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One technical issue. Most of your social bookmarking icons (e.g. digg, del.icio.us, stumble) appear in your RSS feed at the end of your article, which makes it easy for readers to use them to bookmark while viewing the article in an RSS reader.
But the "Buzz Up!" icon doesn't appear in your RSS feed, so readers have to actually follow the link to your website before using that icon.
It may be an issue with Feedburner.
Hope this helps.
Neil
I liked this post.
Your book is quite inspiring to me and has been for others with whom I've shared it.
I have launched a few microbusinesses and am testing out which ones are going to be moving forward and perhaps one day soon becoming my “muse.”
I was curious whether you have any suggestions about what you have used, and what micropreneurs with NO cash or little cash can use, in the way of new media and old media guerrilla marketing techniques.
Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Yours,
Stephen A.
(I realize, of course, that this response is probably too cute by half. But nevertheless, the question is a serious one.)
Just wondering how your plans for Melbourne are coming? I imagine that Sydney has left a favourable mark on you, seeing as you choose to mention it as one of your top spots in your book. Melbourne, however, can provide a much more cultural and meaningful experience. (The girls aren't too bad either)
What would it take to convince you to make the short 800km trip down to Victoria?
Jeremy
Great post! Thank you.
I was wondering if you had any advice for someone who would like to get attention and meet a celebrity, what I have in mind is no career talk or advice, just some coffee and cupcakes.
Thanks,
Anna
What was written in your "subject" box of this email? Was it something flashy and crazy, or simple and to the point? What made you open the message before you read it, and realize that it was worthy of a quick glance?
I am probably guilty of emailing to stay in touch a few times, so I will be sure to put these proper tips into practice.
Thanks again,
Lewis Howes
Your visit to Australia is timely as I am a Melbournite. I'm reading your book at the moment and was wondering when (I knew it wouldn't be a matter of if) you were coming to Australia.
I know you are extremely occupied with things outside of your inbox, but I wanted to share that I am young woman who was earning oddles in a corporate job (glamarous description for a wage slave) until I developed a debilitating illness some years ago. I have struggled phsyically since as has my income, but no dent has been made on my enthusiasm for exploring other avenues. And maybe things happen for a reason anyways.
The great news is that I have been tossing around e-based business ideas that I intend to put into practice from home/bed if necessary to generate myself an income. Your book has given me some great ideas and much inspiration. It has also made me laugh out loud many times! I know I will be successful in my endeavours and I look forward to telling you about it someday.
If you come to Melbourne I would love to come and meet you somewhere if you intend to have a lauch party or anything at all. Melbourne is well worth a visit. It's a city of understated elegance with a great cultural hub... and a great tango community amongst many other things.
You have my email address and if you have time I'd love to hear from you. If not, I wholeheartedly understand... and express my thanks again.
My best regards,
Thelma
I am amazed you have anytime while in OZ to post but always happy that you feed my personal addiction to your ideas. Thanks! :)
I have a question what if you want to introduce yourself to the hard to get, to build a real friendship? Would this work as well? I figure by email friendships can be hard to cultivate. I like building new friendships because I learn from others. "I learn by watching you, as a PSA of a the 80's or 90's used to say. How does one cultivate new friendships via email to the busy. I notice with certain folks out a sight out of mind. Is myspace the only way? Some different peeps who I may like to meet may not be on myspace or their PR firm is.
Life is to short to stay in the bubble of the same ideas and new friends can give you a new perspective even if you have some commonalities. Is there a way to show your personality and interests in an email without being a advertisement for desperation?
From please be my friend LOL
Hugs,
Jen
The subject line was:
"Moore '06 Update"
As for cultivating 'real' friendships, which I take to mean long-term, I pretty much only go face-to-face. I don't find it lasts otherwise, unless you connect through an introduction and have serious shared DNA AND are equally busy.
Like the coincidental palindrome? :)
Tim
I have had extreme difficulty in forming emails that use this sort of format and you've given an excellent framework.
Again Thank you
Gordon
Cheers,
David B. Wright
Author, Get A Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves
Brad - Your Virtual Biographer
This is a great post. Remember the part in your book where you talked about contacting best-selling authors of (at the time) 2 to 3 years ago? In other words, after the flames die down . . .
