The "winner" of the FBI Challenge was... Aristotle Onassis... Not for Everyone.
 

The "winner" of the FBI Challenge was... Aristotle Onassis... Not for Everyone.

Just joking...
Or am I?

Here is the FBI challenge posted a few days ago:
http://www.sowpub.com/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl?read=3150

If You Are Interested in FBI Challenge.
1.You are "stranded" in the town you don't know.
2.You have absolutely nothing on you
no cash
no credit cards
NO ID.
Challenge:
In a week you have to return to the "base" with cash, credit, AND...
ID (fakes are not accepted).
Now, what would YOU do?
Later about one of the "winners".
Simon

Here is the reaction:

1. Posted By: Joe Makowski
Date: Saturday, 3 February 2001, at 10:58 a.m.
In Response To: If You Are Interested in FBI Challenge. (Simon Latouche)

Damned if I know, it took me 3 weeks to get a copy
of my birth certificate. So, post the thing, I'm
dying of curiosity!!!!!

2. Posted By: Dien Rice
Date: Saturday, 3 February 2001, at 2:39 p.m.
In Response To: If You Are Interested in FBI Challenge. (Simon Latouche)

Hi Simon,
I don't know either! Please tell us how one of the "winners" did it.... :)
- Dien
---------------------------

This challenge in my opinion is connected to the question "What is it to possess a millionaire mind".
Somebody mentioned the answer by Aristotle Onassis to the question "What would you do if you lost all your fortune and had only $400 left?"
The answer was:
"I would buy a decent suite and go where millionaires spend their time".

Why would I call the "winner" of the FBI challenge Aristotle Onassis?
Because he WAS an "aristotle onassis" in that situation.

1. He went straight to the place where rich and powerful hang out.
2. He targeted ... women...
3. The third woman he met was a widow of a relative of a powerful political figure (as far as I remember from the article - the Senator).
4. A hot "romance" followed.
5. In a week he had his ID.

Now, THIS path is not for everyone.

But I see some significant points/aspects of the solution that made it a success.

In your opinion, what are those?

Simon

And the answer is....
 

In my opinion....

The right connections!

That's the "moral" I get from the Aristotle Onassis story.... Click here for a fuller version of this story, and here's Michael Ross's take on it....

And one of the best stories I've ever read about the importance of contacts was in this post by Linda Caroll....

Who you know can be important.... :)

You may say -- "But I don't know anyone"! To me, that's the point of the Aristotle Onassis story.... Get to know those who matter.

Knowing the right people opens doors and opportunities.... It makes it easier to achieve success....

- Dien

No...The Answer Is... The Power Of Love...
 

Dien,

I am not trying to be difficult here.

The "point" of the story is in reaching the desired "contacts" INDIRECTLY and through LOVE.

To prove this I can reinforce he challenge like THIS:

1. It is expressly forbidden to make contacts with "authorities" (more on this in the continuation of my Free Car In 48 Hours Challenge, where to get a car you will be expressly forbidden to contact car manufactures)

Find a way through his dog, child, boat, book - anything your "contact" loves.

Saves you a lot of time, money, saves you from frustration of rejection.

Simon

Re: No...The Answer Is... The Power Of Love...
 

Hi Simon,

So, if I understood you right, you're talking about making contacts through something the person loves.... Kind of like Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People"?

I find it amazing how a dead conversation (such as at parties) can really come alive once you find a mutual area of interest with someone.... :)

It's a good skill to have....

- Dien

Exactly. DIRECT Marketing Story. Concentration Camp Story.
 

Dien,

Exactly.
Carnegie Example is a model here.
Just imagine that you are to get a lunch with Warren Buffet to present your idea of uncommon investment fund.
What are your chances to do it directly?

Story #1
There were two "marketers".
One was directly selling his widgets $5 apiece to his lists.
With mediocre results.

The other was targeting INDIVIDUALS, seeking orders of 1,000,000 widgets.
The higher he aimed, the lower were the chances to DIRECTLY make it through the door.
So, the winner contacted the man who was responsible for huge orders through their mutual love - dogs.

