I just want to meet him for a quick coffee (I know time is valuable and when visiting from another country, these kind of people are generally open) and I do know some people that know the person I want to reach out to, but I don't know how to ask them.
Your assumption is not true. They don't care where you come from. Time is money regardless of where in the globe you come from.
Ask for advice not money if you are going in cold. Don't send your deck, don't attach anything to that email and make sure the email is max four short sentences.
Here is how to get a response:
Subject: Seeking advice
Body:
Line 1. Name.. working on a product in X space that does Y.
Line 2. I saw you have experience with X space and Y products.
Line 3. I would like your advice on (user acquisition, scaling, blah, blah). Make sure you do your homework on what area the investor is an SME.
Line 4. Ask one very specific question.
Thank you for your time
Name
DONE! It works and if you want to talk I can explain further which VCs this has worked with.
As the saying goes ask for money you get advice. Ask for advice you get money.
In an ideal world you want to have a warm intro. But hey those are not always easy to come by so you do what you have to. What is the worst that can happen investor says no? Or doesn't respond? Who gives a shit you tried.
Start by writing a one or max two paragraph summary of who you are, what your company does and why you want to meet this person. Be brief and to the point and write it to stand-out. Keep in mind that in-demand people get many of these requests and can't oblige all of them. So you need to put whatever information you can to be someone they want to meet. Lastly, be specific in your request as to why you want to meet them.
Happy to talk through more details on how to successfully network and build your allies in a call.
Have a read of this excellent blog post from Noah Kagan (ex-Facebook, Mint, high-profile blogger) on exactly this topic:
http://okdork.com/2013/04/18/cold_email/?hvid=O3hU5
He goes through in step-by-step detail a real email someone sent him asking to meet for a coffee and explains exactly why it worked and how you can replicate it.
Referrals are considered one of the strongest means to get in touch with a new contact, especially one with a lot of public visibility and a full inbox. Find a common interest that they have with you. Check out their activity in social media like Linkedin or Twitter. You can remove the "cold call" aspect by engaging them indirectly by joining a LinkedIN group and contributing to a discussion or replying intelligently to a tweet they have made. I would then follow-up with a referral by explaining to your contact the benefits you expect to achieve in connecting with them and if your referrer is a new contact, a short bio of you and your company. Anything you can do to increase familiarity and differentiate yourself from everyone else getting in touch with them will help your cause. On top of that, if they are part of the Clarity network, use an expertise request as a first chance to talk with them live.
James Altucher (famous investor/author/entrepreneur) has some advice for this. As an entrepreneur myself, I totally agree and virtually any other strategy is wasting your target's time. The advice is (I'm summarizing here, it's not 100% accurate to Altucher's words):"Give-Give-Give-Give-Give, Ask". In other words: do a number of things for him/her for free, without asking. Send him/her your own (solid) suggestions about capturing more of his/her company's market, with a lead-in like "I know you're trying to dominate Industry X with your Company Y, I noticed there are three critical things your competition isn't doing that you guys can, here they are and why I think they are important" etc. etc., then do something like "I read your interview with Inc. Magazine about Product X, and when commenter James Doe said that Product X has no use today, I countered him with these 3 salient points..." etc. etc.....Then another time, email him with "I noticed your company Z has no lead generation on its site. My suggestion is offer this white paper I wrote for you on your industry, and offer it as an incentive for people to sign up to your mailing list (thus generating an email list of targeted customer. Oh, I use Email Platform ABC for that on my site, if you need some help implementing it, I'll be happy to advise you." Etc. Etc....THEN after you've given-given-given-given, ask her/him for 'coffee and 15 minutes of his time, no more" because then he/she will be like "ok this guy/gal has been helpful and he/she hasn't wasted my time." Good luck!
You don't mention why you want to be introduced to this high profile person. If it's to sit down for a networking coffee that's fine, as long as it's not just a pretense for asking for money or advice.
On the other hand, I think you're making too much out of this. If you already know people who know the person, just reach out to them, tell them why you'd like to meet this person, and ask if they would be comfortable making an introduction.
Just make sure you're honest about why you want to meet. Otherwise you'll destroy the trust with this person and with the people in your referral network.
Good luck, and feel free to set up a call if you want to discuss further.
You may be able to get a meeting just by asking, but it is not likely. However, when you have something to offer, getting the meeting is much easier. Secondly, if you make it clear that you will only take 5 minutes of his or her time, you may be more successful.
I speak to a lot of high profile people through LinkedIn. If you start by asking if you can write an article about them on your blog or to be posted on LinkedIn they will usually agree to that. By getting your foot in the door and giving you are actually using the marketing tactic of reciprocity. People are willing to give to people who give something to them first.
Don't Stop and Take Massive Action.
