Some thought has gone into producing just such an item. My book, "The I.T. Career Builder's Toolkit" started in 2002 at the prompting of a similar forum.
Currently I am busy writing 3 new chapters and an entirely new presentation on creativity.
However, I can divulge this... In a post above I reference some mini-case studies on my site. I never drop off a sheet of features or a resume. I always leave them with a case-study or two. I don't try to take any one's time but I do ask for a card, a name to follow up with, and the best time to contact them.
Two days later I call and ask for the individual. I ask if they've had a chance to read the case-studies. I ask for 2 minutes. I speak to them about how I don't provide technology, I provide solutions. Technology is just one tool of many.
I ask if I could have 10 minutes of their time to meet in person. If not, I ask if I can keep in touch and ask for an email. 90%+ it is a yes. Then I keep in touch.
If they allow me to meet, I land the client about 70% of the time. Sometimes I get a meeting in 2 weeks, sometimes I call back for a year before getting a meeting. As long as they continue to take my calls, I call.
I also have an Access DB I wrote that sends out HTML emails to people I've met. It points them to my consulting site and case-studies. It also ask if they are seeing the ROI on their technology that they would like. And it ask a rhetorical question..
"Is technology in your organization viewed as a necessary evil or as a tool that provides strategic & competitive advantage? If this question makes you uncomfortable, you need to speak with me." - or something similar.
Read my article, "Why Technologists Must Learn To Speak Business" to better understand my philosophy, approach, and how I sell myself.
It is fairly easy to say but far more difficult to do. In fact, in a KPMG Study - cited in the article, a majority of CEO's polled stated a distrust of their I.T. professional. That is a scathing indictment of an industry.
In 1997-2001 I refused to even call my company a technology company. In print and word I referred to the rank and file "integration" companies as, "Server Ploppers" because they sold and installed technology and called it a solution.
We even had a brochure and flash piece that showed the letter E the "does not equal" sign and the letter S. The word solution built off the letter "S".
In my marketing and in my meetings, the comments I recieve are along the lines of, "We've never had a technology vendor speak like you do." Of course, I tell them (this is a bit of marketing showmanship but also philosophically true) - "That's because I am not a technology vendor. I'm a solutions vendor."
At my company we did not sell hardware or software. I would tell our clients that our only commodity was an "intellectual commodity."
In any case, I sold copiers for a short time and hated it. I didn't feel like I was making a difference. But I know the difference I (and my company) made with our clients. I know I still receive calls from past clients asking if I can help them or go into business with them.
"Cold-calling" is 90% belief in what you are doing. At least for me it is. I also understand that it is a numbers issue - a convergence of need and my timing. When I had a project end prematurely last year, I had to go gain some clients. I visited 300 companies in a 9 week period of time.
During that run, I walked in the door of a company that was having a meeting about how they could automate document assembly and distribution. The meeting was taking place in a room right off the lobby and the door was open.
I was dropping info with the receptionist and chimed in, "I was the architect for the enterprise document assembly and management for x insurance, y insurance, and several other organizations. Maybe I can answer some of your questions."
The VP of Operations later said, "what a coincidence." I replied, if you visit 300 companies in 9 weeks you are bound to generate a coincidence or two.
There, now you know all my secrets.
I hope some find this helpful.
Matthew Moran
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