These 5 Steps were inspired by this conversation with Amos (see his other interview here - #14)
Create a Plan of Action
1. Make a List - check it twice
Write down 10 people you admire and would love to talk to.
Go on...dream big and write down the names of people you are thinking of right now - the CEO, top exec, the person who holds the position you are dying to have. Want to be the VP of Programming at Comedy Central? Why not reach out to that guy and share your passion and ask for a meeting? What have you got to lose. If you have 30 names, narrow them down to 10 and prioritize them.
2. Solidify your pitch:
Before you go chasing your Top 10 - chillax for a sec and prepare. You get one opportunity to make a first impression...cliche, but true. So write out your “script.” Why do you want to speak with him/her? Let’s get detailed and break down what you’re passionate about, where you are in your career or life, what your goals are, what are you doing to get to that destination, etc. Throw it all together to create a mini Self-Portrait of yourself. Then pinpoint why you want to meet that particular person. Crystalize the vision and wording and get it down rock solid before stepping forward into the deep-end.
3. Find them on Social Media
You know how to do this -
LinkedIn - Look them up under “people.” Before going the stranger way and sending a Connection Invite, check and see if any of your current connections can do an “introduction” to your Top 10. If not, do the invite and cross your finger that they accept. There are many other tools we will discuss in an article coming soon! So stay tuned for LinkedIn tips.
Facebook - I would steer clear
Twitter - Follow them right away and the people they are following in hopes that they will then follow you. You would then send a Direct Message to them (you can’t send a DM unless they are following you).
Please comment if you know of other social media best practices.
4. Reach out and touch - Make it Happen!
Be bold, specific, and brief with your introduction and meeting request. Remember that most people want to share their knowledge with rising talent. Talk them up in your invite and share a preview of your script. Honesty is best and saying “I’d love to learn from you” is really effective because it’s sincere and flattering.
Being able to see the person you have chosen as a potential mentor is key. Invite them to coffee or to join you on a Skype call. (Stay tuned for a future article on Skype video calls).
Remember to keep it professional when speaking with these people. Don't allow yourself to become too informal before you have built a strong foundation. We will get into this in future posts. Stay tuned! For now, get started on Step 1...write down your Top 10.
We'd love to hear your best practices on finding and connecting to mentors through Social Media. Share them below.
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