We sell software to small businesses in India. The presence of the CEO/M.D on internet is less. And it is difficult to even get their name on Internet.
Any techniques to get their name and be able to talk with them directly?
There's a reason that most CEOs and M.D.s are hard to get to and why their gatekeepers won't let you through...
They WANT it that way.
They are constantly being bombarded by people trying to sell them something!
My best advice is to discover ways to put the target on YOUR back.
Position your business/product/service in a way that compels them (or more likely someone from their office) to contact YOU.
Tip: Make sure you develop and maintain an very high level of integrity - because even if you get through to one and make a sale - if your product/service is of poor quality then word will spread and your reputation will get destroyed.
Best of luck!
Some specific tactics to consider based on personal experience:
- First, research the person on LinkedIn, Facebook etc and see if you have any legitimate shared contacts or interests. Do NOT under any circumstances stretch the truth but if, for example, you both went to the same school, both lived abroad in the same country, both love road biking, then arm yourself with that knowledge.
- I'm going to assume that in this case you don't have any shared connections so LinkedIn isn't an option. Now you need to research email and phone number. For C-level execs of public companies you can sometimes find this info in SEC filings.
- If you are targeting someone below the C-suite then the following tactic is VERY effective. Call the appropriate C-level exec. When you get stopped by the gate keeper explain who you need to talk to and have them refer you. An email from the exec asst to the CEO is just as effective as an email from the CEO herself!
- You must be willing to follow a "friendly bulldog" strategy. That means you call, email and send real mail (can be very effective b/c its now a rare tactic) many times with small time gaps in between. The more you ask someone to do something for you, the more they feel obligated to do it. This is a real psychological phenomenon that fund raisers exploit regularly.
I hope these ideas help. Happy to talk and share more...
Have you considered advertising on social networks? Find the network they seem to be on, create free guides, Ebooks or white papers that benefit their company.
They click your ad, or they sign up on your blog and now you have trust.
Create great shit and they'll come knocking on your door.
STOP TRYING TO CALL THEM. Send a short email. Meet them at a conference. Connect with a decision-maker who reports to them.
Don't get hung up trying to speak with the guy at the top. Chances are, he's not going to blindly purchase from you anyways.
Get smart about representing your product and connecting with the right people -- and make sure you deliver value that matters to the dude on the other end of the deal. OK?
It's simple. 99% of the people out there will attempt to use tactics and tricks to get past the gate keeper. Instead try seeing things from the gatekeeper's perspective. When they receive a random phone call from someone they don't know they automatically think, "What does this person want? They're probably trying to sell something to me, etc."
So I want you to try this approach. When the gatekeeper answers the phone first introduce yourself and then say these words "and I want to be 100% respectful of your time." You will be amazed how much more receptive the person will be on the other end of the phone.
Try this on your next 10 cold calls and tell me if you notice a big difference.
Good luck!
I agree with some the above. Never ever cold call a physician's office. And never ever expect to get a physician to call you back from their office. I am a pediatrician practicing nearly 20 years. The only way to sell something to a physician is through CONTENT and INBOUND MARKETING. We look for solutions to our problems 1. at NIGHT after our kids are in bed ( of course that's all through social sites which I can expound upon for you) 2. At conferences but don't think having your product at a trade show display will get my attention either, because we ignore 98% of those. 3. Through someone I trust using a product or service.
My advice would be to have your entire platform and value proposition set up on your website, and preferrably have a robust you tube site ( think kareo, they do a great job of this) that shows how to onboard/implement your product or service. Your you tube site serves double duty, as product support and onboarding, and great SEO for your site if you have your keywords right.
If you are trying to get a doc for a 15 minute demo, or webinar, forget about that too.
Be sure to record your webinar, and make it available to your audience so they can view it on their own time.
These days in healthcare you have to be AWESOME on SO MANY LEVELS to get our attention. Your product must be on the main stage of a infuential conference. You must write passionately on your blog about your domain. You must comment on OTHER blogs leaving a link to your site.
I'm happy to walk you through Linked in Strategy on a call!
Natalie
Here are some suggestions for getting past gatekeepers when calling small businesses in India:
Do your research. Try to find as much information as possible about the company and key people from their website, LinkedIn profiles, articles, etc. Knowing some details will help in the initial conversation.
Call reception and be polite but persistent. Introduce yourself by name and company clearly. Mention that you need to speak to the CEO or MD directly regarding an opportunity. Don't give too many details to the receptionist.
Ask for their email ID. If the receptionist is hesitant to directly connect with you, politely ask if you can email a brief introduction to the CEO or MD directly. This bypasses the gatekeeper.
Contact local industry organizations. See if the company or its executives are members of any chambers of commerce, trade bodies, etc. Reach out to those organizations to try to find referral connections.
leverage relationships. See if you have any existing contacts or partners who may know someone within the target company who could introduce you. Warm introductions work better.
Send a personalized email first. Introduce yourself, your company, and the potential value of your software upfront. Mention that you'll follow up with a call in a few days to discuss further.
Call during non-busy hours. Early mornings or late afternoons tend to be less busy times when gatekeepers may be more lenient. Be concise and respectful of people's time.
Emphasize the benefits. Highlight how your software can directly help the decision-maker achieve their goals. Gatekeepers are more likely to pass on calls that clearly add value to their senior executives.
Patience and persistence usually pay off. With some research and polite communication, you may be able to connect directly with the right people eventually.
