The difference is the way that the author, Stu Heinecke, advises that readers “meet” them. Instead of building enough clout to meet these high-power players in some far-off day in the future, Heinecke says you can get a really low (sometimes free) campaign going to interact with them NOW.
What “How to Get a Meeting With Anyone” is About
Heinecke utilizes the inexpensive methods of Jay Conrad Levison (author of the “Guerrilla Marketing” series of books) and his own creative talents as a Wall Street Journalist to encourage a new way to engage with hard-to-reach decision makers and influencers.
Heinecke calls this method “contact marketing.” Contact marketing works when readers know two things:
- Get past the barriers of “hard-to-reach” people.
- Build a heavily targeted (and high-response) campaign.
Heinecke says that most people fail to reach the “higher-ups” because they fall prey to the barriers. Executive leaders, he says, receive constant demands on their time. They have to be strategic about who and where they invest their time.
People who want to talk to executives often put a lot of focus on three main strategies:
- Hope: Growing their own platform on their own to attract notice.
- Begging: Asking for that “one-shot.”
- Over-the-top method: Trying to dazzle a person with a huge attraction-getting display.
Heinecke doesn’t discount these methods, but he does say there is a better way.
That better way lies in maneuvering the barriers hard-to-reach decision makers have in place to manage their time. This process forms contact marketing, a multi-strategy contact approach that focuses on getting past obstacles, like the receptionist (the book says you should make that person an ally), the sales pitch, automated voice response systems, and more.
To meet a high-value and hard-to-reach influencer, Heinecke says you need to think like one. The goal is to refine your message and your approach so that it does two things:
- Gets them to respond to you (either in person or by phone).
- Grabs their focus and brings their attention to your message.
If you don’t have any of these elements, your message will get lost among the hundreds of emails, social media messages, and voicemails left by others in your situation.
Stu Heinecke (@StuHeineck) is an award-winning cartoonist, author, radio host, and founder of a cartoonist-funded fundraiser for non-profits in addition to serving as the founder of “Contact,” a contact marketing agency.
What Was Best About “How to Get a Meeting With Anyone”
The best part of the book is its similarity to “Guerrilla Marketing” with its approach to a majority low-cost campaign with options ranging from traditional to the non-traditional. Any reader should come away reading this book with a new perspective and, at least, a few ways to reach someone in a more effective way, even if that person isn’t an “influencer” or “executive.”
What Could Have Been Done Differently
“How to Get a Meeting With Anyone” has a lot of hype which can be good or bad, depending on a reader’s perspective. From the beginning of the book to the end, Heinecke touts the response rate of his campaigns (60-100% response rate) as proof. This is inspiring, but may also be hard to duplicate.
The book also endorses some non-traditional methods that might be costly for a small business, such as using a remote-controlled drone, for example. The drone is an extreme example but highlights the issue. More examples of small businesses using this method would be extremely helpful.
Why Read “How to Get a Meeting With Anyone”
This book is near perfect for any sales or marketing employees that need to make successful contact with hard-to-reach decision makers. Heinecke makes a valid point that approaching these decision makers from a purely sales or lead gen approach will not work. Sales professionals need to navigate the barriers of hard-to-reach people – not try to destroy them with blind persistence or spam.
“How to Get a Meeting With Anyone” is also good for anyone who needs to get the input of a hard-to-reach person (journalists, job seekers, etc.). Heinecke’s methods may seem unorthodox, but they offer a new perspective on the nature of outreach.
When you are thinking about calling that hard-to-reach CEO – it can be helpful to have a few more techniques and tools to prepare for that call or email.
This article, "“How to Get a Meeting With Anyone:” Guerrilla Marketing Meets Influencer Networking" was first published on Small Business Trends
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