Guerrilla Networking: A Proven Battle Plan to Attract the Very People You Want to Meet

By Monroe Mann and Jay Conrad Levinson

GUERRILLA NETWORKING

Traditional networking is all about "meeting people. ; The success you reap in life, however, is directly correlated tonot how many people you meetbut rather, how many people want to meet you. Guerrilla Networking is all about becoming the type of person other people want to meet.

Learn how from both guerrilla marketing legend, Jay Conrad Levinson, and guerrilla networking originator Monroe Mann.

Jay and Monroe have flipped the typical networking mentality on its headbut theyve landed right side upand so can you, if you read this book. Youre in for a wild ride.Michael Port, author of Book Yourself Solid

An incredibly simple, and yet, original concept. The idea behind guerrilla networking makes perfect and logical sense. I recommend this book to all members of my networking organization.Dr. Ivan=2 0Misner, founder of BNI and NY Times bestselling author of Masters of Networking

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 29, 2009
• ISBN: 9781449000363

Monroe Mann

Monroe Mann is an attorney, filmmaker, actor, musician, motivational speaker, book author, emergency medical technician (both urban and wilderness), waterfront lifeguard, and bronze-star nominated Iraq war veteran. He is currently pursuing his PhD in psychology at Capella University. His other books include: The Theatrical Juggernaut, Guerrilla Networking (with co-author Jay Conrad Levinson), Time Zen, To Benning & Back, Start Your Own Coaching Business, Battle Cries for the Underdog, Battle Cries for the Hollywood Underdog (with co-author Lou Bortone), and Get Off Your Ass – his uniquely motivational speaking and music album. Google him. Amazon him. iTunes him. IMDb him. Youtube him. Facebook him.

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2009 Jay Conrad Levinson and Monroe Mann. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 7/27/2009

ISBN: 978-1-4490-0036-3 (ebk)

ISBN: 978-1-4490-0035-6 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009906408

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Contents

About The Authors

Acknowledgements

Preface

Foreword

Introduction

What Is This Book?

Part I

Guerrilla Networking

Chapter 1:

Networking

Chapter 2:

Traditional Networking

Chapter 3:

Guerrilla Networking

Chapter 4:

Six Degrees & The Name Game

Chapter 5:

How To Become Desirable

(I.E. The Type Of Person Other People Want To Meet)

Part II

50 Proven Ways To Get People To Come To You

1. Write A

Successful Book.

2. Become The Expert In Your Field.

3. Become Famous.

4. Offer Investment Capital.

5. Be A Network Hub.

6. Get Media Exposure.

7. Take Matters Into Your Own Hands.

8. Offer To Help People.

9. Introduce Yourself To People.

10. Always Smile.

11. Initiate Conversations.

12. Become ‘Cool’.

13. Become Noteworthy.

14. Do Something Radical.

15. Become The Go-Between.

16. Risk Failure.

17. Send Off An Email.

18. Be Creative.

19. Write A Spicy Letter To The Editor.

20. Write A Press Release.

21. Hire A Publicist.

22. Find Their ‘Sweet Spot’.

23. Take Out An Ad.

24. Call Them.

25. Leave A Voicemail.

26. Include Them In Your Acknowledgements.

27. Become Their Friend.

28. Do Them A Favor.

29. Let Them Do You A Favor.

30. Say Thank You.

31. Become A Success In Your Field.

32. Help Someone Else Become Successful.

33. Invent Something Amazing.

34. Make Our Lives Easier.

35. Get Onto A Television Talk Show.

36. Get Referred.

37. Get Out Of The House.

38. Tell People What You Are Going To Do.

39. Tell People What You Have Done.

40. Tell People What You Are Currently Doing.

41. Thank Them… Again!

42. Do Something That No One Has Ever Done Before.

43. Do Something Better.

44. Hitch Your Wagon To A Star.

45. Give Them What They Want.

46. Solve A Problem.

47. Be Useful.

48. Be The Answer To Their Prayers.

49. Name Drop!

50. Be A Guerrilla.

Part III:

