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One way to beat out your competitors is to look for new business in places they haven't thought of. That's an approach Sheldon Goldner has honed to a fine art. On a recent trip to the federal courthouse in Chicago, for example, he picked up two dozen fresh leads for his company, Mar-Cor Industries Inc., which recovers precious metals from photographic scrap. One of his competitors had filed for bankruptcy, and Goldner figured that the court documents would contain lists of debtors and creditors, including potential customers. He was right.

Goldner also dabbles in telemarketing -- from his car phone. Often, he says, he will pass a truck bearing the name and telephone number of a company that sounds like a possible customer. He dials the number on the spot, identifies himself, and asks to speak with the company's president. "I tell him I just passed his truck, and I'm calling in to report," says Goldner. "The guy usually laughs and asks how the driver is doing. You know, 'Did he hit you?" Then Goldner makes his sales pitch.