usually say something like “oh I’m sorry I must have the wrong number I was returning a call from Bill Billiamson?” When they ask who it is see if you can get away with just a first name and partial firm name, like Jeff from Morgan. 2. See if you can find a subordinate to pitch. They don’t get as many cold calls and may be willing to listen and if interested they will discuss with the CFO/CEO. For instance, I try to find the name of the controller or Treasurer. Or ifs a bigger company the Mgr of Treasury Ops or the Assistant controller. 3. Shower the gatekeeper with kindness and pitch the idea to her. Put it in simple terms. For instance, “Hi Barbara, my name is 1morelevel and I sell widgets that spin around fast to publicly traded companies.” I have down Bill Billiamson as the contact to talk to, but I thought maybe you could give me some advice? Do you recommend I talk directly with him or is their another person you recommend I talk to?" This is best if they sound really nice, patient and longwinded. 4. Talk quickly and use accronyms and try to confuse and overwhelm. If the gatekeeper doesn’t know what you are saying they are more likely to put you through than shut you down. I use this if she sounds bitchy. Something like: “Hi its Chris from Morgan is Bill there? I have information on DOCP” “And what is this regarding?” “DOCP - direct offer commercial paper” “I’m sorry he is in a meeting, can I put you though to his junk voicemail?” "Actually, I’m only going to be in for another 30 minutes. Can you slip him a quick note that says, “Yes we do have DOCP available for terms of 7, 14, 30 or 90 days with rates between +5 and +25 bps cheap to FFTR” “I’ll put you through.” If you have any tricks you have please share back.
akanska Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think the ^^ really is probably the only way. > > Really though… who is this person you are trying > to get in contact with and why do you think they > want to talk to you? I don’t want to sound mean, > but reason through it in your mind. Here is this > VP of X who has a crapload of stuff that he needs > to deal with and you are wanting him to take a > cold call from some random person off the street? > Why? > > If you are trying to pitch yourself you should > seek another route. Perhaps join a local > organization where you would be given the > opportunity to network and meet these sorts of > people. Or use your school alum network to try to > fond an “in”. > > The secretary is there to weed out calls from > people like you (and unsolicited sales of course). > Sorry to be bearer of truth. Yes, networking is a big part of sales. So are referrals. So is luck. So is having a good product. So is unsolicited marketing.
akanska --> You are not being rude. I appreciate the honesty and would accept any more advice you might have. 1morelevel --> Thank you for your advice but I’m not sure if it is applicable to me. I should have clarified in my opening post that I am not a telemarketer, nor do I work in sales. I am trying to cold call midmarket investment banks (and possibly some ER firms) to secure an interview for a summer internship. I would also be open to doing this internship for free.
Redox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- I would also be > open to doing this internship for free. In a couple of years people will likely start to pay to get an internship. Tough times.
Redox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > akanska --> You are not being rude. I appreciate > the honesty and would accept any more advice you > might have. > > 1morelevel --> Thank you for your advice but I’m > not sure if it is applicable to me. > > > I should have clarified in my opening post that I > am not a telemarketer, nor do I work in sales. I > am trying to cold call midmarket investment banks > (and possibly some ER firms) to secure an > interview for a summer internship. I would also be > open to doing this internship for free. Gotcha. Why are you trying to call someone with a secretary? I say don’t start with the Chief Investment Officer. Start with a first year analyst. Find guys that are new and have never been cold called and ask them how they got in. Ask them for recommendations on who to talk to and the process. If they are local ask if you can buy them coffee to discuss their company. This should give you more to go on. Listen to their advice. You likely have a lot more in common with them anyway. You can send emails too. Make sure you personally address the email or I can promise you get no reply. Don’t attach your resume. Ask for recommendations not an interview. Your resume is going to have a big effect too. If your resume sucks, you can cold call until you are blue in the face and your arent going to get hired.
You can tell the secretary that you would like to send him a document and would like to discuss it with him beforehand. If she asks for details, say it’s personal.