Secret Agent Plan Spy new business by taking tips from the secret service.
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The U.S. Secret Service was first organized in July 1865. Whatthe Secret Service does best: intelligence analysis. It leaves nostone unturned.
The parallel here for entrepreneurs? To generate top-notchbusiness contracts, you need to prospect C-level decision-makers.No need for dark suits and glasses--according to the Society ofCompetitive Intelligence Professionals, 95 percent of competitiveintelligence information is publicly available. Some techniques totry:
1. Tactics planning and prospecting: Build company listsand characterize key C-level decision-makers with Hoover's Lite.Also, stake out the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Watch basicpatent and trademark applications for the inside scoop on acompany's next potential move.
2. Profiling:They Rule provides a roster of corporate executivesand their corporate board leadership connections. Or try PatriciaGardner's new book, The Million Dollar Sale, which explains howto find "company code-breakers"--external, internal andcustomer resources.
3. Penetration:Selling toBig Companies can help you penetrate big accounts with incisivebusiness development techniques. Entrepreneur readers get a20 percent discount on e-books, sales tools and audio programs inJune (use code 047015643).
Kirsten Osolind is CEO and founder of re:inventioninc., a Chicago-based marketing consulting company.
