Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/211845
Know More! Selling continued from page 66 and you accept theirs, everyone's network is shared. As your network grows, search for people by name, company, job title and more. Use the Advanced Search for the best results. Following a search, if you see a name of someone you are interested in learning about, click their name and view their LinkedIn profile. Each person creates his or her own online profile, so you can learn a lot about someone's background and interests, as you are basically looking at their online resume. If you find someone you would like to meet, you can request a referral from one of your first level contacts—just click the "Get Introduced" link. Choose the person you know who knows the person you would like to meet. Write both a note, and LinkedIn will facilitate the online introduction. Your Local Library: Most people are not aware of this, but one of the most powerful business research resources around is your local public library. Big companies with big budgets pay for expensive databases and list building services. What you probably do not realize is most libraries have the same or similar databases that you can use. Best of all, you can access these databases free of charge (well…they are not exactly free, because your tax dollars paid for them). Even better, IDA UNIVERSAL November-December 2013 you can often access most of these databases at no charge via your own home or work computer, any time you'd like. Just find your library's Website and look for a tab or link titled "databases" or "online resources." Click on the link to access the database and enter your library card number. In seconds, you'll be logged into premium subscription databases at no charge to you or your company. Follow these tips and resources, and you will be well on your way to mastering the "Fourth R" and Sales Intelligence. Most important, you will begin to know more than you ever thought you could (or should) about your prospects, clients, and your competition. ● Sam Richter is the founder of the #1-rated Know More! business improvement program and author of the awardwinning and best-selling "Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling" book, named 2012 Sales Book of the Year. Sam is considered the world's foremost expert on Sales Intelligence – finding information and then using it to identify new opportunities, win more business, and to build deeper and more meaningful client relationships. In both 2011 and 2012, Sam was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in Sales. For more information about Sam, his books/videos, and his custom presentations, please visit www. samrichter.com 67