How to Get Past the Gatekeeper: 11 Cold Call Scripts That Actually Work

How often the gatekeeper answers

In our data from 218,000+ B2B dials into Australian businesses, 14% reach a live person and 6% become a conversation with the decision maker. So more than half of the calls someone answers don't become a conversation with the decision maker, and often the person on the line is a receptionist, an executive assistant or a colleague. Handling that first conversation well is a core SDR skill.

7 ways to get past gatekeepers in Australia

1. Go direct first

Direct dials and mobile numbers skip the switchboard. Direct mobiles are easier to source in Australia than in the US, and answer rates on mobiles are materially higher than on switchboard lines. Wash every number against the Do Not Call Register before calling, because many business contacts use a personal mobile for work.

2. Call in the peak windows

Call at 10am to 11am (22% connect rate) and 2pm to 3pm (19%) in the prospect's local time. Our guide to the peak windows has the full data behind those numbers. You'll see US advice to call at 7am or 8am, before the gatekeeper arrives. That isn't an option here: telemarketing calls in Australia can't be made before 9am. Calling after 5pm is allowed until 8pm on weekdays, but only 5% of our dials after 5pm reach anyone.

3. Be upfront about who you are

The Telecommunications (Telemarketing and Research Calls) Industry Standard 2017 requires you to say who you are, the business you're calling for and why you're calling, as soon as the call starts. So the old tricks, like pretending to be a friend, implying an existing relationship or saying "it's personal", are off the table. They also burn trust with the business you want to sell to. A short, specific reason works better anyway.

4. Ask for help, not for the boss

Receptionists and executive assistants decide who gets through. Treat them as the first conversation, not an obstacle: use their name, ask who looks after the area you're calling about, and thank them. A pointer from inside the business ("Anna on reception said you look after this") is one of the warmest introductions you'll get, as long as it's true.

5. Give a specific reason in one sentence

"What's it regarding?" is a fair question. Answer it in one sentence tied to the decision maker's role, then ask a question back. Vague answers like "just a quick chat" get screened out. Specific ones get put through or pointed to the right person.

6. Work with the executive assistant

For senior buyers, the executive assistant often runs the calendar. Ask whether they book meetings for the decision maker, and offer a specific topic and a short meeting. An assistant who books the meeting isn't a gatekeeper. They're your fastest way in.

7. Keep going, across times and channels

It takes an average of 4 attempts to reach a decision maker, and 58% of our meetings come on the fourth attempt or later. Vary the time of day, connect on LinkedIn (a prospect who accepts your connection request is about twice as likely to take your call within 30 days) and leave your first voicemail on attempt 3 or 4.

Gatekeeper scripts for Australian calls

When the receptionist answers

"Hi, it's (your first name) from (your company). I'm calling about (one specific reason, for example how you schedule maintenance across your sites), and I'm hoping you can help me. Who looks after (area, for example fleet maintenance or IT security) there?"

When they ask what it's about

"I'm calling about (one specific reason tied to their role, for example how you schedule maintenance across your sites). I'd like to see if it's worth a short conversation with (decision maker's name). Are they the right person, or is someone else better placed?"

When they say "Send us an email"

"Happy to. So it gets to the right person, who should I address it to, and what's the best email? I'll keep it to three lines."

When the decision maker is in a meeting

"No problem. When's a better time to catch them? And is there a direct line I should use next time?"

When you reach the executive assistant

"Hi, it's (your first name) from (your company). I'd like to book 15 minutes with (name) about (topic). Do you look after their calendar? If so, could we find a time in the next week or two?"

If anyone asks you to end the call, end it straight away. That's a legal requirement under the Industry Standard, not just good manners.

Every cold caller hits the same wall. The receptionist, the executive assistant, the front desk, the switchboard operator. The person whose job is to filter out the calls your prospect does not want to take.

Most SDR training treats the gatekeeper as the enemy. That mindset is exactly why most SDRs fail at this stage. The gatekeeper is not the enemy. They are a professional doing their job, and if you treat them well and use the right approach, they will help you 60 to 70 percent of the time.

