Outreaching 101
Introduction
This article aims to teach you how to reach out to CEOs, board members, and entrepreneurs, and master coffee meetups. This advice is applicable worldwide. The key is to ensure that you follow the guidelines provided. You will learn how to cold-message people you don’t know, pitch to strangers at events, and convince people to meet for coffee internationally.
Understanding Outreach
Before diving into the content of this article, it's important to understand what outreach is and how this article is structured.
Outreach involves persuading someone you don’t know to engage with you, whether agreeing to meet or giving you some time to discuss and explore new ideas.
This article is structured into four main sections:
- Saudi outreach
- Global Outreach
- Things to do and not to do
Saudi Outreach
People in Saudi are extremely friendly and approachable! Last year, I had the opportunity to meet over 100-150 new people from various careers and industries. The common thread among all these individuals is their friendliness. When you start meeting 100-150 people, you'll notice that most of them have mutual connections, creating a network effect. This is similar to LinkedIn's first-degree connections (people you know), second-degree connections (people they know), and third-degree connections (people those people know). This way, you can get to know a lot of people!
Where to start?
The first thing I recommend to anyone who wants to start reaching out to people is to build a personal brand. This includes creating a Twitter account, a LinkedIn profile, and preferably a personal website. These platforms will help people start noticing you, especially since Saudi Arabia has a small tech and finance market where everyone knows each other.
The second step, after establishing your personal brand, is to be visible at events and hackathons. Attend these gatherings, meet people, and ask for their contact information. Remember, the key to successful outreach is having the courage to break the ice and initiate conversations!
The third step is to iterate and learn from your mistakes during these outreaches. Improve your introduction over time, and you'll become better at connecting with people.
Outreach Message
The outreach message is crucial for converting potential contacts into part of your network. Here’s what you need to do:
- Start with your name.
Mention your age if you are young (impressively young for your peers).
- State your current job or occupation.
Highlight an impressive achievement (ensure it is true and genuinely impressive).
Address what interests you about the person you’re reaching out to.
Clearly state what you want—whether it's a video call, a coffee meeting, or mentorship. Make it very clear so the other person understands your intentions.
Example (not a real one):
Hi Larry Page,
I’m Hashim, an 18-year-old product manager at Tamara. I was building a
company with my friends in Silicon Valley, which was subsequently
acquired. I’m very interested in the concept behind Google and the
journey of building such a successful company.
I would love to grab a coffee and chat about it!
Best regards,
Hashim
By looking at this message, you can understand how to structure your outreach. (I didn’t actually get the chance to have coffee with Larry Page, the co-founder of Google, but I believe that by following the same process and meeting more people, I’ll be able to meet him one day.)
Scheduling the time
Some people may take a long time to schedule a meeting, so always push for a confirmation. To ensure commitment, ask for their email address and send a Google Calendar invitation. This way, you can confirm that they are committed to the meet-up.
Also, let the other person choose the location. Since you asked them for a meeting, they have the right to decide where it takes place. If the person doesn’t specify a location, ask for their area and use Google Maps to find nearby cafes. This approach helps ensure that the person commits and shows up. Your goal is to do everything possible to facilitate the meeting.
On the Day of the Meetup
This is your day! You’ve worked hard and applied many techniques to convince the other person to meet with you. Here are the final points to consider:
Confirm the Meeting: Send a confirmation message in the morning to ensure the meeting is still on.
Arrive Early: Get to the location 10 minutes before the scheduled time. This allows you to explore the place and settle in. If you’re running into traffic or any delays, notify the person and keep them updated so they don’t feel disrespected.
Wait to Order: Do not order anything before the person arrives. Wait for them to arrive and then let them order first.
Handle the Bill: Make sure you cover the cost of the meeting. Never make the other person pay, as this could come across as rude. Paying for the coffee or meal shows your appreciation and respect for their time.
During the meetup!
It’s your shining day—time to create connections! Start by breaking the ice with a few questions about the place, the traffic, or their work. This shows that you care about their daily life.
Begin your introduction by introducing yourself. Ensure that your introduction is well-structured—not too long or too short (3-5 minutes max, as people get bored easily). If the other person asks more questions about your introduction, that’s not included in this time. Remember, time is key! As you gain more experience, your introduction will become more polished.