I contacted you recently in spite of that part. Yet you found the time to reply, in signature style, to explain that you unfortunately didn't have time for coaching or the like. You then went on to describe several specific steps I could take, and areas on which to focus, to achieve a pretty intense list of dreamlines. So in a paragraph, I had six months of coaching right in front of me.
I wish I could tell every recent Veteran, or anyone who's had injuries or traumas, trying to work his way back into our world to pick up your book. Things have changed, are changing, so much. Work that I used to have in New York, pre 911, that was quite lucrative, is all gone. It's crunch time to figure it all out. After reading 4HWW 3 times, for the first time in about 4 years, I feel in command of myself, my life, my world again.
I had to unplug and reset whether I was ready or not. So I am tightening my belt, ceasing debt spending, applying 80/20 all around, and getting ready for the ride.
For me 4HWW is a book of Spirit as much as it is of Business and Enterprise.
Safe travels,
Erik J
This blog serves as a good fountain of knowledge. How do you keep up with all these new tech things coming out? Rhetorical question, I am just amazed at times, bc it would seem you spend lots of time online to be on the forefront of so many different technologies.
Just my thoughts,
Jose Castro-Frenzel
check out Red Belt if you get a chance Carlos Machado's brother is in it. Interesting movie.....
But I just emailed a couple of mentors moments before reading this post! Well, it will help for next time.
Any tips on travel coming up? My vagabonding mini-retirement starts in August!
Thanks,
Richard
I also think in this is an important subject in an educational setting. I'm a teacher and my students often send me emails without a clear subject, without a clear question. And then they expect to have a conversation over email, which doesn't work when 50 others are waiting for your reply too. I think it would be a good idea to teach students this.
Also, I am writing a book and would like to request interview questions of you. I wouldn't want to post them on here, is there any way to send them to you privately?
Thanks,
Sean
Thanks Tim
well to be frank my emails are even shorter. i don't even write 2 - 3 lines to some very busy ppl. I just want my email to be read by the other party. so instead of beating around the bush i just write to the point.
For my day job I regularly call on executives. I find them to be the most pleasant and enjoyable part of my week, but that is because I keep it short and stay focused on the agenda.
I always have an invitation to return. They always return my calls. They know that I have a specific reason to call them, and it directly affects their company and their job.
Save the relationship building for community and industry functions!
Your post provides some clear insight on writing and communicating in general, especially when requesting help.
A bit off topic but I'm in Vietnam and am curious where that firing range you went to, is. I was going to go in Cambodia but it was quite expensive (enough to feed families for weeks, fix their roads, etc.). Do you recall?
Thanks man.
Keith
PS Got in some good Muay Thai training in, in Thailand... wish I could have done more!
I know there are exceptions, but most people really aren't as busy as their ego would have you believe! Fact is, you're just not of any real great concern to them at this point. Meaning, you have nothing to offer them and if they just ignore you, there will be no significant consequences.
Man dad once told me, "If you want to get something done and you need some help/advice ask the busiest person you know".
Loved this post. I've just started to get involved with networking so this advice comes to me at the perfect time.
graci`
Gina
I get large ammounts of emails from people asking for help or wanting to connect. But the ones that have a "Hi Sital" title are the ones i usually feel more comfortable opening.
Works much better than "here's a great opportunity" type titles which sound like all the rest of the emails.
It's a small thing, but it gets me to open and read.
Keep up the great work Tim.
S
This is 10 tips for PITCHING busy people. I came to it hoping to find out how to get a response from coworkers.
Not every email is asking for commodities.
###
Hi Chad,
Take it easy, big fella. This is for contacting extremely busy people, not necessarily pitching them. The "busy" I refer to here is -- I suspect -- much busier than your co-workers.
You are right that these tips are for first contacts, however. Sorry if it didn't help.
Cheers,
Tim
Thanks for the advice. My best friend and I don't see each other that often because of the busy lives we lead. Such as life. I guess like the friends I have now, the relationships developed more organically than a pitch to a CEO. If I am meant to be friends with John, I am sure I will meet him on a plane or at a bookstore.
