How to get past the Gatekeepers

🐣 Before we dive in... your Easter surprise is waiting!

Scroll aaaaaall the way down for something that’ll make your sales heart (and pipeline) very happy.
Until then -> let’s crack 🥚 on…

In Sales, we love talking about closing deals, handling objections, crafting the perfect pitch...
But hold up.

How do you even get to the decision-maker in the first place?

If you're selling in the DACH market, you know this dance all too well:
Before the pitch comes the gatekeeper. And they’re not going anywhere.

Gatekeepers Aren’t Obstacles. They’re Filters.

📊 Fact: In Germany, 77% of outbound sales calls don’t reach the decision-maker on the first try.
But the top reps know the game—and play it differently.

Here’s the truth:

Gatekeepers are trained to DISqualify people.
So if you want in, you need to understand what they are NOT disqualifying.

💡 That means:

• Don’t sound like just another seller.

• Do sound like someone who clearly belongs in that conversation.

Let Me Show You How – With 2 Real Examples

One from our Cold Call Mastery Instructor Jiri Siklar, and one from me 🙋‍♀️.

🎯 Example #1: The Cold Call Pro (Jiri Siklar)

In his Cold Call Mastery, Jiri teaches mindset, structure, and how to make gatekeepers your ally—not your enemy.

Here’s one of his favorite real-life scripts:

Gatekeeper:

"Central office of Fabelhaft GmbH. Mrs. Müller speaking."

Seller:
"Good morning Mrs. Müller, this is Mr. Siklar from Super GmbH—greetings!"

Gatekeeper:
"Hello Mr. Siklar, how can I help you?"

Seller:
"Is Wolfgang... Mayer already in the office? I need to speak with him briefly. Thanks!"

Gatekeeper:
"What’s this regarding?"

Seller:
"It’s about [Topic X], specifically when it comes to [Subtopic Y], and I’d really value [First Name]’s perspective as your [Their Role]."

E.g.:
“It’s about improving SDR productivity—specifically when it comes to onboarding time—and I’d love to get Sarah’s take as your Head of Sales.”

Simple. Specific. Strategic.

You’re not “just selling.”
You:

• Say their first name.

• Reference their role.

• Explain why they matter in the convo.

✨ Example #2: My Personal Favourite

This one works because it answers every single thing the gatekeeper is trained to ask:

• Why are you calling?

• Does the person know you?

• Is this important for them?

🚨 Important: I always send a short email or LinkedIn message first, so I’m not lying.
Sellers who lie are the reason our job sometimes gets a bad rep. Don’t be that seller. 😅

Gatekeeper:
"Central office of Fabelhaft GmbH. Mrs. Müller speaking."

Seller:
"Hi Mrs. Müller, Helena from Sales in DACH here. I was trying to reach Thomas Müller. Could you please put me through? Thank you!"

Gatekeeper:
"What is this regarding?"

Seller:
"I’ve already been in touch with him via email regarding [X]—for example, the Sales Training for his team. We’re figuring out next steps, and that’s always easier on a quick call."

This works because you keep it real:

• You’ve already been in touch (truth).

• It’s not random—you’re continuing the conversation.

• You’re making life easier for them and their boss.

💡 PRO TIP:

Gatekeepers are also human.

And humans respond to tone.

📊 Studies show sales reps who sound friendly + confident have 3x better success rates at getting through.

✅ Micro-hacks that work:

• Use the decision-maker’s first name

• Add a “Thank you” after your ask

• Keep your tone warm, but clear

• Mention something specific to their company if you can

🎯 Try it on your next call—and share your wins in the comments! ⬇️

🐣 Alriiiighty – Time for that Easter Surprise!

As part of Easter month, we want to give you a chance to grow your pipeline without breaking the bank 🏦.

🎁 This month you get access to the Sales in DACH Academy
For just 1€ / Day for a full year!

🚀 That’s 365€ instead of 999€ – saving you 634€!

This is for all German-speaking sellers who are serious about:

• Booking more meetings

• Building more pipeline

• Closing more deals
  ...all with practical skills and German-language training!

👉 Get Academy Access Now

Still got questions?
No worries—let’s jump on a call!
📧 [email protected]

What’s Next?

Soon our Podcast will go live! 😍

We are covering:

• Buyer Centric Cold Calling with Cisar Lambert
• AI & Sales with Thibaut Souyris
• Discovery with Vinzenz Dimpflmaier 

And much more 😍

Join the waiting list and stay updated!

How else can we help you? 

I'm glad you ask! 😎

We can offer you:

• 1:1 Coaching 👉 Get in touch with [email protected]
• If you haven't yet - Sign up for this Newsletter and get weekly Sales Hacks for the DACH market - right into your inbox 📥

And that's it for today!

Happy selling & Keep on Shining ✨

Your Sales in DACH Team