The New Gatekeeper: Navigating B2B Mobile Call Screening

If you've been making outbound calls to mobile numbers recently and feel like fewer people are picking up, you're probably right.

Since Apple introduced call screening on iOS (following Google), unknown callers are increasingly being asked to explain who they are and why they're calling before the prospect decides whether to answer.

From my own experience, it's still only a small percentage that are using these features and they tend to be the people you really want to reach - very busy decision makers in larger companies.

From their perspective, it makes perfect sense.

If you're receiving multiple cold calls, automated outreach spam and scam attempts every week, call screening is becomes a quick way to filter what matters and skip over what doesn't.

This has effectively created a new type of gatekeeper - it's just not the human kind.

At first, I was concerned my connection rate would drop, so I switched the function on in my own iPhone to better understand the experience and adapt my approach.

Unexpectedly, I found I liked it. It forces you to sharpen your introduction, better summarise your reason for calling and the value more clearly - something busy decision makers usually appreciate.

It's also your introduction in your words, rather than relying on a human gatekeeper to convey your reason for calling in the way you want.

Yes, some prospects will reject the call immediately before it even reaches voicemail. But I see that as useful feedback as that usually suggests:

• there wasn't enough interest

• the introduction wasn't relevant to their current priorities

• the timing not right

• or mobile just wasn't the right channel for them

My view is that people are still open to conversations that are relevant and potentially worthwhile. Call screening hasn't stopped introductions but it does mean you have to step up your game.

As someone used to navigating human gatekeepers, I've found the same principles still apply: be clear, be concise and be relevant to earn the next step.

And when a screened call gets accepted, it's usually because the introduction has landed.

Happy prospecting 😊

Ilse