NETWORKING SCRIPTS AND TEMPLATES TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER

FOLLOW UP EMAILS

Fup email to who doesn't know about networking events

Hi Janis Joplin,

I really appreciate you taking the time out to read and respond to my direct e-mail today.

Like I mentioned previously I am about to do a fair bit of research into the music space in Sydney. If I find anything interesting, I’ll be sure to share with you.

Have a great day,

Jimmy Hendrix

Phone number

E-mail

LinkedIn hyperlink

Follow Up email to decision makers who sent you some information (thank you)

Hi Elvis,

Just wanted to thank you for the taking the time to answer me.

I’m definitely going to look into the details that you’ve so kindly sent me and will attend this event like you recommended.

I’ll keep you in the loop, and of course, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to repay the favour!

Bob Dylan

Phone

Email

Linked in profile link

Fup non responders

Following up with non-responders - 3 days later, replying to the original message:

Re: Hi from Scott -- would love to chat about Accenture

Hi John,

This is Scott from Acme following up. I know your inbox must be flooded, so I didn't want this to fall through the cracks...

[FULL ORIGINAL MESSAGE INCLUDING ANY ATTACHMENTS]

After no response on this follow up, move on.

[Notice the simple thank you, but also a reference to a specific action item you’re going to follow up on (showing you were paying attention during the meeting/call/recommendation). This email ends with a friendly offer to help and asks nothing else.]

THANK YOU EMAILS

Thank you for Connecting

Hi Popeye,

Just a quick note to thank you for the connection.

The reason for reaching out to you is that I'm interested in attending as many networking events in the xx industry as possible and I was wondering if you might be able to point me in the right direction.

Regards,

James Bond

phone number

email

Thank you for meeting

THANK YOU FOR MEETING (same day)

Hi Richard,

Just wanted to thank you again for meeting with me earlier. I’m definitely going to get in touch with Susan like you recommended. I’ll keep you in the loop, and of course, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to repay the favor!

Bill Gates

[Notice the simple thank you, but also a reference to a specific action item you’re going to follow up on (showing you were paying attention during the meeting/call). This email ends with a friendly offer to help and asks nothing of the VIP.]

HOW TO:

How to ask for recommendations on Who you should talk to

Hello John Lennon,

Hope all is well.

If you recall, we spoke a few months ago when I was exploring new career opportunities in information security (I was your student at the time). Thanks again for agreeing to be my reference! [REMIND THE BUSY PERSON HOW YOU KNOW EACH OTHER]

I was browsing the the Acme Career site the other day and the Research Scientist role caught my eye. I think it’d be perfect for me considering my work on insider threat-related projects at Current Company. [NOTE THAT THE FOCUS OF THIS EMAIL IS ASKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT DIRECTLY ASKING FOR A JOB. JOHN UNDERSTANDS YOU’RE LOOKING FOR WORK AND DOESN’T WANT TO BE PUT ON THE SPOT. IF HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE POSITION, HE WILL.]

From what I remember, it sounds pretty similar to the work you do at Acme. By any chance, do you know of anyone there that you think I should chat with? I’d love to learn more about the role so I can see if it’s the right fit for me.

If not, no problem — just wanted to keep you in the loop. Thanks again for all your help!

Take care,

Roger Waters

Add Value (1-2 weeks later)

Hey Steve,

Saw this article in the Wall Street Journal and it reminded me of what you said about productivity tests! No response needed, just thought you might find it interesting.

John

Phone number

LinkedIn Profile Link

Add Value (1-2 weeks later)

Hey Steve,

I found those networking events in the market for the next few months, and I would love to hear your thoughts about them.

List of networking events

Petter Smith

Phone number

LinkedIn profile link

[This email is where things start to get surprising. The expert likely didn’t expect to hear back from you, since almost nobody follows up beyond one email. In this email, you’re sending a valuable piece of material — an article, blog post, photo, whatever — of something you KNOW he will find interesting. How do you know what he’ll find interesting? Because during your meeting, you listened and took careful notes.
Finally, pay close attention to the phrase used in the last sentence: “No response needed.” This is music to a busy person’s ears. Think about it: I get 300+ emails/day, and they want something from me. When you can say “No response needed,” and send me something I find fascinating, you’re adding value to my life.]
BACK TO SCRIPTS

BACK TO NETWORKING GUIDE

Cold Emailing an Expert

Hi John,

Greetings from a fellow UNSW alumni! I was doing some research on Project Manager positions on LinkedIn, and I noticed you're a Project Manager at Google.

