FAQ

What is Spoke?
What is an Open Network?
Who uses Spoke?
What can I find in Spoke?
Where does Spoke get data?
How does Spoke protect my privacy?
What are the technical requirements for using Spoke?
What is the Spoke Toolbar and why should I install it?
What types of Spoke memberships are available and what do I get with each?
How do I get started?
How can I learn how to use Spoke?
What if I need advanced tools for lead generation and sales prospecting?
My Company is interested in using Spoke, who should I talk to?
How do I update my Profile in Spoke?
How do I suppress my information in Spoke?
How do I contact Spoke's support department for help?

What is Spoke?

Spoke allows you to find and connect with 40 million businesspeople at 2.3 million companies. Spoke reaches beyond traditional professional networks by allowing you to connect with anyone in the Network, regardless of whether they are a member. Members use Spoke to discover and grow their professional networks and connect with the right people to accelerate their businesses and careers.

What is an Open Network?

An un-inhibited service where people go to cultivate new relationships and be helpful to each other professionally; esp. in finding employment, moving to a higher position, or receiving introductions to develop new business relationships.

Who uses Spoke?

All businesspeople whose job requires them to make contact and develop new relationships with other businesspeople; typically those with a sales, business development, marketing, recruiting, job seeking, business research, or executive role. Both individuals and groups at large and small companies use Spoke's connection resources to accelerate their new business development efforts as well as sustain critical business relationships.

What can I find in Spoke?

Spoke gives you access to over 40 million businesspeople at over 2.3 million companies. You can find individual contributors, managers, directors, and executives at target companies along with the information you need to access them - name, title, phone, address, job history, profiles, community comments and potential business connections. Search Spoke now to start discovering businesspeople.

Where does Spoke get data?

Spoke collects and aggregates information about businesses and business contacts from various sources, including:

• Publicly available information: Information that is available to the general public, including the Internet.
• Published information: Information that is privately owned and is not available to the general public but is available for redistribution.
• Contributed information: Information contributed by members, including names, titles, and company affiliations of people. Personal contact information, including direct e-mail addresses, is not made visible through the Spoke service or via the Spoke website unless a member posts it in the directory themselves.

How does Spoke protect my privacy?

Please see the Spoke Privacy Policy for details on how Spoke protects your privacy.

What are the technical requirements for using Spoke?

Spoke supports the following browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and above and FireFox

Spoke supports the following desktop operating systems: Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP

Spoke supports the following e-mail applications: Microsoft Outlook

Spoke DOES NOT currently support MAC OS or Linux

What is the Spoke Toolbar and why should I install it?

The Spoke Toolbar is a community resource available to the Spoke members designed to evaluate aggregated e-mail traffic in Microsoft Outlook between Spoke members to determine the strength and reach of their network. Members of the Spoke community assist in validating where other members work through e-mail signature files in Outlook, thereby contributing to the success and quality of the community data as a whole. Having it installed will allow you to:

• Automatically construct your relationship network
• Search Spoke from Internet Explorer, Microsoft Outlook, or salesforce.com
• Get detailed information about leads, contacts, and accounts in salesforce.com
• Keep your Outlook Contacts updated so you can manage your professional network
• Maintain your SpokeBook (online address book) automatically with no manual data entry

What types of Spoke memberships are available and what do I get with each?

Spoke offers members a wide range of membership options ranging from free membership for managing Spoke Profiles to Premium memberships which are designed for corporations and those wishing to reach targeted groups of businesspeople. To learn more about Spoke membership options, please refer to our Membership Options Chart.

How do I get started?

Join Spoke now and begin discovering businesspeople and building your professional network. If you would like to discuss solutions for your company, please visit the Corporate Solutions section of our website to learn more.

How can I learn how to use Spoke?

Members can access on demand training through the Spoke support site, which is available by clicking the Help link at the top of the page after logging in.

What if I need advanced tools for lead generation and sales prospecting?

Spoke offers several membership options specifically designed to help those with new business development responsibility. Whether you need to reach out to a few businesspeople to get your value proposition out, or you need to reach specific targeted groups, Spoke is the ideal resource for you. To determine which membership level is right for you, please refer to the Membership Options Chart.

My Company is interested in using Spoke, who should I talk to?

Spoke has worked with hundreds of companies to improve the effectiveness of their lead generation efforts. Click here for more information about how Spoke can help.

How do I update my Profile in Spoke?

Spoke provides a way for you to update your Profile that is available in Spoke's public directory. Your Profile can include your contact information, picture, professional overview, professional experience, education, interests, and favorite links. Click here to join Spoke and update your Profile.

How do I suppress my information in Spoke?

Spoke voluntarily offers you the opportunity to suppress your information from display in Spoke's public directory. Suppression means that information may be hidden from display on areas of the website, but will not necessarily result in the removal or deletion of the underlying information from the Spoke databases.

If you would like to suppress your information from Spoke's public directory, please click here to register. You can then set your Profile display preferences in the My Spoke portion of our member site.

Important Note: Because Spoke is constantly gathering information from publicly available sources and members, your information may be made available again. The best way to avoid having your information made available again after suppression is to request removal or suppression of your information from public data sources and to actively make efforts to keep your business contact information secret or confidential. If you distribute your business card, use an e-mail signature, or list yourself on publicly available websites, it is likely that your information will reappear on Spoke.

How do I contact Spoke's support department for help?

Members can always submit requests for support online if they cannot find the answer to their questions in any of the above resources or Spoke’s online knowledge-base. To view the knowledge base or submit a support request, please log in to Spoke and click the Help link at the top of the page.