Some of you will think I’m over thinking this, but on the off chance it’s helpful to you, I’m going to write about it.
Okay, so normally, I just let it slide, but it's happened so many times in the past six months that I need to say it. So a big reason I burned out in 2019 was the high volume of people requesting meetings. That is completely part of the business I play, and I accept that. However, it becomes very hard to keep up when you average 10-20 inbound requests to "connect" a week. So if you are trying to build your network, please read below.
When you ask someone for their time via a warm intro or cold reach out, do you make it as easy as possible for the person on the other end to say "yes" to the ask?
Do you offer that person an out in the opening email? Perhaps they are just super busy. Well, a great way to frame your email is, "Hey, I know you're probably very busy, so if now is not a great time, I'm happy to circle back in a month to try again."
Do you offer a calendar link so they can automatically grab a QUICK 15 to 20 min time slot? Don't expect or ask for an hour of someone's time, especially if it's your first time connecting.
If you prefer to be a bit more old school (nothing wrong with that), ask for permission first. "Hey, would you be open to jumping on a quick 15-20 min call? If you have a calendar or have windows of time open, I'm happy to work around your schedule. Otherwise, here are some dates/times that work for me, or please feel free to use my calendar link HERE if that is more convenient for you."
Let's say you miss a few of these best practices, and the person on the other side of the email is still willing to talk. You get them to agree, and you find a date and time. Do not, and I repeat, do not make that person the one who sends the calendar invite.
On average, I spend an additional hour a week navigating reach outs from strangers who want to connect. Regardless of the above, I always take meetings, but it is refreshing when someone makes it extremely easy to do. Standout for the right reasons.
Time is your most valuable asset. So keep that in mind next time you ask someone for theirs.