I'm on a quest for my dream job and would love to ask you 3-5 questions about your experience at Google. Would you be available for a quick chat over coffee (or over the phone – if you have their number) this Thursday at 10am? I'm also free any time Friday.

Sincerely,
Peter Smith

Phone number

LinkedIn profile link

P.S. I'm sure you're busy, so if it's easier for you, I'd be happy to send my questions via email. Thanks again!

Hi John,

I’m doing some research on Oracle and I noticed on LinkedIn you're a Oracle Manager at Commonwealth bank.

I'm new to the Sydney oracle market and would love to ask you 3-5 questions about your experience at Google. Would you be available for a quick chat over coffee (or over the phone – if you have their number) this Thursday at 10am? I'm also free any time Friday.

Sincerely,

Peter Smith

Phone number

LinkedIn profile link

P.S. I'm sure you're busy, so if it's easier for you, I'd be happy to send my questions via email. Thanks again!

Close the Loop (2-3 weeks later)

Hi Steve,

Wanted to give you an update: I did end up talking to Susan, and you were right — Acme is definitely a fit for me. I’m reaching out to a friend there to learn all I can about Acme before I apply. If there’s anyone else you think I should speak to, please let me know.

Thanks again! I’ll let you know how it goes.

John

Hi Luis,

I just wanted to give you a quick update, when we first meet you mentioned A and I wanted to let you know that I did A and here’s the results I got. (insert your results) You also mentioned B and I did that and It was awesome. So Thank you so much! I’m gonna keep following up on what you told me to. By the way as you know I am looking for a few jobs in the marketing field, if you happen to know anyone I should talk to I would love to talk to them.

Thanks so much. Have a great one.

Ana

[Here, you show the expert that you actually took action on what he suggested. This will instantly differentiate you from most people. Notice you name specific names, let him know if he was right (or even if you chose something different than his recommendation).

Asking a friend for an introduction to one of their contacts

In general, you want to send a pre-formatted email to your friend for a warm-up intro. Like this:

—Begin email #1—

Hey Luis,

I noticed you’re connected to Jennie Jones at Acme on LinkedIn. I would love to chat with her to get some advice about Acme. I promise to be respectful of her time.

Would you mind connecting me? I can send you a pre-formatted introductory email to make things really easy for you. Is that OK?

Thanks,
-Chris

Assuming Luis says “yes,” here’s what to send next:

—Begin email #2—

Subject: Jennie, meet Chris (considering interviewing at Acme). Chris, meet Jennie.

Luis, here’s a forwardable email. It should be ready to send, but please feel free to edit as needed!

Thanks,
-Chris

— Chris, please meet Jennie, who is an SVP at Acme.

Jennie, Chris is a friend of mine and currently a project manager at Bluth Corp. He’s excellent at user-centered design and is curious about some of the opportunities at Acme. He wondered if you could spare 10 minutes to chat on the phone.

Chris, can you take it from here?

Thanks,
-Luis

How to 'warm up' an old contact

For these, acknowledge that you’ve been out of touch and then move on to your point — don’t dwell on it:

Hello David,

You and I met at the [CONFERENCE] last summer, where we talked about [TOPIC]. I’m currently at Bluth Corp working as a security researcher. I have to admit, I did a terrible job of keeping in touch after the conference. My apologies! But I hope it’s OK to reach out today.

I’ve been doing some research on potential career paths and consulting is one that keeps coming up as a possible fit. I noticed you worked at Acme and — if it’s OK with you — I would love to ask you a few questions about your experiences at Acme.

Do you have time for a 30 minute phone call next week? I’m free Wednesday, Nov 16 1:00pm – 4:00pm Eastern or Thursday, Nov 17 2:30pm-4:00pm Eastern. I can also be flexible around your schedule.

