Special Report

FINDER'S
FEES
Today & Every Day
by J.F. (Jim) Straw
This publication is designed to provide accurate and
authoritative information in regard to the subject matter
covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is
not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional
services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the
services of a competent professional person should be sought.

FINDER'S FEES
Today & Every Day
by J.F. (Jim) Straw

© - 2006, J.F. (Jim) Straw. All rights reserved.

J.F. (Jim) Straw

204 Wildflower Way • Dalton, Georgia 30720-8029
eMail: Phlander@BusinessLyceum.com
Special Report

FINDER'S FEES
Today & Every Day
This “Special Report” is being written,published and provided exclusively to people
who have taken my complete course.....
“Finder’s Fees - The Easiest Money You’ll Ever Make”
Although I have written and published a good many reports and articles about
earning Finder’s Fees, I have NEVER before written about this method. The only time I
ever taught the method was on an Audio Cassette Tape course of a Seminar I conducted
about earning finder’s fees in 1980 (now outdated - no longer available).
Beyond that, in over 30 years of reading everything published on the subject of
finder’s fees, by other writers, NOT ONCE have I seen this method even mentioned.
Therefore, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! The fewer willy-nilly amateur finders who
learn this method, the better.
In order to share this method with you, let me tell you about how I discovered the
method (accidentally) but didn’t even know what I had stumbled upon until it happened
a few times.
The first time it happened, I was in Uncle Sam’s Army. - At that time, my base pay
was somewhere around $120 per month.
Since I had a car, one of my friends said he would fill my gas tank - about $5 worth,
back then - if I would drive him around to the Used Car Lots off post, so he could buy a
car for himself.
While my friend was test driving a car at one of the lots, I struck up a conversation
with one of the salesmen. I told him I was just hauling my friend around - for a full tank
of gas - so he could find a car.
In response, the salesman introduced me to “bird dogging.” - He offered to pay me
$25 for very G.I. I brought to the lot who bought a car from him.
Even then, I was no dummy. I had the salesman write his offer on the back of one
of his business cards, sign & date it.
From then on, I supplemented my Army pay as a Used Car “bird dog.” - I eventually
had a fee agreement with every Used Card Lot in the area. - Some months, I earned 2 to 3
times my base pay in bird dog fees. Many months, nothing - but - my contacts were paying
for gas for my car, so I didn’t take any loses.
When a retired army officer opened a Used Car Lot - specializing in used cars not
over 3 years old - I learned a new lesson.
Calling on the owner, I laid out my bird dog service for him and told him all I needed
to get started was one of his business cards with my fee spelled-out written on the back;
dated, with his signature, of course. - He refused, saying the G.I.’s who wanted his cars
would find him without me.
As I headed for my car, I figured it was his lose, not mine. I would simply NOT bring
any of my contacts to look at cars on his lot.
Opening the door on my car, one of the salesmen on the lot approached me. He acted
like he wanted to try to sell me a car - pointing at various cars on the lot as he talked.
After I told him I wasn’t interested, he shook hands with me, and gave me his
business card. Then, he told me he had overheard my conversation with his boss and, if
I would bring my contacts to him, he would gladly pay my bird dog fee. - He had already
written his offer on the back of the business card he had handed me.
Some few years later, after leaving Uncle Sam's Army, I was looking-for some rather
specialized equipment.
Through a number of referrals, I had gathered information on the few companies
that offered that specific equipment. Then, I offered what I had found to the party (the
buyer) I knew was looking-for it.
Getting a letter of interest from the buyer, I had sent a blanked-out copy to the
manufacturer asking for a “commission.”
The manufacturer responded that the company DID NOT sell directly to the end
user but, rather, made its sales only through authorized area distributors. Along with their
response, they sent the name & address of their distributor in my area; advising that the
company had forwarded my letter to that distributor.
A few days later, I received a letter from the distributor advising me that my letter
had been referred to their sales agent for my locale.
When the sales agent called on me, I cut a deal with him, introduced him to my
contact (in writing) and earned my fee.
Over the years, I discovered that more & more companies were placing their
products and services in the hands of area distributors.
So, whenever I learned that a product (or service) I was seeking was in the hands of
an area distributor, I would get basic information from the prime source, then request my
“commission” from the area distributor.
But, at times, the area distributors were slow, and slower, about responding.
Hey.....negotiating a finder’s fee agreement; in writing, by mail, is always a rather
slow and methodical process. But, some of these area distributors would let grass grow on
my letter before responding.
Really, I think some of them were spending some time trying to figure out who had
sent the blanked-out letter to me. - Most of them, however, were simply inept.....a
characteristic of all-too-many area distributors who simply take-on more product lines
than they can ever hope to represent effectively.

