Cold Outreach

Successful, interesting people are not inclined to fill their calendars with meetings with random people for no reason. If you’re going to try, how you do it and what you’ve done to earn the time with someone you have not met (likely some sort of expert, high level professional, or otherwise “VIP”) is critical.

For any cold outreach meeting requests to thought leaders, your request must show that you’ve done your homework, have a specific purpose that not only serves you, and give assurance that their time will be respected.

Like most aspects of interpersonal relationships, this is an art, a science, and a way of being. The subject matter is broad and deep. Below are some fundamentals I think will be helpful.

From Shane Parrish’s book Clear Thinking

GETTING EXPERTS ON YOUR SIDE

“…how to approach an expert in a way that will set your request apart and get people excited to help you…

  • Show that you have skin in the game

  • Get precise on your ask

  • Show respect for their time and energy

  • Ask for their reasons and listen

  • Follow up

Take time to distinguish real experts from imitators. Not everyone who claims to be an expert is. Take the time to know the difference.

Think of all the money managers who borrow their talking points from Warren Buffett. They might sound like Buffett, but they don’t know how to invest the way Buffett does. They’re imitators. Charlie Munger once commented on this: ‘It’s very hard to tell the difference between a good money manager and someone who just has the patter down.’”

How do you tell the difference between an expert and an imitator?…

…Here are some things to look for:

  • Imitators can’t answer questions at a deeper level….

  • Imitators can’t adapt their vocabulary. They can explain things using only the vocabulary they were taught, which is often full of jargon. Because they don’t fully understand the ideas behind the vocabulary, they can’t adapt the way they talk about those ideas to express them more clearly to their audience….

  • Imitators get frustrated when you say you don’t understand…

  • Experts can tell you all the ways they’ve failed…

  • Imitators don’t know the limits of their expertise…”

From Dr. Constantine Andriopoulos’ book Purposeful Curiosity

"Read books, case studies, and academic research or reports to familiarize yourself with the new domain before contacting people who know about the subject. Get up-to-date about the latest developments and other relevant information so that you don't waste the expert's time...

The most important things to keep in mind are to be well prepared, polite, and respectful...

Identifying commonalities or aspects worth commenting on in your meeting will help you build rapport and keep them at ease at the beginning.

Then, identify questions or topics that you would like to explore in your conversation. Write them down. Having a guide for your conversation will help you feel more relaxed and confident and will show that you respect the expert's time....

Request your meeting by sending a personal invitation letter or email that is clear about your intentions. Include any relevant information that lends credibility to you and your project, for example, the name of the person who introduced you to them or the names of others you have interviewed to illustrate who you are and why it would be great to meet.”

INVITATION LETTER OR EMAIL

“_____________(add the full address of the person you are reaching out to)

________(date)

Dear ________(name),

This is _______(your name), ________(your title and company or organization affiliation).

For the past ____ weeks/months/years (how long you have been working on this), I have been interviewing world-renowned thought leaders on _________ (the focus of your project) for a ________ (the deliverable/contribution: a book, product, report, TED talk, etc.). ________________________________ (write a couple of sentences about your fascination with the topic. For instance: Why do you feel this domain is important? Why now?). ___________________________ (the gap that you aim to fill) is largely unknown.

I am fascinated by your profile as an accomplished ________ (write about what makes them special). You _________ (write about a particular incident that intrigued you and the reason why you are reaching out to them). Since ___________ (write something about their superpower) propels your work into new grounds, I felt that you would be one of the most enlightened people in your field that I could interview.

So far, I've interviewed high performers across the globe for diverse fields, including _________ (mention the industries)(e.g., ________ add some representative names). I would welcome the opportunity to schedule an informational interview with you to understand more ___________ (the main area that you would like to discuss).

I know that you must be quite busy, so I assure you I will be brief. Who is the best person to contact in your organization to inquire about a convenient time for scheduling a meeting or phone call? You can also reach me at _______ (your mobile number) or at ________ (your email address).

Thank you very much for considering this request.

Sincerely,

____________ (your name)”


GET THE BEST OUT OF THE CONVERSATION

"...what actually leads to a great conversation with an expert whom you are trying to engage in a network? There are three ground rules.

First, aim to build rapport, but do not try to sell yourself... Second, come across as an interested inquirer, not an interrogator.... Third, ask open-ended questions to get your responder to go deeper."

THANK AND RECIPROCATE

"Write a thank-you note or email. Personalize your message, and let your interviewees know what you have learned from them, how they contributed, and how they made a difference in your journey. Ideally, you want to form an ongoing relationship. This is your chance to offer something of value, to reciprocate the favor. Stay in touch, and try to give back."

SAMPLE THANK-YOU LETTER

“Dear ____ (name of the person),

Thank you for sharing your invaluable insights with me on ______ (date of conversation). I appreciate the time you took to talk with me. If I can reciprocate in any way, please let me know. You shared many valuable points, such as ____________ (something insightful that they shared), _____________ (something awesome that you observed), _________________ (something that changed how you see this domain), and I'm grateful for them.

Have a great week, and thank you again!”