Guerrilla Networking In Action

Jay Conrad Levinson

Ned Vizzini

Andrew Young

Carol Blaha

Arthur Brown

James Dillehay

Barry Morgenstein

Kathy Hagenbuch

Debbie Bordelon

Graham Guerra:

How I Became The Type Of Person Keith Ferrazzi Wanted To Meet…

Ashley Ann Serafin

Knox Vanderpool: Sayiwon’t®

Paul Rieckhoff

Bones Rodriguez

Dennis Hurley

Phil Malandrino

Douglas C. Williams

Roberta Muse

Kip Gienau: The Illusionist

Marcia Harp

Scott Dupont: Guerrilla Networker & Fund Raiser

Kolie Crutcher:

Who Wouldn’t Want To Meet Kolie Crutcher?

Ed Smith

Scott Norman

Peter Bielagus:

Connecting On A Whole Other Level.

Monroe Mann

Part IV:

Creating Your Own Guerrilla Networking Strategy… In 10 Easy Steps.

The Strategy -

Step By Step

Conclusion

Appendix 1:

Recommended Reading List

Appendix 2:

Networking Resources

TRADITIONAL NETWORKING:

Meeting People.

GUERRILLA NETWORKING:

Becoming the type of person OTHER people want to meet.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean meeting people.

It means becoming the type of person other people want to meet.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean who you know or who knows you.

It means who thinks highly enough of you to take your phone calls.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean schmoozing.

It means becoming the type of person other people want to schmooze with.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean a huge rolodex.

It means becoming the type of person other people add to their rolodex.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean ‘getting out there’.

It means becoming the type of person other people invite out.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean handing out business cards.

It means being so famous and successful that you don’t need a business card.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean crashing parties.

It means being the host of parties that other people want to crash.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean finding investors.

It means developing projects that everyone else wants to invest in.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean dating.

It means becoming the type of person that everyone else wants to date.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean becoming involved in others projects.

It means starting projects that everyone else wants to be involved with.

Guerrilla networking does NOT mean meeting people.

It means becoming the type of person that other people want to meet.

www.StopMeetingPeople.com

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Jay Conrad Levinson is the author of the best-selling marketing series in history, Guerrilla Marketing, plus 44 other business books.  His books have sold 20 million copies worldwide.  And his guerrilla concepts have influenced marketing so much that his books appear in 43 languages and are required reading in MBA programs worldwide.

Jay taught guerrilla marketing for ten years at the extension division of the University of California in Berkeley.  He was a practitioner of it in the United States — as Senior VP at J. Walter Thompson, and in Europe, as Creative Director of Leo Burnett Advertising. A winner of first prizes in all the media, he has been part of the creative teams that made household names of many of the most famous brands in history:  The Marlboro Man, The Pillsbury Doughboy, Allstate’s good hands, United’s friendly skies, and the Sears Diehard battery.

Jay has written for Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc. Magazine, and the Microsoft Website.   He is the Chairman of Guerrilla Marketing International.  His Guerrilla Marketing empire includes a series of books, workshops, CDs, videos, a CD-ROM, a radio show, a series of podcasts, an Internet larkmark, and The Guerrilla Marketing Association - a support system for small business. Guerrilla Marketing is a way for business owners to spend less, get more, and achieve substantial profits. To transform you into a marketing guerrilla, there is no better person than The Father of Guerrilla Marketing — Jay Conrad Levinson. More info:

www.gmarketing.com

www.guerrillamarketingassociation.com

[e-mail]

phone: [phone]

Monroe Mann is the founder of Unstoppable Artists, LLC, the world’s only business, marketing, and financial strategy firm for actors, directors, authors, artists, and of course, entrepreneurs (which is on track to become an entertainment and small business law firm in 2010). He has helped his clients sign to major agencies, publish books, star in their own films and plays, play in their own bands, raise funds, start businesses, buy homes, invest their money, and in general, just become really successful. Students/clients have appeared in/on People Magazine, Inside Edition, Entrepreneur, Entertainment Tonight, CNN, ABC News, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Backstage, Boston Globe, Glamour, Keith Ablow, NY Times, and the list goes on.

