Great thread here...

This is my first post here as I am a newbie to this forum but not of JV's ;D

I have to say that Mike's comments are invaluable.

I've found that building a relationship with that gate keeper is crucial to your ongoing sucess with not only getting noticed but also getting your proposal accepted. The strength of that relationship ensures that your partnership can live on way longer than just "doing a JV", plus it's just a lot more fun It is a step that many forget but can be as simple as what Mike suggested.

Recieving an email from someone that you know, trust and look forward to hearing from is the easiest way to get an email opened and action taken.

Take the time and focus on building solid relationships where you are thinking of the others needs and truly being of value and you end up getting referred into other gate keepers that are hard to get into normally. To have others pave your way in is a wonderful thing indeed ;D

I found the book, "The Go-Giver" an enjoyable read that illustrates this very point.

My two cents, lol. Hope it helped...

Peace