Here are 11 scripts that work in Australia in 2026, when to use each, and the mindset shifts that make them land.

Why gatekeepers exist (and why most SDRs lose)

Gatekeepers have three jobs. Filter out calls their boss does not want. Route legitimate calls correctly. Protect the senior person's time.

Most SDRs fail because they sound exactly like the calls the gatekeeper is paid to filter. Rushed. Robotic. Generic. The phrase "I am calling about our software solution that helps companies like yours" is gatekeeper repellent.

The scripts below work because they sound human, specific, and confident. They give the gatekeeper a reason to help rather than block.

The 11 scripts

Script 1: The direct ask

"Good morning, could you please put me through to [first name only]?"

Why it works: You sound like you know the person. First name only signals familiarity. No corporate buildup, just a routine request.

When to use: First attempt with any account. Default opener.

Hit rate: 30 to 40 percent in Australia for first attempts.

Script 2: The honest reframe

"Hi, I am hoping you can help me. I am trying to reach the person who looks after [function] at your business. Would that be [name] or someone else?"

Why it works: It asks for help rather than demanding access. Gatekeepers respond well to being treated as the knowledgeable insider they are.

When to use: When you do not have a specific name or your data is unreliable.

Hit rate: 40 to 50 percent.

Script 3: The referral pivot

"Hi, [Sarah from marketing] suggested I speak with [prospect name]. Is she available?"

Why it works: A referenced internal contact dramatically increases trust. Use this only if you actually have a connection.

When to use: When you have any internal contact at the company, even a junior one.

Hit rate: 60 to 70 percent if the reference is real.

Script 4: The specific topic

"Hi, I am calling about the [specific recent event at their company]. Could you put me through to whoever handles [function]?"

Why it works: Specificity signals research. Generic calls get blocked. Calls that reference a hiring spike, funding round, or press release sound legitimate.

When to use: When you have a real trigger event for the call.

Hit rate: 50 to 60 percent.

Script 5: The peer level voice

"Hi, this is [your name] from [your company]. Is [prospect name] around?"

Delivered with a calm, unhurried tone. Not asking permission. Just checking availability.

Why it works: Authority and ease. You sound like a peer making a routine call, not a salesperson asking for access.

When to use: When you have a strong, confident phone voice and a known prospect name.

Hit rate: 40 to 50 percent depending on delivery.

Script 6: The honesty card

"Hi, this is going to sound like a sales call because honestly it sort of is. I help businesses like yours with [outcome] and I wanted to see if [prospect name] would have 30 seconds to hear what we do. If it is not a fit she can tell me to get lost."

Why it works: Disarming honesty. Gatekeepers are conditioned to hear evasion. Direct admission breaks the pattern and earns goodwill.

When to use: When other scripts have failed at the same account. Last resort attempt.

Hit rate: 30 to 40 percent, with high warmth uplift.

Script 7: The lunch hour play

Call between 12pm and 2pm. Some gatekeepers step away over lunch, and some decision makers answer their own phones.

Why it works: The gatekeeper is the obstacle. Try when they are less likely to be at the desk, while staying inside the legal calling hours: never before 9am on weekdays.

When to use: For senior personas who sometimes pick up their own phone.

Hit rate: 40 to 60 percent direct pickup with no gatekeeper involvement.

Script 8: The mobile pivot

When blocked, ask: "No problem, would you be able to share [prospect name]'s direct mobile so I can try her another time when she is free?"

Why it works: It feels reasonable. Many gatekeepers will share a mobile number to make you go away.

When to use: After a polite block. Always ask once.

Hit rate: 15 to 25 percent will share the number. Worth the ask every time.

Script 9: The callback request

"No worries, when would be the best time to try her again?"

Why it works: It accepts the no, signals professionalism, and extracts useful intel for the next attempt.

When to use: After any block. Always ask.

Hit rate: 70 percent will give you a useful time window.

Script 10: The voicemail bypass

"Could you pop me through to her direct line so I can leave a quick voicemail?"

