The Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review

 

November 18, 2014 Don’t Be Afraid to Cold-Email Powerful People We're often hesitant to reach out to senior leaders who are only an email away. But a concise email to the right person can open up new possibilities for learning and growth – it's happened for many people. And besides, what's the worst that could happen? So the next time you want to cold-email someone powerful, consider these tips: Expect a 50–90% failure rate (i.e., no response) the first time you cold-email someone. Emailing once every two days is politely persistent, but you should probably give up after three or four tries without a reply. Weekends are often the best time to send busy executives a note, since they may have more time to read something. Keeping your message short and to the point increases the chance it will actually get read – and you may even get a response. Adapted from " Tips for Cold-Emailing Intimidatingly Powerful People" by Peter Sims.

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