Cyber Week Sale! 50% Off All Access

How to Win Face-Time With Tough Prospects Use these strategies to get in front of hard-to-reach potential clients and make a sale.

By Grant Cardone Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

timemanagementninja.com

In order to close more sales, you have to get creative to get in front of decision makers, which is tough when there are lots of point people standing between you. The hard-to-get-to client has been a problem for all of us at one time or another. But while these clients require a lot more creativity and persistence to reach, you will generally have less competition -- and close the sale more quickly -- when you finally get in front of them. And most importantly, once you earn their business, they make great and loyal customers.

Here are three ways to get in front of these hard-to-reach decision makers:

1. Figure out what's important to them -- outside of work.
Are your prospective clients involved in charities, community organizations, or the boards of other companies? While the general rule is to avoid politics in business, it can be a great way to get in front of the hard-to-reach decision maker. For years I had been trying to get in front of a potential client I knew would be perfect for my products. Instead of directly presenting my product as I had been trying to do all that time, I focused on helping him get his favorite local candidate re-elected. When I called this client, I told his assistant I was calling for her boss because I was passionate about getting the candidate he supported re-elected. She immediately put the prospect on the phone and soon we were having lunch together. Without ever having to bring up my product, he asked me how I could help his company. While I was not successful at getting his candidate re-elected, I did get his business and help his company reach new targets. Today he is not just my client, but a great friend.

Related: How to Win a Business Negotiation

2. Attend events you know they'd frequent.
Successful people are some of the most generous people I know. The toughest ones to get in front of are typically involved in local and even national charitable causes. Do some research about what they are passionate about and see how you can assist them to further these philanthropic causes. I once had a prospective Fortune 500 client I could not get a meeting with. I found out through a little research online that this prospect was involved in two charitable programs in South Florida. I contacted both organizations and got involved in promoting their programs. It wasn't long before I found myself at a charity event with the prospect. While I have yet to acquire his business, the doors have been opened and I am confident I will be.

Related: Don't Waste Another Networking Opportunity: 6 Tips for Following Up

3. Look for other clients who can help.
Ask your loyal clients in the same market, or people who work directly with your tough prospect, for insight. Once when I was in Louisiana with a client, I showed him a list of about ten people I was having trouble getting in front of. I asked him: "Do you know any of them and can you help me with them?" My customer quickly scanned the list and offered to call two of the names on it. He immediately achieved two appointments for me that I couldn't pull off for two weeks.

Remember: decision makers are valuable and worth the time, energy and investment to reach. The only way to fail with this prospect is to quit, so commit to the client, be creative and persist -- no matter how long it takes.

Related: Networking Skills That Win You Referrals

Grant Cardone

International Sales Expert & $1.78B Real Estate Fund Manager

Grant Cardone is an internationally-renowned speaker on sales, leadership, real-estate investing, entrepreneurship and finance whose five privately held companies have annual revenues exceeding $300 million.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

'I Just Hustled': She Earned More Than $300,000 Wrapping Gifts Last Year — and It All Started With a Side Hustle

When Michelle Hensley lost her husband to cancer, she needed to figure out how to earn an income for her family.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Google CEO Sundar Pichai Says 'You'll Be Surprised' By How Google Search Changes Next Year

AI has already changed the look of search, but Google's CEO says there are more changes to come.

Growing a Business

This Breakthrough Technology is Poised to Accelerate Your Company's Growth

Discover a breakthrough technology stacked on top of generative AI, now poised to revolutionize businesses across nearly every sector. Unlock unprecedented growth and profitability potential, achieving levels once thought unattainable.

Leadership

How to Master the Art of Delegation — Lessons From Andrew Carnegie's Legacy

Here's what Andrew Carnegie can teach today's entrepreneurs about leadership, teamwork and effective delegation.