Gatekeeper

In sales, a gatekeeper represents an individual who controls access to key decision makers at a prospect organization. Often in assistant or admin roles, they filter unsolicited sales inquiries to limit interruptions.

Savvy sellers build rapport with gatekeepers to eventually reach executives. Personalizing outreach, being helpful, sharing value, and persistence can win over gatekeepers. Identifying and leveraging existing internal connections at the target company also helps earn referrals.

Getting past gatekeepers to connect with empowered buyers remains an essential sales skill. While challenging, gatekeepers present an opportunity to demonstrate customer focus. Mapping out decision networks provides alternate routing as needed.