1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about how to reach out to someone 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: you admire. I recently read a fascinating article in Harvard 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: Business Review from my friend Dory Clark on this topic. Dory, 6 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: the author of Standout, is a personal branding expert and 7 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: runs courses and conferences on how to become a recognized expert. 8 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: As she wrote an HBr, we all have professional idols 9 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: we'd like to meet. Sometimes we might luck into getting 10 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: to say hello at a conference or having a mutual 11 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: friend who can introduce us. But often, despite our suspicions 12 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: that we have a lot in common with and could 13 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: even be friends with our heroes, they remain out of reach. 14 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: Dory notes that she's been on both sides of this equation, 15 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: Sometimes people reach out to her, and sometimes she's reaching 16 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: out to her idols. How to do this well? In 17 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: her article, she suggests four strategies. First, establish your credibility. 18 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: When you send a networking request, it's important to immediately 19 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: set yourself apart as someone worth knowing. Dory writes, for instance, 20 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 1: when I recently wrote to a prominent film director. I 21 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: started the note by citing our shared alumni affiliation and 22 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: because I wanted to inquire about adapting one of his 23 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: films into a musical mentioning the prominent shows that had 24 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 1: been created by graduates of the Musical Theater Workshop, I'm in. 25 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: If you make it clear that you are credible and 26 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: not just some random guy and trusted in famous people, 27 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: you're far more likely to get your note read and 28 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: responded to second offer value, Dory notes that your idol 29 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: is likely to view all queries skeptically, as she should. 30 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: High profile people get all sorts of random requests, so 31 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: you need to demonstrate how you can help. Dorry notes 32 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: that right before she was scheduled to speak in Denmark, 33 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: she got a note from someone who lived in Copenhagen. 34 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: This person didn't just ask to meet for coffee in 35 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 1: order to pick her brain. Those requests are incredibly boring. Instead, 36 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: this person mentioned that she was a fashion designer and 37 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: a stylist, and that Copenhagen had all sorts of wonderful shops. 38 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: She offered to take Dorry on a personal shopping tour 39 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: with the holidays coming up. This was actually appealing as 40 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: Dory notes, we ended up spending more than half a 41 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: day together and we're still in touch. Third, Dori suggests 42 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: that you highlight what makes you interesting, even if it's 43 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: not directly relevant to your idol's career. Why successful people 44 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: like connecting with other interesting people because it feels like fun, 45 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: not work, she writes, and yet so often they're approached 46 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: by people taking the role of supplicants who only want 47 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:05,519 Speaker 1: to ask questions and glean wisdom. It's flattering at first, 48 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 1: but with enough volume it can become exhausting. So one 49 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: secret is to position yourself as a peer who is 50 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 1: notable in your own right. If you've done something really cool, 51 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: like serving in the military as a fighter pilot, or 52 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: visiting a hundred countries, or have a sideline writing music, 53 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: these little details will make you stand out and increase 54 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: the chances of a response. Of course, you're not guaranteed 55 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: a response, and so Dorry notes that the last strategy 56 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: is to make it clear that you have no expectations. 57 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: As she writes, even if your pitch is well crafted, 58 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: your idols might be in a busy period and simply 59 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: don't have time to connect. You get extra points then, 60 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: for empathizing with the situation and addressing it up front. 61 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: She notes that too many people reach out with an 62 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: extraordinary level of entitlement, asking for free things a significant 63 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: introduction are a lot of time when you, as Dory says, 64 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: show an awareness of your heroes circumstances, explaining that you 65 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: don't want to take up too much time in their schedule. 66 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: You set yourself apart in a positive way. So who 67 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:19,480 Speaker 1: will you reach out to today? Use these strategies and 68 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: you just might add someone fascinating to your network. In 69 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 70 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Hey everybody, I'd 71 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 72 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 73 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E 74 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: the number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can 75 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at 76 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: iHeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out 77 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward 78 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of 79 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 80 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app Apple podcasts, or wherever 81 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.