Six Strategies for Getting Buyers to Talk to You

Rotate the time of day you call. If you can't get through to the buyer at 10 am, why not try 2 pm or 3:46 pm? You get the picture.
Consider the time zone before you call. Your buyers are located around the globe. Think about where they hang their hat before you ring.
Schedule at their convenience. Ask if there is another good time to call.
Don't keep hounding the gatekeepers if they decline to forward your call or take a message. Calling before 8 am and after 5 pm may get you direct contact with your buyer and circumvent getting past the assistant.

Be precise and succinct while still sounding human. You're not a robot. Don't rush the call.
Don't be a Moody Judy. Your mood can greatly impact the mood of the call too.
Voice inflection can make all the difference in getting a spot on their calendar.
Show sincerity. Ask them how their day is going and mean it.
Let them know you value their feedback and respect their time.

Add details to the email subject line. For instance: Requesting a short discussion for feedback on your recent healthcare services selection.
Customize the email message. Don't just send a generic “copy-and-paste” template. For example: “We'd like to talk to you about your recent selection of Getwell Inc. for your healthcare services...”
Personalize your message. Every one wants to feel special. "Sorry to hear it's raining again in Seattle." "Hope you had a great vacation." "Are the Broncos playing this week in Denver?"
Be diligent without being overbearing or forceful. No used car sales talk.
Keep the message positive. Avoid negative words and phrases.

Remember the law of averages. The more touch points you have with them, the more likely they will schedule an interview.
Email, phone, voicemail message, repeat. Got that? In that order, every 3 days, you can't fail. Consistency is really important.
Leave detailed VM saying you’ll be sending another email to touch base with them in a few days.
Get a referral. If the person was not part of the evaluation, find out who was involved in the decision making and get their contact info.

Make sure they understand you are scheduling a 20 minute discussion, and the interview will not be conducted at that moment.
Give a clear and concise description of the discussion. This helps legitimize the request and avoids confusing you with a telemarketer.
Show value. Let them know their feedback is high priority.

Confirm contact info is up-to-date. Having the correct phone number and email address helps making contact a whole lot easier. LinkedIn and Google are the best sources if your POC doesn't know.
Be knowledgeable about the client you are calling on behalf of, as well as about the interviewing process and what the information was used for.
Log your communication. Keep a detailed record each time you touch base to schedule an interview. Then you won't run into scheduling the same person twice.
Track your responses. Knowing the status of your scheduling conversion rates gives you a clear picture how much sample you have.