Selling IT Solutions? 3 Ways to Get Past Voice Mail and Caller ID

Build your websites, blast emails, seduce the search engines, mingle on social media, and do anything it takes to drive traffic when selling IT solutions. That’s advice the experts all agree upon. 

Yet, there could come a time when you can’t wait for site visitors to buy or leads to show up – you have to make something happen.  Calling prospective customers and asking for their business has been known to work. 

Crazy, right?  Maybe your dad could get someone to answer a phone, but he wasn’t selling IT solutions to prospects with Caller ID and voicemail.  People don’t answer phones today.  But we can’t take no for an answer, can we?  So, here are a few tricks that might work. 

1. Work the company’s voicemail system to be transferred to your prospect from an internal extension.  If the prospect is actually at his/her desk, this can work.

2. In most companies, someone answers the phone eventually, you just have to climb the ladder far enough.  Have a 30-second elevator pitch ready to explain that you are selling IT solutions, but only ask to be referred down the ladder, don’t try to sell.  If the executive or his/her assistant wants more information, you’ll be asked, otherwise, you’ll often be told who to call next.  Just follow this process down the org chart until reaching your target contact. Once you can email/voicemail that person saying, “your boss has suggested we talk,” you’ll usually get a return call.

3. Intimidation can work.  Leave a voicemail that says you’ll be in the area in the next few days and will stop by to see if s/he has a minute.  Call again that morning to confirm availability.  He might answer when you call later, if only to tell you not to stop in.  That is your chance, so have your 30-second pitch ready.

What’s worked best for you when selling IT solutions? Please share your thoughts, tips, hints, and war stories in the comments below.

And if your sales strategy needs a reboot to keep your services, SaaS, or IaaS top-of-mind in front of the right prospects and clients, be sure to enroll now in our free 7-day eCourse: Go-to-Market Strategy 101 for B2B SaaS Startups and Scaleups.