One tip to 2x your networking response rates

How many resumes, applications and emails have you sent only to hear silence in return?

I talk a lot about cold outreach as a way to build relationships, get information, and even land jobs. But if no one responds, what's the point?

When I started my freelancing business many years ago, I almost quit before I even had a single client because of that very reason.

My outreach process was simple: send out as many emails as humanly possible and eventually someone will respond. After all, it's a numbers game right?

Not even close.

After the first two weeks, I had reached out to over 200 businesses and only about 4 replied...all saying that they weren't interested right now.

I think that many of us have felt the same way about the job process. I mean, at the end of the day, finding a job is really just selling yourself, right?

We've all been there.

You're tired of your current position - maybe you're under paid, overworked, unemployed, or just plain bored.

You decide it's time for a change, so you clean up your resume and then begin applying to 10 companies a day.

After a month, you've applied to what feels like hundreds of places and haven't heard a peep (besides that lovely rejection email shutting you down before you even had a chance to talk to anyone).

The current plan isn't working, something has to change.

That's how I felt after 2 weeks and 200 unanswered emails. I turned to the only place I knew that might have the answers to my problems...The internet.

After a few hours of research, I stumbled on some advice that completely turned things around.

The results were nothing short of amazing.

On average, 80% of people ignore cold emails 4 times before they respond.

Before making a change to my follow ups, my average was way worse than that. After changing it, my response rate shot up to about 75%.

If a person didn't respond to my initial follow up, I would follow up and add this blurb to the end:

"I know how valuable your time is, and it is not my intention to waste it. If you aren't the appropriate person, I apologize - would you be able to help point me in their direction?"

Simple as that.

Why Does This Work?

This strategy is extremely powerful for two psychological reasons:

• First, it leverages a bit of reverse psychology.

A series of studies shows that people consistently overestimate their competence.

The line we're adding at the end is, for lack of a better phrase, a "blow" to their ego. We're telling them that if they aren't competent enough to help, to just pass us along to someone else who can. That tends to trigger some emotion, and emotion usually leads to a greater chance of action.

Imagine how you feel when someone tells you that you can't do something. What's the first thing you want to do? Prove them wrong!

It's like telling a 6 year old not to touch the cookies while Mommy and Daddy are out, and then leaving the cookies within reach on the counter. Ain't happenin'!

• Second, it taps into people's inherent sense of either busyness or laziness.

People in the corporate world tend to put up a facade of being outrageously busy while many of them are just downright lazy. Both of those traits are not helping us get a quick response. If the buck stops with that person, they're likely to ignore it in favor of that "pressing" project, or because it's too much effort.

By adding in this blurb, we are giving them an out. They don't have to do it themselves, all they have to do is get you to the right place. That helps us tap into people's natural altruistic inclination (they feel like they did something "good" for someone) while lowering the amount of perceived effort in their minds.

Another upside here is that, if they do pass you along, the new contact will be much more likely to help you since you were "referred."

When Can You Use It?

The beauty of this strategy is that it can be used in almost any case where you're reaching out to someone that you don't have a previous relationship with. That includes:

Hiring managers or recruiters

CEOs of companies

Influencers or potential mentors

Businesses you are trying to sell into (both small and enterprise)

Editors at blogs or newspapers where you're trying to get your content published

The list goes on...

If you have a particular scenario you'd like to chat through - send me a note! We'll work through the best way to get a hold of them.

Putting It Into Practice

The key to using this strategy successfully is making sure that you bust it out when the time is right.

If you don't get a response to your initial note (using the initial template I gave you in this article), then I would follow up using this strategy. Here is a template to get you started:

Hi [Name],

I know how valuable your time is. Given the fact that we haven't had the chance to connect before, I completely understand if you're too busy to reply in detail. That said, if you do have a few minutes and would be open to passing along some advice to someone who is interested in your journey, I would really appreciate it.

If you aren't the appropriate person to speak to about [industry/topic], I apologize. Would you be able to help point me to the right person?

Best,

Oluwafemi

Now hit send!

P.S.-If that person doesn't get back to you within 48 hours, move on to the next contact. Your time is just as valuable as theirs.

Don't waste it sitting around with your fingers crossed!