I would really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
-Luis

P.S. I understand you’re busy, so if it’s easier for you, I’d be happy to send my questions via email. Thanks again.

How to skilfully exit a conversation

As fun as it is to talk to new people, eventually every conversation must come to an end. But for a lot of people, it can be hard to escape. Especially if you’ve followed the tips from above, you’ll have people that never want you to go away. Rather than just awkwardly backing away from them or making lame excuses that you have to go, here’s how you can skilfully end any conversation -- and still keep good rapport with the person you’re speaking to. It’s a simple tip, but it’s ultra handy, especially if you ever find yourself in the midst of a weird conversation and want out.

Simply say: “well, it was a pleasure meeting you, thanks for chatting.” Shake hands and leave. If the person keeps talking you can say: You know I really really appreciate talking to you but I got to go, circle around and try and chat a bit with everyone but we keep in touch”.

Sample Questions to Ask

Here's a list of sample questions you can ask at your Networking meetings. These are just SAMPLE questions -- the ones you actually ask will depend on what's important to you, and the items left unanswered in your earlier research.

Remember to use the Scenario-Planning Technique for every question you plan to ask. Anticipate their answer, then ask yourself: Does this actually help me make a decision on whether or not to pursue this job? This will help you eliminate all but the most essential questions.

On gaining a high-level understanding of the industry

What publications, websites, blogs, and books do you read? (Once you learn this, buy all those books and read them.)
Who are the big thought leaders in the industry? (Potential people you can reach out to. And if you impress the expert, they may be able to introduce you.)
What are the main “types” of [copywriting]? For example, I've read about direct-response copywriting, social media copywriting, SEO copywriting... what else?
What about the types of companies that employ [copywriters]? Probably the biggest distinction I've noticed are those that work for agencies vs. in-house... are there others?

On whether you'd really like the job

Why did you choose this industry over others?
Here are 5 firms I'm interested in. Do you know them, and if so, what are your impressions of them?
It seems like management consultants consistently change companies when moving up in rank (often coming back full circle to an original employer). Is that generally the case or are there other common career paths?
What are the best and worst parts about this job? (If they give you vague answers, politely press them. For example, “That makes sense (smile), but what about some of the lesser-known worsts? Anything that would surprise most people.” See the “Beyond a Great Portfolio” question below for more insight.)

On whether you're qualified for the job

In most of the job ads I've seen, 3-5 years seems to be the expected amount of experience for an associate-level UI designer. I only have 2 years of experience. How important is that requirement, and how would you approach jobs if I apply to them?
I'm actually interested in doing a lateral shift -- going from straight [web design] into [UI designer]. Obviously that's a big change, but do have some experience in my last job doing X, & and Z. Do you think that experience would be directly applicable to this new position?
It seems like most [UI designer] positions require at least a moderate level of proficiency with programming (from HTML to C++, depending on the medium). Is this something I can learn on the job, or would I have to build more experience on my own first?

On maximizing your chances of getting noticed, interviewed and hired

Besides a great portfolio, what makes a candidate really stand out to the hiring manager? (Notice that the “Beyond X...” is a very powerful technique if you already know what 90% of people will say, and you want to go deeper.)
What's the hardest thing about hiring for this position? For example, how would you finish this sentence: “Man, it's really rare these days to find a [UI designer] who can really do (blank).”
Can you tell me a little about your experience interviewing with Acme? (Followup questions: What surprised you? If I applied there, what do you think would make me stand out? If I had an interview next week, what kind of advice would you recommend to me?)

On next steps

On one hand, I'm interested in pursuing X, but I'm thinking it might make more sense to do Y first because of Z. What do you think? Or is there another option that I'm missing? (The power of this question is your demonstration that you've already done your homework. When applied properly, this is a powerful High Competence Trigger.)
Given everything we've talked about, what other companies do you think I should be looking at?
Are there other people you think I should be talking to? You're definitely more plugged in than I am, so I would really appreciate any suggestions you have.
If you were in my shoes, what else would you be asking?
Thank you so much for your time -- it was incredibly helpful. I think my next steps are A, B and C. Do you think I'm on the right track?