Obtaining email addresses of Managers of AS400 shops

[Guest.Visitor]

Does anyone have any insight as to how I might go about obtaining the email addresses of the managers at the AS400 shops in the U.S. I am beginning to do some consulting/contract programming (I have 12+ years of AS400 experience. Can program in COBOL and RPG) and was thinking of doing a mass mailing in an effort to introduce myself. The marketing aspect of being independant is the least enjoyable part of being independant as far as I am concerned. Any help with this or any other methods of possibly generating new business would be much appreciated. Best regards, Rich

[nycsusan@hotmail.com]

Rich, I would suggest good old fashioned networking as nothing beats the face to face introduction. Most IT managers are buried by unsolicited mail as it is, and it would be difficult for your letter to stand apart from the rest. One of the many ways to network would be to sign up for an IT related class, or join an AS/400 users group. Have you tried joining your local AS/400 users group, or contacting a user group in a city that you would be willing to reclocate to? Midrange Computing has a listing of AS/400 users group by location: http://www.midrangecomputing.com/usergrp/default.cfm If that doesn't work you can always join a contracting company and let them do the marketing for you.

[Guest.Visitor]

Richard, What you are proposing is termed Unsolicited Bulk E-mail. Also known as spamming. Check the terms of service for your ISP and you will most likely find out you stand to lose your account if you do undertake your proposal. Also, consider that there are many like myself that would never consider doing business with anyone that participates in spamming. Bill

[Guest.Visitor]

Bill, Thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought of what I was suggesting as 'spamming', but if others do see it that way then I must be wrong. Do you have any advice for getting the word out? Thanks again. Rich

[Guest.Visitor]

Richard, I don't have any "good" ideas. I am not an active consultant now, but when I was, I advertised in the Yellow pages. I got a couple of jobs through that, but not enough to live on. Networking is what it comes down to; meeting people at user groups, having friends keep their ears to the ground, etc. Bill