Instant Interviews: 101 Ways to Get the Best Job of Your Life

Chapter 88. Getting Leads from Leasers

You won't know of office furniture leasers. They don't advertise in places you see. But they're the leaders of leads.

You can visit showrooms of the major chains (usually under "Office Furniture Rentals" in the Yellow Pages or googled for your area). You'll see these chains are very major—commercial furniture leasing is a huge business.

You simply walk in and make yourself a friend with a leasing consultant or whatever. An instant interviewer I've been helping went over to one of these places and took down the names and numbers of over 30 businesses. Over 30 local businesses that needed furniture! Chairs for employees to sit on. Desks for them to write on. File cabinets for them to stuff with orders. Busy businesses. New businesses expanding.

What? They gave her the names? Of course! You don't think she'd make a large leasing commitment without references, do you?

The independent leasers are even more forthcoming with names. I went in to one of them on my way to court about six months ago. I just stopped at an armoire to check my Windsor knot, and some salesman was glued to my jacket until I left. I just asked, "Who are some of your customers?"

He must have rattled off seven or eight before I took my jacket off (fortunately with his help). Then he took me over to the leasing office where I saw completed agreements from another dozen or so accounts.

I had to get to court, so I left after about 10 minutes. (The guy wanted to go, and I almost agreed. ...