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by Robbie Motter, CSL

Preparation
- Decide on which events to attend
- Calendar monthly attendance
- Set a goal for each event
- Travel solo
- Plan your introduction
- Plan partner introductions
- Prepare insightful questions


Interaction
- Don't spend time talking to people you already know
- Look for friendly conversation
- Check out body language
- Two eyes/one mouth
- Move graciously from group to group
- 20/80 rule - 20% of the people will give you 80% of the return
- Look for a person standing alone
- Ask for business cards and write a note on the back
- Identify an action step
- Ask for permission
- Ask "how can I help you?"

Proactive steps
- Have a system for organizing your contacts - where you met them, what you agreed to send or do, when to follow-up
- Send a note
- Do what you said you were going to do

Tools for Effective Networking
- Wear your name badge on the right
- Read and use the person's name
- Wear a jacket with pockets
- Have a "ton" of business cards and keep them everywhere
- Use a firm handshake.
 

Third contact
This will be a visit to your place of business or theirs and will result in:
A decision to do business together now.
A decision to do business together at a later specified date.
A decision not to do business now.
An opportunity to ask who they may know that needs your service.

Follow-up
Initial letter
Express your gratitude (no matter what the outcome of your meeting)!
Reiterate your mutual plans and decisions, and express interest in maintaining the relationship.
Mail campaign
Generate mail contact a minimum of once four months - personal letter, invitation to attend an event, post card, newsletter, flyer.

Phone contact
Call at least once every six months - I'm just calling to:
Let you know about "such-and-such"
Invite you to a party/open house
Let you know that I'm still interested in servicing you.
 

1. Define your problem
2. Define and visualize the ideal solution
3. Gather the facts: specific, general
4. Break the pattern
5. Go outside your own field
6. Try new combinations
7. Use all your senses
8. Use music or nature to relax
9. Sleep on it
10. Eureka! It pops out
11. Recheck it
 

The first point worth noting is that classified ads are sold by the word or by the line. This has a bearing on how you write your ads, because if the ad is sold by the word, you're not going to write an ad that has a bunch of "a's" and "the's" in it. But at the same time, if it's sold by the line, it will be worth your while to include these words in the ad, as they'll appeal to the better educated segment of the market.

So an ad in at so much a line might read:

"The hottest thing in years. This is a household wonder you'll cherish for years."

The same ad at so much a word will read:

"Hottest recent development. Cherish this household innovation for generations."

Both are about the same length. The first reads nicely in proper English and the second used big, powerful words to make up for awkward structure.
 

In most magazines and a few newspapers, your first word or line of type will be set in darker bold letters. Choose that first word or two very carefully. If you really want good results, do exactly the opposite of what most other advertisers are doing, or be different.

If you've got an income opportunity and CASH, MONEYMAKING or INCOME are the usual first two words, be a bit creative, perhaps with BROKE (no more! Try selling doogles!) or HORRENDOUS (budget, a thing of the past.)

The first word or line gets your reader interested, and no matter how large the circulation of the publication, you'll suffer terribly if you're not attracting the reader as well as the other advertisers. Those opening words are crucial. Like the man said, you don't get a second chance to make a good impression.

Once you've made the hook, hold the reader by telling him exactly what you're offering. If it's an ad for more information, let him know what kind of information and where it leads. Then drop the cost on him, if any and your name and address. If it's a product, in words that say a lot. It's fine to pussyfoot in a display ad if you can afford the space, but short, sharp, to-the-point is what sells from classifieds.

One minor point or style to remember, if you're offering a bonus, leave it to the very last. "Bonus with..." won't work. A bonus or free gift is offered for one reason only: to hook someone who has not quite been sold by the rest of the ad. The offer of a bonus won't work UNTIL they know what it comes with.