Hey friend,
Most of the networking advice we’re given is really just a one-way ticket to getting ghosted.
For a long time, I was the one sending those "15-minute coffee chat" messages to everyone I admired. I thought I was being polite and respectful of their time.
But I was really just asking a busy stranger to do more work.
To a Director of Data, a "quick chat" is just another meeting in a day that’s already full of them.
If you want to actually get a reply, you have to give them a reason to be curious about you.
And lately, I’ve found that the best way to do that is by sharing a specific observation.
Maybe you saw a new feature their team shipped or a challenge they mentioned in a recent post.
Instead of the standard coffee chat, try something like:
"I saw your team is moving toward [X strategy], it made me wonder how you’re handling [Y hurdle]?"
That's it.
You’ve suddenly moved the conversation away from "can you do me a favor" toward a real discussion between two people who care about the same problems.
It makes a "yes" feel like a break from their day rather than a chore.
Who is one person you’ve been "lurking" on lately? Try sending them a note with a genuine observation today.
You’ll be surprised how fast people respond when you stop asking for favors and try to start a real conversation.
-Megan