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Pick Up the Phone And Call Somebody

by Sam Rosen

Perhaps like you, dear reader, my experience in Internet Marketing is fairly insubstantial.

It has been around one year since I first even considered the internet as a "second job" apart from my activism in the community of Boston.

And yet, in the past several months, I have built and consulted for several highly-profitable online businesses.

As I was looking back on this brief but fruitful career in online marketing, it dawned on me that I received none of these contracts through experience, credibility, or business savvy.

To the contrary, I really had no idea what the heck I was doing until very recently.

My main vehicle for building an online business has been one thing: Partnerships.

With partnerships, the only prerequisite is that you have something—some skill, person you know, or idea—that can add value to someone else's project.

For instance, with one entrepreneur I befriended several months ago, the only reason he asked me to do business with him was because he was impressed by the questions I asked him related to his expertise—and figured those questions were a sign of inquisitiveness and marketing intuition.

But truth be told, I just didn't know what to do, and had the "cojones" to call him up. Since then, we've developed an excellent relationship.

Partnerships can extend to any business, for profit or not. You undoubtedly have many acquaintances—whether they are your personal friends or people you just brushed elbows with—who have built a successful business.

Most likely, these people are extremely busy, and do not have time to implement all of their projects and ideas.

They, like me, are looking for people to approach them with interesting questions and a willingness to take on a significant workload in order to build a profitable relationship.

If you're looking to start a business, or get your current one off the ground, think of some creative ways you can add value to someone else's business.

Think of some really interesting questions you could ask them about their field of expertise.

And here's the kicker: DON'T just e-mail them. There's some truth to Donald Trump's saying that "e-mail is for wimps."

Pick up the phone, and CALL them. If you do—and you add value to the relationship in those sacred few minutes you have with them on the phone—I guarantee you will separate yourself from 99.99% of all the entrepreneurs in the world.

Or better yet, find some successful entrepreneurs in your area, and set up a face-to-face "mentoring" lunch.

Those first e-mails, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings will become the basis for your future partnerships—which make or break any business.

And if you don't, and find your business still floundering, don't say I didn't tell you so.

This idea might seem simple to some. But seemingly mundane points—the "little stuff", if you will—like accounting, follow-through, and keeping your word are really the backbone of success in life and business.

Don't sweat the little stuff, but pay close attention to it.because it just might give you the break you've been looking for.

Until next week, stay warm, and have a wonderful day.

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