Loud Thinking

How to Ask for a Meeting with Just About Anyone

Everyone is busy. So if you’re asking someone you don’t know for a meeting, you have to think of your request like a VC pitch. Answer the following questions: Why should he speak to you? How can you establish your credibility up front? How will a face-to-face benefit her? When you want to score a meeting, don’t presume that the other person wants to connect with you—that fact needs to be established first. In your initial message, give her a good reason to meet with you, and start with a modest ask. Don’t ask to meet for lunch—aim smaller so it’s easier to say yes. If you have a mutual contact, have him or her introduce you. That makes it easier for the person to see you as a colleague rather than a stranger imposing on her time.

Adapted from “Score a Meeting with Just About Anyone’ by Dorie Clark.