Prospecting in New York City - Ya Never Know Who'll You’ll Meet…

As an avid prospector during my days chasing the 7-figure quota on Wall Street, I met quite a few characters along the way; Fortune 50 CEOs, Pres. Bill Clinton, Gov. Mario Cuomo, Mayor Koch, Dick Clark, Christopher Walken, and Richard Pryor - just to name just a few. During my sales career, while pounding the pavement door-to-door, or walking to a sales meeting, I had several chance encounters and conversations with people in the entertainment industry and government. One chance encounter I had with Alec Baldwin remains my favorite. More on that in a moment…?

I look at prospecting as an adventure. I never know who I’m going to meet - I embrace spontaneity. For me, everything on the other side of the door will remain a mystery unless I turn the doorknob or pick up the phone. So, that’s how I got to meet and greet so many interesting characters.

Back to Alec Baldwin…

Back in the day, lunch with a sales prospect at a restaurant with white table cloths, was S.O.P. for quota-carrying salespeople. Doing the deal over lunch per se. One time I decided to take my sales prospect to my favorite Italian Restaurant of all time, Supreme Macaroni/Guido’s Restaurant. This place was an old butcher store on 9th Ave. & 39th Street NYC. Converted into a restaurant in the back room, this place had red and white checkered table cloths, and it was covered in 8X10 autographed photos of popular entertainment superstars. I liked to take my prospects to Guido’s because they liked to look at the celebrity photos. It helped them remember me!

We get to Guido’s, but the place is full. I’m waiting for a table when I recognize Alec Baldwin. He gets a cellphone call, gets up from the table, and now he’s walking towards me. What do I do? What do I say??

Because I’m from Massapequa and so is Alec Baldwin, I decided to make that my ‘ice-breaker with Alec’. So, as Alec walked by I said, “Massapequa misses you”. That was it. With that, Alec stops walking and tells the person on the phone that he’d call back. Then he and I conversed for 15-20 minutes like we were neighbors from Massapequa. He stopped what he was doing just to talk to me! My prospect loved it. Yes, I got the order :)

The point of my story is that if you look at prospecting as drudgery you’re going to miss out on chance encounters with people that can do you some good. Hey, ya never know. It all starts with conversation and pushing the envelope. Don’t fear the stranger. THINK - Someone out there needs you - so turn the doorknob, give ‘em a call, or take em’ to Guido’s!

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