The toughest selling of all.

• Author: Wiesner, Pat
• Position: The art of getting past the checkpoint people - Column

The art of blocking salespeople has advanced like everything else: The single-minded secretary, intent on deflecting your inquiries and voicemail, is an example.

We are all annoyed by intrusions from unwanted sales agents. You only need to listen to a group of your own sales reps standing around the water cooler in the morning, sharing stories about how they dumped the guy who tried to sell them long-distance phone service when he called in the middle of dinner the night before.

More than once, I can remember blowing off a fast-talking, offensive, New York stockbroker making cold calls, and then making my own sales call only to get blown off in return by a secretary who wasn't buying whatever I was selling as I tried to talk to Mr. Big.

So what's the difference? How can we do better than average with these sales problems? Here is what I have learned, along with some observations from folks on both sides of the problem. First, some fundamentals:

* Don't expect to learn anything here or anywhere that will replace hard work. Hard work can make up for lots of IQ and "clever" points. Those New York brokers make a very good living by simply making enough calls so that they get someone to listen.

* Don't expect miracle cures. If right now you are doing one in 10, you should be really happy with three.

* Assume that your prospects have been very clever to get where they are. Remember, just like you and me, they would listen if they were convinced that it was going to help them be more successful.

* The filter (tough secretaries or voice mail) has not been put there to eliminate all phone calls. If that were the case, they would simply take out the phone. They are there to filter. They are there to find and accept the important calls.

On dealing with the impermeable secretary: I talked to a number of these while trying to write this piece, and I was struck by a couple of things.

First, I have always treated them as "the enemy," people I must get the best of in order to get to Mr. Big. They must lose in order for me to win - again, like the high-pressure guys from New York who make me feel like this is a contest with a winner and a loser. I no longer believe this. Everyone I talked to said something like, "My boss is smart, and so am I. And I'm here...