If you need to rub elbows with the affluent, who better to learn from than the man who made a career of studying the wealthy? Thomas Stanley, bestselling author of "The Millionaire Next Door," teaches us the networking methods of individuals who cater to the rich in "Networking With The Affluent And Their Advisors."

Stanley writes: "...always remember that you will succeed in marketing if you focus on the needs of your targets." What are the needs of the affluent? Stanley focuses upon eight valuable services that individuals can provide to the affluent.

According to Stanley, the "Eight Faces of Networking" are:

* Being A Talent Scout
* Being A Revenue Enhancer
* Being An Advocate (to your clients' industries)
* Being A Mentor
* Being A Publicist
* Being A Family Advisor
* Being A Purchasing Agent
* Being A Loan Broker

Noticeably missing from Stanley's list is walking poodles. What sort of pets do the rich have anyway? Are they largely cat people or dog people? Or do they tend to avoid pets altogether due to the cost of caring for the furry little fellows? Stanley is silent on the issue.

But, I guess offering to walk a potential client's poodle wouldn't enhance the image of a serious business professional anyway. So, we'll let Stanley off the hook on this point of omission. Each of his other networking suggestions would tend to enhance a businessperson's reputation as a savvy businessperson with the client.

Being a talent scout means providing your network with information about reliable suppliers and people who might be able to provide valuable services. For example, Stanley notes that the majority of the wealthy are business owners, so they are constantly looking for sources of supply for their businesses.

Suppose the fat cat you want to do business with owns a bakery chain. If you've focused your attention upon the food industry, you might just know a good supplier of doilies. That information will come in handy when fat cat laments the lack of reliable doily suppliers. By asking fat cat about his most important goals and concerns, you learn how you can be of service to him.

Of course, if the doily supplier delivers deformed doilies, you might lose the goodwill of the fat cat. Stanley tells us to only endorse people who provide quality services and products, otherwise we compromise the value of our personal network.

Stanley says that it's often wisest to focus upon networking within a few industries because positive word-of-mouth flows more rapidly through inter-industry communication than through intra-industry communication. We learn that one of the best places to learn about an industry are the industry's trade publications and associations.

So, while you're browsing through "Gingersnap Today," in addition to learning about the industry, you'll learn about the movers and shakers of the baking industry. More people to add to your potential food network.

What do most bakers really care about? In fact, what do most wealthy people care about? Dough, of course! Business owners, especially, are always looking to grow their revenue. So, if you enhance a business owner's revenue, you will become a valuable member of his or her network.

Would doily supplier dare drop doing business with you in favor of your competition if you are providing many referrals and enhancing his doily revenue? Especially, if other people providing the same core service don't enhance his revenue at all?

Stanley gives us the example of a financial advisor who was talking with the wealthy owner of a welding company. Rather than focusing upon the financial advisor's "me, me, me" interest of getting as much money under his grubby management paw as possible, the advisor focused upon his potential client's real concerns and priorities.

Upon meeting the wealthy welder, the financial advisor immediately said that he had several clients who owned oil rigs which needed welding services. He put the welder in contact with the oil riggers. The welder received much business and opened a multimillion dollar account with the financial advisor.

Of course, savvy networking is sometimes derogatorily referred to as "The Old Boy's Network," where members only tend to do business with other members. But, everyone has the opportunity to create their own network. Building networks is an equal opportunity endeavor. Unfortunately, sometimes, people have network envy.

Also, notice that financial advisors and others offering core services to the wealthy tend to benefit most from such networking. This is especially true if the basic service provided is largely undifferentiated, as it typically is with accounting services or financial advising, for example.

Stanley argues that the core service provided clients must be worthwhile to secure and retain business. But, core services being equal, the provider who excels at revenue enhancement will probably win.

While revenue enhancement is crucial, maybe, top dog's greatest concern is building his new home. He's a successful doctor who hates negotiating and doesn't have the time for it. But, it so happens that you know the building contracting business and are a strong negotiator. By acting as a purchasing agent for members of your network, you can save members money. And, as they say, a penny saved is a penny earned.

