Patrick Geyer, Mercuri Urval December 25, 2014

!!!Seed Plant A Seed Plant is a formally planned meeting with a business associate and the goal to network. It takes 30 minutes and takes place at the other person's office or a coffee house. #

the setup!With a hit rate of 50% it takes 40 companies/contacts which you have never contacted before to pitch for your current company. These contacts can also be friends and come from all sources (e.g. LinkedIn, email contact lists, facebook). Ideally you know all these people but aspirational companies with a key person can also be on the list. #

�1linkedin.com/in/douglasritter/de.linkedin.com/in/patrickgeyer/

the situation

Doug found himself in a sales position even though he had deliberately avoided sales functions and positions. Still he generated 4 meetings out of 20 emails per day which eventually led to 1 closed deal.

success principles

The Twenty Seed Game tells us that attitude is more important than anything else. Common sense is important as well as being focused and structured. It is not about being pushy but about networking and building relationships.

guidelines

Be serious about it and focus. Learn what works and what doesn't. Gain data points and measure them!

THE TWENTY SEED GAME

By Douglas Ritter | summary by Patrick Geyer

Patrick Geyer, Mercuri Urval December 25, 2014

getting the meeting!Find names of people at these companies whom you want to meet. Then look for a person connected to them who can introduce you. Provide this person with a short email template saying that you want to network, learn about their company and you're not trying to sell them anything or looking for a job. Follow up after one day and repeat that you are not trying to sell them anything and that you're not looking for a job.#

!the meeting!Do your homework and research the person you are going to meet as well as their company. Search the internet, annual reports, Hoovers, Businessweek and other sources. Meet the person at a suitable place outside of your office like at caoffee house or at their office. At the meeting ask questions and listen, at this point don't talk about yourself or your business unless you're being asked. Have an elevator pitch prepared for that case.#

Be early for the meeting so you can grab a table at the coffee house and have their cell phone number on you just in case. For a typical Seed Plant meeting flow see the left hand column.#

Follow up: send a thank you email, tell them you want to linkIn and send them a personalized contact request.#

further reading For a more detailed description of The Twenty Seed Game, go to www.usfi.com/20seedgame or contact Douglas Ritter. I strongly recommend reading Douglas' book as it provides greater detail, very useful tips on how to optimize your linkedIn profile, templates for emails and examples of what to avoid.

�2linkedin.com/in/douglasritter/de.linkedin.com/in/patrickgeyer/

!!

Douglas Ritter, author of THE TWENTY SEED GAME, connect at linkedin.com/in/douglasritter/

Patrick Geyer, author of this sumamry, connect at de.linkedin.com/patrickgeyer/

typical Seed Plant meeting flow

for a 30 minute meeting:

10 minutes introductions, comments about the person who introduced you, small talk

10 minutes asking questions about their company

5 minutes you will almost certainly be asked questions about your business about 75% of the way through the time

5 minutes of follow up questions from either side