Getting warm about the idea of cold reach-outs
This article speaks to why/how of cold reach-outs for professional mentors, job opportunities or 1:1 time. The idea of these cold reach-outs is to “become a better you” than to sell a product/service.
What’s your first reaction when you see a cold email/Linkedin message/DM from someone?
Here are a few classics….
- Who is this person?
- Why are they emailing me?
- Do I know them!?
- I don’t have time for this….
Or at-least — that’s what we think they think! Cold reach-outs can be considered invasive and sometimes even rude! Many people shy away from amazing opportunities that they can get in front of, for these exact reasons and my opinion is — they are missing out!
I do agree. Cold reach-outs can be all of the above when done incorrectly. However with intension and meaning, cold reach-outs can bring to the table some dream opportunities — like getting 1:1 time with the professional mentor of your dream, getting that dream job, or learning about a new industry you are interested about!
Here are some reasons to consider sending that cold email:
It shows initiative:
Reaching out to a stranger, that too for help/support/time is HARD! It puts you in a vulnerable place as it opens you up for the potential for rejection. However, if you think outside the traditional constraints, you start to notice that it’s a sign of someone that cares. It shows that you want an outcome and are willing to take an uncomfortable step, by putting yourself out there to achieve that outcome. It shows curiosity and the willingness to take the next step to expand your circle. When done correctly cold reach-outs can actually add leverage than hurt.
It builds leverage:
When you reach out to someone out of the blue, you get the first turn by default. Hopefully you have done your research and have strong reasons to reach-out to the person. With that, you get to set the tone of the conversation, and get all the time you need to make that stellar first impression. A highly-rehearsed, prepared first impression can take you a long way. Imagine you are reaching out to a recruiter about your dream job — You get the chance to put your best foot forward in this context when you make the first move. However if the recruiter reaches out to you about an interesting opportunity, and you are not well prepared, you have to work to buy the time you need. This can be a hassle, as most great opportunities come with fast ticking-deadlines.
Honestly — You don’t have much to lose:
The worst thing that can happen with a cold reach-out is — you don’t hear back from the person. On the flip-side, if they are impressed with what they see, you get that opportunity to jump on an interview, or get that valuable mentorship time. This is another reason to send that email/dm away. The gains can be huge in contrast to the risks!
Now hopefully you are convinced about sending that cold LinkedIn message or Twitter DM. I want to leave you with some tips — as again, cold reach-out is a skill that’s useful to learn. Doing this right can have amazing outcomes lined up for you. However if you don’t get it right, it can make you sound desperate/needy/rude!
Ok — now onto the tips….
Find the right platform to reach-out:
Encouraging some “good type-of” stalking here. Let’s say, you want someone to be a professional mentor, but don’t work with them. The best way to get on their radar is through a cold reach-out. Spend some time understanding where this person spends most of their time on — where do they post often? Do they have any suggestions on how to reach-out to them? Are their twitter/Linkedin DMs open? When have they liked a tweet/linkedin posts last. These should give you an idea of which platform this person is most active on, so that you can ensure they don’t miss-out on reading your message.
Respect boundaries:
The best way to warrant a good-outcome is to start with respect. Some people don’t want to connect with strangers on LinkedIn and they will make it clear in their profile. If that’s the case, ensure that you respect their boundaries. Don’t send them a connection request anyway — as it is over the line. They have indicated they want to be left alone — so please do the right thing and leave them alone.
Reach out to people that are actively looking to connect:
This is more applicable in the context of hiring. Managers/recruiters that want you reaching out to them will have a “Hiring” badge, or post about roles they are hiring for. These are the ideal candidates to reach-out to, if you want to be considered for the role.
Lead with the why (and keep it short):
A good rule of the thumb that I like to use for cold reach-outs is, follow the twitter word limit. If you can’t say it in 280 characters, it’s probably way too long, and you are going to lose the person’s attention as you ramble on. Ensure you lead with the why, which is usually a specific ask — A portfolio review, want to be considered for a job, professional mentorship etc. Bonus points for sparing a few characters to thank people for their time in advance, or talk to how much you’d value any form on response.
Don’t close with “Let me know what you think”
This is not passive aggressive — it’s outright aggressive. Good ways to sign off would be “Would love to learn more when you have the time”, “Hoping for the opportunity to talk more” etc. Keeping it simple, polite and professional will go a long way in making a great forever impression.
Hope this article was helpful in providing some tactical tips about cold reach-outs. I’ve personally send so many cold emails/messages in my life, which have been highly consequential. They have helped me get new jobs, connect with professional mentors and enable designers that needed my mentorship/support. Trusting the “Good” in people, was what made it easier for me to put myself out there. Folks have always come through and proven that to be right :)
Hey there! I’m Sindhu — A senior Product Designer at Roku. Previously I built my own startup and worked at a startup studio called PSL. Oh also, I worked at Amazon building Amazon Key :) I love building new products and ideas.
Want to discuss startups and design? I’m all ears! Email me at sindu.ux@gmail.com. I can’t wait to hear all your stories :)
