There’s nothing more frustrating than having your selling efforts cut short by a receptionist that won’t give you the time of day, so here are three ways to gather information at an account where the receptionist is screening your call.   

1. Call before 9 a.m. at lunch or after 5 p.m.
While most receptionists start work at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., managers often start at 8 a.m. and are still in the office after 6 p.m. So call before or after regular working hours and usually there is no one there to screen your call.

2. Ask for sales
Phone any company and ask for sales and they’ll put you through instantly. When a salesperson picks up the phone, all you need to do is ask for their help. “Good morning, my name is Peter and I’m with Best Publishing. I’m in sales like you. Would you mind if I asked you a few brief questions?”

You’ll find that most salespeople will tell you anything you’d like to know because they haven’t been instructed to screen calls. They’ll not only tell you who the marketing manager is, they’ll also give you his direct line.

3. Call accounts receivable
If your target company doesn’t have a sales department, ask for accounts receivable and the receptionist will usually transfer your call instantly. Once again, accounting has not been instructed to screen calls so they see nothing wrong with answering your questions.