Stanley relates the story of a successful CPA who saved his wealthy client about [money] on the purchase of a new home. When the successful doctor told Mr. CPA about his new home plans along with its 15% builder's fee and extra fees and commissions here and there, Mr. CPA offered to negotiate the final purchase on behalf of his client. Knowing construction, Mr. CPA knew that a 10% builder's fee was fair. But, the commission, paid to the builder, on the sale of the lot, owned by the builder, had to go.

Saving members of your network money on expensive purchases is one more way to benefit them.

Overall, if you provide a service to wealthy individuals and you wish to increase the value of your networking skills, you might find this book useful.

Peter Hupalo, Author of "Thinking Like An Entrepreneur" and "Becoming An Investor."

Starting a new business? New to sales? (Feel you are too young/old to jump start your production?

Dr. Stanley's books should be required reading for any business student or business owner. In Networking with the Affluent, Dr. Stanley discusses SEVERAL methods of establishing productive relationships with your target prospect group and their advisors.

Networking is NOT trading names or client lists with every salesperson you meet. These methods are not restricted to finding affluent clients.

If you are not good at phone sales, how about writing letters to the editor of your local paper supporting a local industry or business? Then follow up and send the owners/managers of that business a copy of your printed letter in the paper. These business owners would probably rather deal with a person who understands the issues of their business than someone who shows no interest in their business. This is just one of Dr. Stanley's methods. In this book, you will ! find a method just right for your personality to increase your business. While you are at it, purchase his other books on Marketing and Selling to the Affluent.

The authors have created a concise how-to guide for successful marketing in the 90s and beyond. If you thought marketing was all about radio/TV/print advertising, this book will open your eyes. My copy if highlighted and dog-eared more than any book on my shelves. I refer to it more than my dictionary! The advice is practical and applicable across industries. If you aren't marketing this way, you should be, because your competitors will be!

I am a grad student at Northwestern majoring in Integrated Marketing Communications and have been fortunate to have Don Schultz as a professor. The insights provided in this book are right on. This is the future trend of all marketing efforts. If a company can not identify its best customers and treat them well, the company is destined to fail. This book helps guide a company to long-term success revolving around a companies core asset--its customers. This new way of thinking does not revolve around products but rather managing customers in an integrated manner.

These great compilations need to have the volume number in the title and in the description. When I wanted to find volume 52, I had to search through every book after November 1996, because I knew that the "CLINTON ELECTED" puzzle was in volume 52.

Here's the pointer for #52, by the way. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0812931645/recommendations

If you look at the clues, you'll see that the puzzle also predicted "BOB DOLE ELECTED" so it's a historic puzzle.

If you love crosswords, get these books.

I do suggest, though, that Amazon include the volume number in each title, so that a person who wants to find volume 52, for example, doesn't have to read every page.

By the way, I had a reason for mentioning volume 52 ... The #1 puzzle in that volume predicted Clinton's Win over Gore in the Election Day 1996 puzzle.

You can find #52 ...

Be sure to get that one, then buy the rest of the books for the puzzle lover in your family.

John

Not so great for its literary value but the fact that it is a true story. The author was so influential in the development of the RR/Bristol Pegasus, RB 211 and even the RR Merlin aero engines. This is how real engineering should be. Inspirational.

An excellent book on the history of the jet engine. Told from a different perspective by an individual who was there from the beginning.

Should be required reading for educators.

Kottler and Zehm have written a deeply thoughtful and helpful book. Everyone who does this work needs brave and detailed books like this--books that in their thick description walk the walk, providing expert guidance, reassurance, and innovative technical suggestions that create space for dialogue.

I wish this book had been around when I was in high school because it brought the field of science in general, and geology/biology in particular, alive for the first time. I honestly looked at my natural surroundings differently after reading it. I have also purchased and enjoyed the hard cover copies of Professor Ward's other two books. Some of the passages he writes especially with regard to bringing you back in time give you shivers.

Peter Ward is one of the best writers in this genre - personally I rate him with Wilson, Dawkins and Gould - at least when it comes to the art of telling a good story, creating a good picture.

