Know-How Exchange : Other

I recently completed a project for a client that was very similar to what you are trying to do. Don’t worry about looking unprofessional – the more likely reaction is that you will simply be ignored. Let me take you thru the process I followed.

Create a list of target companies to call.
Research their web sites and Google searched to find the key executive’s name (in this case I was trying to reach someone responsible for business alliances)
Find a back-up title and name if the one you desire is not findable (this happened to me in several cases)
Get the direct telephone # and e-mail address of the person if possible.
If I couldn’t get any of this information, call the main number and ask by name or by title (“Hello I am trying to reach the senior executive who handles strategic alliances please”)
Call them. 9 times out of 10 you will get a voicemail or secretary, so have a 30-second script ready as to why you are calling and how they can get back to you.
Send a follow-up e-mail if I was able to get their e-mail address (ask the secretary for it if that is who you reach on the phone).

All that is the hard part – once you reach the actual person it seems so painless then to go thru your pitch.

I have one question for you. Why are you going after only ONE company? What if after all your effort they say no? Can’t you find about ten companies to target? In the project I did, I tried 20 companies, found the specific exec I needed in only 15 of them, got a direct phone number for only 5, was lucky to reach 6 people live, and got only 2 follow-ups for my client. That is 2 out of 20 !!! All the rest simply ignored my repeated voicemails and e-mails. It is very hard – you should have more targets!

Good luck.