Did you know that if you know someone’s name, you can almost certainly email them.
Its true — and A-Players choose to do this all the time.
After all, what would it be worth to you to be able to get into the inbox of your most-desired mentor? Or the game-changing client? Or your future boss?
Yes, it takes guts to email someone for the first time.
Yes, you need to make sure that your email is well written.
Yes, you need a subject line that absolutely POPS!
But, none of those things matter if you don’t know how to reach your target.
Three strategies that work
There are three extremely effective ways to get someone’s email if you don’t currently know it. Between these three, you can get 95% of people’s email addresses. Seriously.
Strategy One: Tap Your Network
Okay, so this one is kind of obvious. Ask around.
Start on Social Media. Linked In, Facebook and Twitter all have easy ways to determine if you have connections with someone. If so, you’ve got your target — so send a nice, candid email to your mutual contact. Include why you’d like to be connected to their contact and exactly what value you will be able to offer the person.
If you don’t have any luck there, try sending out a semi-mass email to your nearest and dearest with the subject line: Anyone know such and such?
Finally, it can be very effective to send out a handful of more targeted and personal emails to people that you quite as close with (that ex-co-worker who you haven’t spoken with in a year who now works with the person). Yeah, send them an email. Be honest and open about what you want — but be sure to lead with generosity if at all possible!
Step Two: Get-a-Googling
LOTS of people are readily available online. You can find their email addresses on a personal home page, you can find them on twitter and simply introduce yourself. You can send them a message on Linked In. Some people’s emails are even up on their company website. Go internets.
Your list of places to check:
- Google their name. If it is a common name, try adding in their location or expertise to narrow your search. Explore, its great research and may turn up their email!
- Their company site. See if you can find their email, if not theirs, another persons (you’ll see why later)
- Check out social media: where to they have profiles? Where are they active? How do they talk to people in these places? Remember — relationships are not built with one tweet. Introduce yourself and add value to them!
Still can’t find a way to meet them? Don’t worry there is still one more, nearly fail-proof strategy:
Step Three: My favorite — Guess!
If you’ve worked at a company before, or even just sent someone who works at a company an email, you know that they are pretty straight forward email addresses.
So you should go ahead and gasp GUESS!
If you don’t get it right the first time, try a different address. The absolute worst case scenario is that someone in IT sees that you are trying to email a person 6 different ways… not exactly a big deal.
Here are some common email permutations of company emails:
- r.rapple@companyX.com
- rrapple@companyX.com
- rebecca.rapple@companyX.com
- rapple@companyX.com
- rebecca@companyX.com (mostly small ones!)
As I said before, there is no “worst case scenario” here. There is nothing to be afraid of. So, start hitting send.
What would your dream relationship mean to you?
Consider what value your dream relationships could add to your life. To your business. To your job search. Relationships are easier to build than ever, but it still takes guts to step up and make the first move. To reach out and introduce yourself.
Relationships are the primary source of success, power, happiness and money. So, tell me, what are you waiting for? Go out there and email your dream.
