Happy Birthday, Mr. Prospect

It’s easy to find out someone’s birthday, says Edward Lubin, a TV syndicator in California. In the case of somebody important, you can look it up in Who’s Who. “You can also ask a secretary or business associate,” Lubin suggests. Most people give you this information without resistance. Just say that you’re going to send a surprise birthday present or that you’re putting together an executive birthday directory.

Once you know the person’s date of birth, call on that special occasion and tell the cross -examining gatekeeper, “I called to wish him a happy birthday.” Believe it or not, the average executive gets only a handful of greetings on his birthday. So the gatekeeper thinks you’re a personal friend and puts your call right through. Remember, too, that when you begin by wishing somebody a happy birthday, you automatically start off your call on a positive note.

Robert Shook and Eric Yaverbaum, ‘I’ ll Get Back to You’, McGraw-Hill