Monroe is also the CEO of Loco Dawn Films, LLC; a graduate of Hollywood Film Institute and Digital Film Academy; a SAG, AFTRA, EQUITY actor listed on IMDb; the lead singer of the seven-piece ROMP band, Running for Famous; and the screenwriter, executive producer, and co-star of a number of films, including the upcoming wakeboarding feature, In the Wake, with music by Avril Lavigne and Sum41. Monroe is proud to be a certified Guerrilla Marketing coach; the recipient of a Masters of Entrepreneurship degree from Western Carolina University and a business degree from Franklin College in Switzerland; a 4th year graduate student at Lubin School of Business and Pace Law School’s joint JD/MBA program; and a bronze-star nominated combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is also the author of a number of critically acclaimed books, including The Theatrical Juggernaut – The Psyche of the Star; Battle Cries for the Underdog; To Benning & Back; Start Your Own Coaching Business; and the upcoming Time Zen & The Artist’s MBA. Finally, he is the founder of Accountability School, Actors Film School, and the founder of the American Break Diving Association.

For those who are completely obsessed with success and are ready to take control of their circumstances once and for all, he is available for private business coaching (face-to-face in Manhattan; by phone internationally) and encourages you to contact him to set up a free 20-minute career consultation by phone. He is also available to speak at your organization. More info:

Email: [e-mail]; [e-mail]

www.UnstoppableArtists.com

www.AccountabilitySchool.com

www.ActorsFilmSchool.com

www.FutureOscarWinner.com aka www.MonroeMann.com

www.LocoDawn.com

www.BreakDiving.com

www.WinnersDoItNow.com

www.IMDb.com

Phone: [phone]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Monroe Mann

Thank you to Jay Levinson for making this possible. You are one of my heroes and to think that you agreed to co-write this book with me: I am still trying to catch my breath from the honor and privilege! There have been so many people who have doubted me, ridiculed me, and told me I was going to fail in my 29 ripe years; in a sea of such negativity, you were, and continue to be, the sweetest breath of fresh air I have yet to encounter, and one of my greatest supporters. Thank you for your faith and steadfast optimism, and for your unyielding support of my dreams.

Thank you to the US Army and Uncle Sam for deploying me to Iraq. Had you not done so, I never would have been inspired to get in touch with Jay in the first place. You are responsible for this book coming to be.

Thank you to every soldier, sailor, marine, airman, and coastie who served ‘by my side’ in Iraq and Afghanistan.

To those who never made it home, I shed a tear every day in humble gratitude for your sacrifice for my freedom. I love you, will never forget you, and dedicate every one of my successes to you—to you who have given your life in order to make mine possible.

Thanks to Hilary Duff, Avril Lavigne, and Rachel Bilson for helping me survive the war—I look forward to finally thanking you in person.

Thank you to Mitch Meyerson, Al Lautenslager, Jeannie Levinson, Amy Levinson, Daniel Huffman, and the rest of the team at Guerrilla Marketing International.

Thank you to my brilliant friends and business associates—Ned Vizzini, Andrew Young, Carol Blaha, Arthur Brown, James Dillehay, Barry Morgenstein, Kathy Hagenbuch, Debbie Bordelon, Graham Guerra, Ashley Ann Serafin, Knox Vanderpool, Paul Rieckhoff, Bones Rodriguez, Dennis Hurley, Phil Malandrino, Douglas C. Williams, Roberta Muse, Kip Gienau, Marcia Harp, Scott duPont, Kolie Crutcher, Ed Smith, Scott Norman, and Peter Bielagus—for your generous contributions to this book: your guerrilla networking stories have added so much to the project, and I thank you for your assistance. To the top!

Finally, thank you to Tammy Lee Tillotson, Harmon Burstyn, and Katrin Luthy for your help copyediting the book and finding those pesky little errors. Note: if you (the reader) find any more errors, send ‘em to me and I’ll fix them the next time around!

And leaving the best for last, thank you to God, Jesus Christ, Carolyn, Monroe Sr., Emily, Hilary, and all others who have supported me on my maddening and psychotic (and continuing) journey to the top. Jesus especially: he’s a real cool cat, and someone I definitely look forward to meeting!

