2. You Aren’t Getting Personal. What really moves me—the kind of emails I read and follow up with—are those that take the time to get to know me. Write a personal email that is tailored to the individual recipient. Start your email by reflecting back to the other person something they’ve said that’s moved or inspired you. Do research on them to make them feel considered and to establish trust. The more common ground you can find, the better—it goes a long way.
3. You’re Not Talking To The Right People. Half the battle in getting a response is knowing who to talk to. Most high-profile people list an agent as their point of contact, and if you email them, there’s a good chance you’ll get shut down. Slate recommends using the tool hunter.io, which tells you the registered emails linked to most sites on the web, including all team members. “I sent heartfelt, cold emails to each individual team member of the people I wanted to talk to,” he says. “It took me 8 hours to write 100 emails, but it worked.”
4. You’re Not Being Enrolling. What enrolls others into your vision isn’t what your vision is about, it’s why you’re behind it—and who you are. The key is to make an emotional connection with the other person. Share your story and tell them why you care about what you’re creating. “Remember that you’re human,” Slate says. “Find parts of your story that make an emotional connection. They’re not going to remember your story, they’re going to remember how you made them feel.”
5. You’re Not Adding Value. The people I agree to work with are those who are committed to creating exceptional value for me. They’ve done their research, and they know exactly what my audience would benefit from hearing. Stray away from giving generic advice, as it doesn’t truly help anyone. Instead, focus on giving advice that’s tailored to solve a very specific problem. The more specific you can be, the more valuable and relevant you’ll be. Aim to specialize and you’ll be in business.
6. You’re Not Finding The Right Fit. If you’re having trouble getting a “yes,” it might be because you aren’t finding the right fit. “Work with those you can service best,” Slate recommends. “Be picky. How can you serve their audience?” If your content isn’t suited for the audience you’re targeting, don’t force it or try to stretch it. Look elsewhere and hold out for the right fit.
7. You’re Not Offering Something Unique. The biggest figures in the industry have so many different options to choose from in deciding who to work with. If you want to be selected, you need to differentiate yourself and provide something unique. “Have the intrigue—something that will educate the audience like no one else can. You need to become a professional at what you do. Pick one thing and repeat, repeat, repeat,” Slate says.
8. You’re Not Leveraging Your Connections. Working with someone you idolize can appear daunting and overwhelming. But if you take it step by step, and leverage each connection you make to get to a new contact, it can be attainable. “Think to yourself, ‘I know this person is connected to this person, so if I serve them they’ll introduce me to the next person,’ Slate says. Target the people who are going to help you ride the stairs if you offer them great value.”
9. You’re Not Following Up. If you don’t get a reply the first time, don’t give up. There’s a good chance the person you sent it to didn’t see the email, or didn’t read it the first time, and it’s nothing personal. Slate recommends following up with someone every 30-60 days if you don’t get a response. “A lot of the time people lose once and they think it’s over. Be consistent, follow up, follow up, and that’s how you’re able to do it.”
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This article was originally posted on Forbes.com
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