When the other person introduces themselves, make sure you’ve done your homework. Be familiar with their past companies and interests. Stay actively engaged and ask questions to show your interest.
Control the time
Make sure you manage the duration of the meeting. Ideally, a coffee meetup should not exceed two hours, as people are often busy and may not want to spend too long on one topic. On average, aim for 1 to 1.5 hours.
If the person is flexible, you might offer to extend the meeting to include a meal, whether lunch or dinner. Regardless of the duration, always show appreciation and respect for the person’s time.
I’d like to end this section with a small note: Saudi Arabia is a very small and interconnected place where everyone knows each other. Ensure that the impressions you leave are consistently positive. Strive for a scenario where, if all the people you’ve met were to gather in one room, they would all leave positively affected by the interaction.
Global Outreach
Global outreach isn’t fundamentally different from outreach in Saudi Arabia; the key difference is that you’re operating on a global scale. This introduces additional challenges and requires you to adapt your strategies for scalability. Engaging with people across diverse regions and cultures demands different approaches and techniques.
Key Differences
Highly Competitive: Reaching out to people globally means you’re competing with highly skilled individuals, as opposed to a local context where you might be more familiar with the landscape.
Highlight Achievements: When reaching out globally, emphasize your achievements and background. For instance, if you’re from Saudi Arabia, highlight your success and the rapid growth of the market to stand out, as Saudi Arabia may not be well-known in the global tech scene.
Embrace Your Background: If you’re Saudi, leverage the unique aspects of your background. Promote and embrace your culture, as it can be an intriguing point of discussion and differentiate you in a crowded global market.
Persistent Follow-Up: In a competitive global environment, following up is crucial. Demonstrating your passion and commitment through consistent follow-up helps ensure you stay on the radar and increase your chances of connecting with influential individuals. Use LinkedIn, email, or even a phone number if you have it. The key is to show how passionate you are about meeting that person.
Build Long-Term Relationships: Focus on building lasting relationships rather than just making initial connections. Cultivate these relationships by staying in touch and offering support or updates on your work.
Other than that, applying the techniques mentioned for Saudi outreach is quite similar for global outreach. The main difference might be having video calls instead of coffee meetups, which is perfectly fine.
Note: I’ve scheduled a few international meetups where I’ll actually fly out to meet these people! It may sound a bit crazy, but I’m willing to take these extraordinary steps. After all, this is Hashim (:
Things to do and not to do
Always offer your expertise: If you notice that someone is struggling with something, offer to help. For example, during my time at Tap Payments, I used to assist people actively using the payment service to improve their experience. By doing this, you establish a mutually beneficial relationship where both parties can exchange value.
Have Something Interesting on You: Always carry something that showcases your interests or expertise. For example, I always have a ledger and a crypto wallet on me to demonstrate my deep involvement in cryptocurrency and my enthusiasm as a long-time crypto fan.
Maintain Relationships: Ensure you stay in touch with people during holidays and special occasions, such as Eid, Ramadan, or when they raise a new funding round. Sending messages on these occasions shows that you respect and appreciate them, helping to strengthen your relationship.
Schedule Another Coffee Meetup: Plan another coffee meetup within 3-6 months to ensure you stay connected with the person and maintain a recurring relationship. Regular meetings help keep the connection strong and foster ongoing engagement.
Don’t Be Afraid of Rejection: Rejection is a normal part of the process. It’s essential to understand that being rejected is an integral part of the game. Keep building your personal brand and advancing your career, and those who rejected you may reach out to meet you again in the future. It’s okay—just keep pushing forward. I've experienced this myself many times, and it's all part of the journey.
Be Consistent: Always be the same person with everyone you meet. You should give the same impression to all your contacts and not alter your story based on who you’re meeting. It’s about who you are, not who you meet. Consistency in your approach helps build genuine and trustworthy relationships.
Closing
By being authentic, persistent, and valuable, you'll forge lasting connections. Every interaction strengthens your network and enhances your impact. Remember, achieving this is possible for everyone! I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback via email.