Trying to get meetings with facilities directors at large companies but I can't get past the receptionist or the voicemail system. Every call goes to voicemail and nobody calls back. I know the savings potential is there — these companies have $50,000-$100,000/month utility bills — but I can't get in front of anyone.
Getting past the gatekeeper at large companies
Stop going through the front door. The facilities director gets 20 sales calls a week and ignores all of them. Find a side door. Connect with the CFO or controller through LinkedIn or a referral. Finance people care about cost reduction and they have authority to bring in outside consultants. When the CFO tells the facilities director to "meet with this utility auditor," the meeting happens.
Another approach: offer a free preliminary review. Tell the gatekeeper you don't need a meeting — you just need one recent utility bill. "If I can see one month's bill, I can tell within 5 minutes whether there are errors worth investigating." The bar is so low that gatekeepers will often pass this request through. And when you come back with a finding on that one bill, you've earned the meeting.
Both strategies are effective. The underlying principle is reducing the prospect's perceived risk and effort. A meeting request feels like a commitment. A request to glance at one bill feels like nothing. I'd also suggest attending industry events where your target clients gather — commercial real estate conferences, facilities management associations, manufacturing trade shows. One conversation at a trade show can open doors that a hundred cold calls can't.
Tried Phil's one-bill approach today. Called a manufacturing plant in Houston, told the receptionist I just needed to see one utility bill. She came back with the plant manager on the line. He emailed me last month's CenterPoint bill within the hour. Found a rate error in 3 minutes. Meeting scheduled for Friday.
That's how it's done! The one-bill method is a game changer. Congrats on the meeting.