Jay Levinson

Because Monroe did the tough parts of creating this book, I can understand why his acknowledgements were overflowing with gratitude to a host of people. Thank you, Monroe, for making me one of them.

My only acknowledgements for the book that readers hold in their hands go to two people:

Monroe Mann, who had the vision and then was able to write a delightfully readable book that conveys that vision clearly and passionately;

and my wife, Jeannie, the best possible result of guerrilla networking.   

PREFACE

Networking does NOT mean ‘meeting people.’

That definition is just plain wrong, and it’s no wonder why so many entrepreneurs feel lost when it comes to networking—which should actually be very easy. You see, networking should be easy, and is easy. The key to your success simply lies in which definition of networking you subscribe to.

Networking does not mean ‘meeting people.’ Actually, it means, ‘becoming the type of person that other people want to meet.’

For example, take some of the big movers and shakers in business, such as Bill Gates, Tony Hawk, and Avril Lavigne. They have taken the power of networking to its highest level: people want to meet them.

Ask yourself this question: would people stand in line for hours to meet with either of these three entrepreneurs? Yes! Why? The answer is simple. They know how to network, for they became the type of person that other people want to meet.

This same networking principle applies to dating, friendship, and yes, small business. Why work your butt off to meet people when you can put that same energy into becoming an interesting person within your field, and then, benefit again by having the same people you want to meet… come up to you?

Herein lies the power of this principle: you kill two birds with one stone. While your boring competition—who no one wants to meet—is out there desperately trying to meet people day after day, you, on the other hand, are actively putting your efforts into becoming as cool as humanly possible. By diversifying your offerings, by becoming a leader in your field, and by putting together a knock out marketing angle, you’ll end up taking your industry by storm.

The result: your competition, the press, and customers alike end up at your doorstep, trying to meet you.

To the uninformed, this public interest might appear to be a lucky fluke. You, however, would know that it was actually the result of your persistent hard work, and the fruit of your foolproof guerrilla networking plan finally reaping its reward: you became the type of person/business that other people wanted to meet and work with.

If you continually try to ‘meet people’, especially without changing and improving your marketing angle along the way, you’re wasting time. Meeting people can do nothing for you if you yourself have nothing interesting to offer.

Taken further, you might have noticed that no one wants you to tell them how wonderful you are; people want to discover and find that out for themselves. And therein lies another key to guerrilla networking: your accomplishments are not as impressive if you have to tell people about them yourself.

Bottom line: if you’re playing your networking cards right, and are out there doing interesting things in the public eye, people should be flocking to meet you. You should be receiving emails, phone calls, and letters from those who think you (and your company) are so cool, that they want to do business with you. If not, it’s because you’re not memorable enough to warrant such action, in which case, you better re-evaluate your guerrilla networking strategy immediately!

So remember: networking does not mean meeting people; it means becoming the type of person other people want to meet. Become as cool as possible, get your brand out there as much as possible, and let us find out for ourselves how cool you are.

In other words, don’t necessarily try to meet us; the idea is to make us want to meet you. And if you’re reading this book, yes, you’re probably someone who we want to meet.

-Monroe & Jay

FOREWORD

By Jay Conrad Levinson

Guerrilla Networking in Action By a True Guerrilla

I’m the kind of guy who answers almost all email so when I got one from someone named Monroe Mann who was heading to Iraq, I was fascinated.

Monroe had also sent me a book he had written called The Theatrical Juggernaut – The Psyche of the Star.   I was double fascinated.  Of the more than 300 business books in this house, only two are kept by my word processor… and one is Monroe’s.

We began a correspondence and the fertility of his mind blew mine away.  This young man had a lot of plans and was able to breathe life into all of them even in the face of adversity and long odds… most notably no connections in publishing, show business, and then a deployment to Iraq.

I was impressed. I invited Monroe to be a guest on a weekly telecall that is held for guerrilla marketers.  Monroe’s personality, content, earnestness and sense of humor made him the best-liked speaker of the year—and he wasn’t even prepared to speak. 

In that hour, and then further over the course of a bunch of emails that he sent from