Why it works: A voicemail is a less threatening ask than a live conversation. Gatekeepers route these through more freely.

When to use: When live conversation has been blocked and you have a strong voicemail script ready.

Hit rate: 40 to 50 percent.

Script 11: The contextual return

"Hi, I am following up on the message I left for [prospect name] last week. Could you put me through?"

Why it works: Implied prior contact signals an established relationship. The gatekeeper assumes the conversation is in progress.

When to use: Only if you genuinely left a voicemail. Lying creates trust problems if discovered.

Hit rate: 50 to 60 percent.

The mindset that beats every script

The script matters less than the energy behind it. Three principles separate SDRs who consistently get past gatekeepers from those who do not.

Treat them like a colleague

The gatekeeper is not below you, around you, or against you. They are a professional doing skilled work. Treat them with the same warmth you would treat a senior decision maker. They notice.

Slow down

Rushed SDRs sound desperate. Desperate sounds untrustworthy. Trustworthy gets through. Slow your speech by 20 percent, lower your tone half a register, and pause briefly before the ask.

Use names

Use the gatekeeper's name if they offer it. "Thanks Linda, much appreciated" works miracles. People help people who treat them as individuals.

What never works

Avoid these patterns. Every Australian gatekeeper has heard them a hundred times this week.

• "Is the person in charge of [function] available?"
• "I have a great opportunity for [company]"
• "Could you tell [prospect] [your company] is calling?"
• Pretending to be a customer to get routed through
• Pretending to be from a courier or delivery service
• High pressure language about urgency or deadlines

The volume reality

Even with perfect scripts, you will be blocked 40 to 60 percent of the time. That is normal. The scripts above lift you from a 15 percent connect rate to 45 percent. They do not make every call work.

Plan your call volume accordingly. If you need 100 conversations a week, you need to be willing to make 250 to 350 dials and have a system for retrying blocked accounts on different days, at different times, with different angles.

What separates good outbound teams

The best Australian B2B outbound teams treat gatekeepers as a permanent part of the system, not a problem to solve once. They train every new SDR on these scripts in the first week. They review call recordings weekly looking for missed gatekeeper opportunities. They build account level histories so a blocked attempt today informs the next attempt next week.

That continuity is what eventually breaks through. The 11 scripts above give you the openers. The discipline to keep going through round 4, 5, and 6 is what actually books the meeting.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get past gatekeepers when cold calling in Australia?

Call direct lines and mobiles first, call between 10am and 11am or 2pm and 3pm, say who you are and why you're calling, and ask the gatekeeper for help finding the right person. Expect it to take about 4 attempts to reach a decision maker.

What percentage of cold calls reach the decision maker?

In Nousu's data from 218,000+ Australian B2B dials, 6% of dials become a conversation with the decision maker, while 14% reach a live person. So more than half of answered calls don't reach the decision maker, and often a receptionist or assistant picks up.

Do I have to tell the gatekeeper why I'm calling?

Yes. Australia's Telemarketing and Research Calls Industry Standard 2017 requires you to say who you are, the business you're calling for and why you're calling, as soon as the call starts. Keep it to one specific sentence tied to the decision maker's role.

Can I call before 9am to avoid the gatekeeper?

No. Telemarketing calls in Australia can only be made from 9am to 8pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm on Saturdays, in the local time of the person you're calling. The best legal windows are 10am to 11am and 2pm to 3pm.

What should I say when a gatekeeper asks what the call is about?

Give one specific reason tied to the decision maker's role, then ask whether they're the right person or who is. Vague answers like "just a quick chat" get screened out.

How many times should I call through a gatekeeper?

Keep going for several weeks. It takes an average of 4 attempts to reach a decision maker in our data, and 58% of meetings come on the fourth attempt or later. Vary the time of day and use LinkedIn alongside.

Need help building a phone first outbound program with SDRs who actually know how to handle Australian gatekeepers? Book a 15 minute call with Nousu Collective. See our full cold calling service or read more on cold calling scripts and common cold calling mistakes.