The next in our series of telephone selling methods for getting past the prospect's screen or gatekeeper.

Telephone selling skills tip #4. Ask questions the Screen won't be able to answer.

The way to get through the Screen is to communicate that you have a sound business reason for talking to the prospect — one that will help that decision maker executive or the organization work better.

Thus if the Screen is putting you on the defensive with questions, switch from defense to attack by asking your own questions, as in this model dialogue:

Screen: "And what is it you want to talk to Mr. Builder about?"

Sales person: "Mr. Builder is the construction engineer on the PDM Center, isn't he?"

Screen: "Yes, of course. But why do you need to talk to him?"

Sales person: "I'm calling to determine whether the PDM Center is being built in accord with the NEPA Standards on hydro-thallaxic transfaxions. Can you help me with that?"

Screen: "I have no idea. For that you'll have to talk to Mr. Builder. Hold, please."

With a little ingenuity you can come up with a repertoire of unanswerable questions like these. The questions should be relevant to the reason for your call to the DM, but a little more technical or detailed than a receptionist or secretary would be willing to address.