Regards,
Michael T. Irvin
www.michaelirvin.net
My books are now available on Amazon.com by searching for books by Michael T. Irvin
Successful people tend to hang out with a bunch of other successful people. If you possess the qualities and characteristics of what it takes to be successful, it is likely you will be attracted to and want to hang out with other people who share your values. If there is an influencer you would like to meet, odds are good that you know someone who knows someone who could introduce you. Personal introductions come with a much higher value than cold requests, so dedicate some time to figuring out who could connect you with the individual you are seeking. Be good to everyone and when you need a connection, you might be surprised who will come to your aid. Another great opportunity to connect with influential people is to ask them for interviews if you have a podcast or are writing an article or book. This can be a great way to offer an influencer value exchange for their time. Use LinkedIn. " When you become a premium member of LinkedIn , you get a set of five tokens called "In-mail” that allow you to send an email to as many as five people that aren’t immediately in your network. This can get spammy quickly, so be careful how you do it, but this can work quite well as a tactic for delivering a message, solution or interview request to someone when you don’t have his or her contact info.
Offer a solution. Going back to the LinkedIn methodology, when you reach out to someone for a connection that you do not know, it’s a good idea to prepare some kind of valuable solution you can provide them. James Altucher has a great system of doing this where he thinks up 10 business ideas or solutions that are truly well thought out, organized and prepared, then sends them to influencers he’d like to know better with no request or ask. " He just simply tees up the ideas and says they’re "yours to use if you want them.
Sometimes he will do it for months or years, continuously providing them with great ideas. The key to this technique is smart solutions that are relevant to your influencer and not asking for anything in return. Do something memorable and make a personal introduction, then follow up. Many of the key influencers in your local area, or even the national spotlight, offer mentorship or training programs. You will have way more face time with influencers by joining their programs and you will be showcasing your ideas, personality, and desire to be a part of their world. You just might meet other great influencers, too.
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath
Requesting an introduction to a high-profile entrepreneur or investor requires a thoughtful and respectful approach. Here’s how you can ask your mutual contacts to introduce you:
### 1. Identify the Right Contact
Choose someone who knows both you and the high-profile individual well and who can credibly vouch for you.
### 2. Craft a Polite and Specific Request
When reaching out to your mutual contact, be clear about your intentions and respectful of their time. Here’s a suggested template:
#### Email Template:
**Subject:** Introduction Request to [High-Profile Person’s Name]
**Body:**
Hi [Your Contact’s Name],
I hope this message finds you well.
I’m reaching out to ask for a small favor. I’m planning a trip to [city/country] and would love to have the opportunity to meet [High-Profile Person’s Name] for a quick coffee. I know that [High-Profile Person’s Name] is incredibly busy, so I would greatly appreciate even a brief meeting.
I’ve been following [High-Profile Person’s Name]’s work in [specific field/industry] and have deep respect for [his/her/their] accomplishments. As [briefly mention your professional background or project], I believe a conversation with [High-Profile Person’s Name] would be incredibly valuable, even if it’s just for 15-20 minutes.
If you feel comfortable making the introduction, I would be very grateful. I understand the importance of your endorsement and assure you that I will be respectful of [High-Profile Person’s Name]’s time.
Thank you so much for considering my request. Please let me know if you need any more information from me.
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Contact Information]
[Your LinkedIn Profile or Professional Website]
### 3. Follow-Up Thoughtfully
If you don’t hear back within a week, send a gentle follow-up message. Here’s an example:
**Subject:** Follow-Up: Introduction Request to [High-Profile Person’s Name]
**Body:**
Hi [Your Contact’s Name],
I hope you’re doing well.
I wanted to follow up on my previous email regarding an introduction to [High-Profile Person’s Name]. I understand if you’re busy or if this isn’t feasible at the moment.
Please let me know if there’s anything more you need from me.
Thank you again for considering my request.
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
### 4. Prepare for the Meeting
If your request is granted, ensure you are well-prepared for the meeting:
- **Research Thoroughly:** Know the person’s background, recent projects, and interests.
- **Prepare Questions:** Have a few specific, thoughtful questions ready.
- **Be Concise:** Respect their time by being concise and to the point.
### 5. Express Gratitude
After the meeting, send thank-you notes to both the person who introduced you and the high-profile individual. Here’s a template for each:
#### Thank-You Note to the Contact:
**Subject:** Thank You for the Introduction to [High-Profile Person’s Name]
**Body:**
Hi [Contact’s Name],
I wanted to thank you again for introducing me to [High-Profile Person’s Name]. Our meeting was incredibly insightful, and I truly appreciate your help in making it happen.
If there’s anything I can do to return the favor, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
#### Thank-You Note to the High-Profile Individual:
**Subject:** Thank You for Meeting with Me
**Body:**
Hi [High-Profile Person’s Name],
Thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me. I greatly appreciate your insights and advice regarding [specific topic discussed].
If there’s ever any way I can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Contact Information]
By being respectful, clear, and appreciative, you increase the likelihood of securing an introduction and making a positive impression during your meeting.