© - 2006, J.F. (Jim) Straw • 204 Wildflower Way • Dalton, Georgia 30720-8029
eMail: jfstraw@businesslyceum.com
All rights reserved.
 To eliminate this slow down, I quit sending letters to the area distributors; requiring
their response.
Instead, I would telephone the area distributor and tell them exactly what product
I was inquiring about.....from the information I had already received from the manufacturer.
Then, I would ask them to put me in touch with the sales agent for my town.
Before the sales agent called on me, I would type a letter to the area distributor asking
for a commission and attaching the blanked-out copy of the letter from my contact.
That letter would not be dated but would have a date line (Date: _______) where I
could hand write the date when I gave it to the sales agent. - I would also have the sales
agent sign & date my copy of that letter, “Received by: _____.”
In most cases, the sales agent would hand carry my letter back to the area distributor
and get a letter for me authorizing a commission. Other times, the sales agent would give
me a handwritten note (spelling out my commission; payable by the sales agent).
This approach worked easiest when my “buyer” was in my area.
When the “buyer” wasn’t in my area, it usually required that either the area
distributor, or the sales agent, arrange to be paid a commission by, or through, the area
distributor in the “buyers” area.
By the way, I ALWAYS told the sales agent if the “buyer” was in another area, on their
first visit. That way, they could calculate their commission before they committed to my
commission.
Since area distributors usually carry a wide variety of products and services in a
specific industry, I always asked the sales agent for information on other products &
services they had available.
Each of those sales people were, of course, methodically cataloged in my inventory
of contacts - with their home address & telephone number; company name, address &
telephone number; and a list of products & services carried. (Even if they changed jobs,
they were still valuable contacts. And, in most cases, they stayed in the same industry any
way.)
Later, I learned another way to work with sales agents.
Having a contact seeking a special piece of “used” or “rebuilt” equipment, I called
the manufacturer and asked it they offered used/rebuilt models of their equipment. - They
didn’t. But, they suggested a “new” one, of course.
Since I knew the manufacturer’s sales agent in my area, I telephoned and asked him
if the area distributor handled any used or rebuilt modes of the equipment. - They didn’t
either, but.....
The sales agent did know a company that wanted to sell the piece of used equipment
my contact wanted. - The sales agent introduced me to the seller. I introduced the buyer
to the seller and earned my fee.
Since the sales agent had told me that his “Employment Contract” forbade him from
selling anything other than the products offered by his employer, I gave the sales agent half
of my fee. - He didn’t even know I was going to do it, until he received my check.
 After that, every time the sales agent came across one of his customers who had any
used equipment to sell, he introduced them to me.
Of course, the sales agent and I had reached a “meeting of the minds” and “put it in
writing.” - He transmitted his leads to me “in writing” and I used his name as a referral to
gather information from the seller.
Then, after I had found a prospective “buyer” for a seller, I would get my finder’s
fee agreement, introduce the parties, and step back while they did their deal.....splitting
any fees I earned with the sales agent.
Guess What? - You guessed it! - It wasn’t long before I had about 20 sales agents in
the area “bird dogging” used equipment, machinery, surplus, salvage and closeouts for
me. - They “found” these items while calling on their customers.
One of the best things about using local sales agents as bird dogs was.....
ALMOST ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY BROUGHT TO ME WERE IN
THE LOCAL AREA.
That meant I could work with the sellers face-to-face.....physically inspect whatever
they were offering.....and negotiate my commission (finder’s fee) in person; in their office,
or mine.
It didn’t matter where the buyers I found were located. My clients (the ones paying
my fee) were in my own backyard.
Later, even some of the “sellers” for whom I had found buyers, began bird dogging
for me.....or.....referring other buyers & sellers to me. - Some wanted fees. But, most didn’t.
So.....
The MOST PROFITABLE method of earning Finder’s Fees all the time right in your
own local area is by WORKING WITH SALES AGENTS. (I used to say “salesmen” but.....)
After you’ve re-read this “Special Report” three or four times, you should have a
thousand and one ideas popping into your noggin.....then, get started “finding” sales
agents in your area to work with......in any & every industry & trade.
Now that you know what the MOST PROFITABLE method of earning Finder’s Fees
is.....
KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!
The fewer finders (especially the amateurs) who know about it, the more profitable
it can be for YOU!

HELPFUL HINT!
Wanna get started working with sales agents in your area? Well.....all
you gotta do is find distributors in your area; offering products you would
like to be involved with and have their sales agents call on you.
Where do you find the distributors? – Simple. – Look in the Telephone
Book Yellow Pages; under the headings for products you want to work with.
Ain't That Easy? – Once you know where to look!
 Remember!
Since you have taken my Finder’s Fee
Course, YOU may contact me, personally
for my advice about the Finder’s Fee
opportunities in which you may be
involved. — I may not tell you what you
“want” to hear ... like the con-men and B.S.
artists do ... but, I will tell you how it
really is in the business community, based
on my 50 years of day-to-day experience as
a professional Finder and entrepreneur.
That’s what I am here for!

J.F. (Jim) Straw

204 Wildflower Way • Dalton, GA 30720-8029

eMail: jfstraw@businesslyceum.com