Story #2.
(Heard from a World War II survivor, who was captured by Nazis).
He was beaten on a regular basis.
He noticed that the man who beat him had a dog collar in his pocket.
During the ordeal the prisoner kept talking about how smart the dogs are and how he loved them.
When everything was over, his offender whispered to him:
"I was doing my job. I didn't injure any of your internal organs. Why? We both share the same love".

and how did he solve the cash/credit problems? (dno)
 

> The "winner" of the FBI Challenge
> was... Aristotle Onassis... Not for
> Everyone.

> Just joking...
> Or am I?

> Here is the FBI challenge posted a few days
> ago:
>
> http://www.sowpub.com/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl?read=3150
> If You Are Interested in FBI Challenge.
> 1.You are "stranded" in the town
> you don't know.
> 2.You have absolutely nothing on you
> no cash
> no credit cards
> NO ID.
> Challenge:
> In a week you have to return to the
> "base" with cash, credit, AND...
> ID (fakes are not accepted).
> Now, what would YOU do?
> Later about one of the "winners".
> Simon

> Here is the reaction:

> 1. Posted By: Joe Makowski
> [email protected]
> Date: Saturday, 3 February 2001, at 10:58
> a.m.
> In Response To: If You Are Interested in FBI
> Challenge. (Simon Latouche)

> Damned if I know, it took me 3 weeks to get
> a copy
> of my birth certificate. So, post the thing,
> I'm
> dying of curiosity!!!!!

> 2. Posted By: Dien Rice [email protected]
> Date: Saturday, 3 February 2001, at 2:39
> p.m.
> In Response To: If You Are Interested in FBI
> Challenge. (Simon Latouche)

> Hi Simon,
> I don't know either! Please tell us how one
> of the "winners" did it.... :)
> - Dien
> ---------------------------

> This challenge in my opinion is connected to
> the question "What is it to possess a
> millionaire mind".
> Somebody mentioned the answer by Aristotle
> Onassis to the question "What would you
> do if you lost all your fortune and had only
> $400 left?"
> The answer was:
> "I would buy a decent suite and go
> where millionaires spend their time".

> Why would I call the "winner" of
> the FBI challenge Aristotle Onassis?
> Because he WAS an "aristotle
> onassis" in that situation.

> 1. He went straight to the place where rich
> and powerful hang out.
> 2. He targeted ... women...
> 3. The third woman he met was a widow of a
> relative of a powerful political figure (as
> far as I remember from the article - the
> Senator).
> 4. A hot "romance" followed.
> 5. In a week he had his ID.

> Now, THIS path is not for everyone.

> But I see some significant points/aspects of
> the solution that made it a success.

> In your opinion, what are those?

> Simon

Excellent post! Here's some more tips on how to use this approach....
 

Hi Simon,

Thanks, those were two great (and illuminating) stories....

Regarding your first story....

> Story #1
> There were two "marketers".
> One was directly selling his widgets $5
> apiece to his lists.
> With mediocre results.

> The other was targeting INDIVIDUALS, seeking
> orders of 1,000,000 widgets.
> The higher he aimed, the lower were the
> chances to DIRECTLY make it through the
> door.
> So, the winner contacted the man who was
> responsible for huge orders through their
> mutual love - dogs.

As I recall, there are several stories like this in Thomas Stanley's books "Marketing to the Affluent" and "Selling to the Affluent." (He's also the author of "The Millionaire Next Door".)

What you said is the secret of many top notch salespeople, particularly those who sell big orders to the affluent.... That is, they only need to make a few sales to make a lot of money, so they can spend a lot of time on preparing to establish a good rapport with their prospect....

Another technique Thomas Stanley talks about is joining the right clubs and organizations. If you're in the same club as those you want to sell to, you have one more thing in common....

So, for example, if you want to sell items to wealthy fishermen and fisherwomen (fisherpeople?), then find out what organization they join, and join it too!

- Dien