"On Methuselah's Trail" is one of the best books I have read about fossils and evolution. Not revolutionary, challenging or very complicated - just well written, charming, and - most important - it makes you want go right out in the bush to look for your own fossils!

The description on the cover accurately calls this: "A concise and comprehensive handbook on the Orthodox faith thoroughly indexed for easy reference." This book is a handy tool for newcomers to the Orthodox Christian faith--like me--or for those who might be investigating this ancient, yet contemporary, expression of Christianity. The index of topics at the front makes it easy to find short articles on many topics, such as abortion, Bible, calendars, divorce, Easter, forgiveness, God, Holy Spirit, icons, Jesus Prayer, Kingdom of God, Lord's Supper, marriage, non-believers, Orthodox Church, Patriarchs, Qumram, Roman Catholicism, sacraments, Theotokos, Undivided Church of Christ, Virgin Mary, World Council of Churches, Yahweh and Zeon. I've often used this book to answer my own questions, as well as those of my non-Orthodox friends. Highly recommended!

This book is composed of 455 questions that many people are asking today. Here the Eastern Orthodox answers are given. There are a variety of subjects covered, such as the Apocrypha, Byzantine Catholics, Capital Punishment, War, the Pope, Istanbul, etc. Within each section there are questions people have asked relating to these topics. Such questions include: What Does the EO church believe about Birth Control? Why Don't More People Believe in God? What is Love? and Why are there so many Christian churches? These are just a few examples of what the Church believes on these pressing issues. The only drawback is that the book was written in 1988, so the more contemporary issues may not be covered. But otherwise it is a useful book.

this is a great training book for the doctor to be or someone who has any interest in the human body and how it fuctions.worth checking out

I highly recommend this text as a supplement to your OPP/OMM notes. The authors do an outstanding job in their organization and delivery of varying Osteopathic techniques.

For four weeks I resisted the professor who had assigned Hauerwas; I battled Hauerwas on narrative's value and on his "obvious" lack of appreciation for the Brothers Niebuhr. I'd take Augustine's "just war" or Mouw's Divine Command ethics any day. Then it happened. I started doing ethics in the middle; I pitched three fourths of Kant and most of the consequentialists. I saw peace as the singular Christ trait, and I was ashamed and penitent. I read on through more and more Hauerwas to find how to "do church" as just such an authentic--albeit alien community. I don't know if I'm ready to walk over hot coals to march on Kosavo, but if Hauerwas left, I'd follow. To read Hauerwas changes Christians. Others probably won't "get" him because it takes a hefty amount of divine intervention to trust God that much. In the year since I first read this book I have had to re-think and/or re-tool everything about being a Christian. This is authentic Christianity--not the accommodationist Warrior-Christianity of Constantine, Belfast and Belgrade--and dare I say most American "chump-morality" preaching. Go ahead, fight with Hauerwas. I double dare ya! Watch the tools of peaceableness metamorphose you. I know.

This book is the best introduction to "Christianity according to Hauerwas." This is not a general survery of different ideas about Christian ethics. But rather a presentation of a distinct way of doing "Christian ethics" (which really means a distinct way of doing Christianity). Hauerwas rejects both "liberal" and "conservative" versions of Christianity because both are ultimately based in the thought patterns of the classical Liberalism, which falsely presents itself as religion based on universal reason. In reality, all reason and religion is based on particular truth claims, embodied in the narratives that shape different communities. Hauerwas presents the truth of the Christian narrative, emphasizing how it must be embodied in the Church, if any one is ever to see that it is true. Particularly important in the demonstation of Christian truth claims is the Church's commitment to peace (a very particular form of Christian non-violence). To grasp the significance of what Hauerwas is saying in this book, is to have commonly accepted understandings of the Church and Christian "ethics" radically challenged, and possibly to have them replaced by a wonderfully compelling account of what it means to be a Christian.

This was an excellent book. The author should be commended for sharing real life experiences with the world. I found the book thought provoking and informative as well as intriguing. I could not put the book down. I am anxiously awaiting Book Two. Thanks to Mr. Walker for sharing his talent for story telling with us.

I have read many books about drugs but this one takes the cake. Not only is it informative but the author is a great story teller. I can't wait for book two.