How to Make the Gatekeeper Think You’re Buddy-Buddy with the VIP

The inspiration for this next telephone technique comes from personal experiences with mid-Manhattan toilets (a less-than-refined

origin, to be sure). New York City, in spite of all its reputed sophistication, lags some of the shabbiest European cities in one respect.

Manhattan has few public toilets. And none of those Europeanstyle, charming, and at times very much appreciated, freestanding

structures on street corners.

In the days when I made sales calls around the busy city of

New York, this presented a problem. Several times a day. I often

found myself at the mercy of coffee-shop cashiers who jealously

guarded their restroom facilities. Some shops even put menacingly

scribbled signs in the window, "Bathrooms are for customers only."

I often found that if I played it straight—going up to the

cashier and asking if I could use the amenities—I'd get shot down.

So I used the following technique. Without casting a glance at the

cashier, I'd strut confidently into the coffee shop. I'd march right

past the bathroom bouncer and keep my gaze fixed on one of the

booths. She'd assume I was coming for lunch or had simply

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How to Make the

Gatekeeper Think

You're Buddy-Buddy

with the VIP

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returned to collect my forgotten gloves. Once past the gatekeeper

of the loo, I'd wait for her to be busy ringing up the next check.

Then, like greased lightning, I'd sprint into the john.

I dubbed this deception "The Ho-Hum Caper" after my

feigned attitude of "Ho hum, business as usual. I come here every

day with nothing on my mind but lunch."

Let us now translate that sneaky subterfuge into a seldomfail phone technique. You can use the maneuver to sneak around

secretaries and dodge their heartless screening. Instead of playing it straight and asking for your party by name, just say "Is he

in?" or "Is she in?" Using the pronoun is verbally sprinting past

the secretary with a business as usual, "Ho hum, I call every day"

attitude.

256 How to Talk to Anyone

Technique #68

The Ho-Hum Caper

Instead of using your party's name, casually let the

pronoun he or she roll off your tongue. Forget "Uh,

may I speak to Ms. Bigshot please?" Just announce,

"Hi, Bob Smith here, is she in?" Tossing the familiar

she off your tongue signals to the secretary that you and

her boss are old buddies.