Inspiring NetWorkers — Indiana

What is blue or brown and smells of coffee?

That’s how Marty Cotterman describes one of his formative networks – the law enforcement officers of Lafayette, Indiana.  Becoming a cop at age 21 taught Marty the power of relationships that he has relied upon ever since.  Now Marty, popularly known in Central Indiana as "The Alarm Guy", is a consultant for a security company, is a director for Business Network International (BNI) and continues to prove why he is one of our Great Lakes Inspired NetWorkers.

The Inspired NetWorker is one whose thoughts, feelings, actions…his or her very breath and being are drawn forth from and applied to developing and maintaining meaningful, giving relationships.

We’ll begin Marty’s story when he was 19 years old and working in the new car showroom at the Ford and Mercury Dealer in his hometown of Kokomo, IN.

"I was taught to get to common ground fast," Marty explains. "Weather, News, Sports, but never politics or religion."

Two years later Marty joined the Lafayette Police Department that was about 50 miles from Kokomo. “I found myself 21 years old in a new town not knowing anyone. I had a network but didn't know it. They wore blue or brown and often smelled of gun cleaning solution and coffee.”

Relationships are Forever

The communications skills he learned in sales were profitable on the Police Department.  As Marty puts it, “I was able to work through most issues and keep my teeth.”   He formed relationships as an officer that have lasted a lifetime.  He learned who he could trust and who he had to watch out for.  Once, another officer claimed he didn't like covering Marty’s days off because he “treated those people like people”.  Marty explains that it was a rough area but he always treated everyone they way he would want to be treated – like a person.  “Even if you can't help, you can show you care” was, and is, Marty’s motto.

Marty Cotterman understands the power of relationships at the core of any network.   If you foster a good or bad relationship it is with you the rest of your life.   (Marty quips, “Ever try to get rid of an ex-spouse?”)

In 1993, Marty and his wife decided to move to a family homestead with 15 acres, woods, a creek, and a great place to instill country values into five sons.  The decision to make a new home also meant he would have to give up his badge and start over.  That led him into sales and sales management (although he quickly accepted a part-time officer position with the resort community of Monticello, Indiana.)

Blinding Flash of the Obvious

Marty accepted an invitation to attend a core group kickoff meeting of Business Network International in March, 2001.  That’s when the light bulb about networking really went off.  Up to that night, Marty knew to follow up on his clients, attend chamber events, be involved in Rotary and other service groups.  BNI helped him take all those ideas and put them into practical terms.  He saw the possibilities and was eager to help start a group in the area.  He soon went from being a core group member to serving as the education coordinator and then president the local chapter.  Now Marty is an area director over 50 chapters in Central Indiana and is directly responsible for six of them: two in Kokomo, two in Lafayette and two on the north side of Indianapolis.

Lessons Learned

“The key to giving and receiving referrals is trust.  I will not open my Rolodex to you if I cannot trust you,” Marty says.  “I might be a blood relative, I might think you’re the best guy to hang around with, but unless I trust you.... you do not stand a chance.   You cannot earn that kind of trust by being seen; you must build a relationship, serve together, have lunch, tour each others work place and build that trust first.

“One of the things I enjoy the most, and my sons get a kick out of it, is meeting a total stranger and getting to common ground,” Marty continues.

He attributes a favorite technique to Hazel Walker, executive director of BNI for Central Indiana.  When he meets someone he does not know – a clerk at Walmart, someone standing in line, whatever – Marty asks them, “What do you do when you're “not standing in long lines”?   They often will reply with what really interests them.  More often than not, in just a few more exchanges Marty has established common ground and made a connection.

“They walk away feeling good about themselves and we have a relationship to build on if either of us choose to do so,” Marty concludes.  “I have made some great connections over the years.”

You will find Marty Cotterman, “The ALARM Guy”, at OneTouch Security Plus in Lafayette, IN, through email at alarmguy@home.ffni.com, by phone at 1-765-423-4309, or while he is busy networking in Central Indiana.

Our ongoing series on Inspired NetWorks and Inspired NetWorkers was inspired by my own search to find networks and relationships that are truly transformational and not just transactional in nature and outcome.  If you know of a truly Inspiring NetWork or Inspiring NetWorker, please let me know.  I appreciate your input.

 

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Mark can be reached at MarkS@TheNationalNetworker.com or via TNNW Blog.