Thanks again and Hugs,
Jen
I just hope there's nothing in the worst pitch scenario from me... ;-)
I've just come back from Sydney myself and it would have been interested to attend your book launch there:) I loved the beachy look to the Aussie front cover!
I do find what you say and how you say things interesting, and more suited to how a man wishes to receive information, getting to the 'heart' of the matter,' and the facts and getting really clear, as opposed to a lady, who build up her approach in a more emotional, and relational way, with quite a bit more empathy. I wonder then, whether you feel that you respond more to guys more than ladies 'cos men are more direct, like your good self who is very, direct and very rational, I am sure you are emotional too, it just appears to be well-hidden beneath your 'superintellect.'!
I know that from my experience to date, the responses that I have had, have been very different with similiar emails from the men 'in high places,' compared to the women, and it has revealed quite A LOT, in terms of how our genders receive and process information.
Namaste, light & love,
Carriex
mike
Also, who would have thought food and email could have so much in common?
Love the cartoon as well :)
I'm reading your book and I simply LOVE it!
Please MARRY ME!!!
Some thoughts for Jenn:
I think high profile friendships and relationships can be approached in a very similar way to what Tim has outlined. Perhaps the most important step is defining what you want to create with a friendship/relationship and how it will benefit both parties (just like you would a business interaction). Simply admiring someone is not a foundation for friendship - there has to be more at stake. Social interactions are based on emotional needs - so you want to develop your ability to recognize them in others. Particularly with someone you don't have physical interaction with, this will include quite a bit of trial and error. You could visualize it like rock climbing - you look for a firm hold. Sometimes you can step right up on a ledge, other times you have to stick your hand into a gap in the rock and hope it stays put while getting bruised and bloody. It's a crazy sport, I know.
To adapt what Tim has written specifically for reaching out on a social plane,
I'd condense #'s 1 & 2 into essentially the same rule - brief, meaningful and memorable is better than overdone and unfocused. #3 doesn't quite apply, and #'s 4 & 5 can again be combined. Be confident that anything of real value - whether a business deal, friendship or relationship - will be worthy of many people's interest (so no need to get too caught up on any one person's reaction).
To provide a real-life example...
There's this guy I know and like. I genuinely believe there's a lot of potential, possibly life-altering potential. So, it's a venture worthy of patience and reflection and continual course-correction. At times I share information with him just as food for thought - not expecting any direct response. When I really want a reply, I ask for it. If I just want to stir things up, I might casually drop that the documentary-maker we met together at the party invited me away for the weekend and could he please tell me what he likes best in Vancouver?
A few months ago I asked a guy... if he wasn't interested, did he know anyone he could set me up with? Worked like a charm, but hard to execute that one online. Of course, these things can never be mere tricks or they will backfire - they have to be genuine and heartfelt. If the man in question had set me up with his friend, I would have been just as satisfied. Emotional cleanliness and transparency is the key, I think. Ditto with Vancouver boy. If he answers what he likes best, I'll be happy that he cares enough to want me to have a good time. If the thought of me spending quality time with someone else motivates him to ask me out, even better. If I get no response, it's course correction and explore other options time.
So to sum it up:
1. Recognize other's emotional needs
2. Create a scenario that illuminates those needs so the other person can confirm or deny that they exist
3. Show the person how you can help meet their needs while remaining unattached to the outcome
Bottom line: it's all about having a plan of action and having respect.
Tim, what do you think about specific times of the day to send emails or certain days of the week for optimum 'eye-ball' time results?
Keep it coming!
Adam
3 quick observations:
1) I can't think of anyone on this planet who wouldn't gain something from reading your book. (I often recommend it.)
2) You've got to be the most interesting guy alive under the age of 30.
3) You really ought to meet my 26 year old daughter.
(No kidding on all accounts!)
Keep up the good work!
Dawn Marks
And, just as referrals work for headhunters as in Tim’s template, they also work equally well as subject lines. Busy people are much more likely to open a message if they see you were referred by someone they know (just be sure to ask for permission to do so from the referrer).
Tips for Mastering E-mail Overload = http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/4438.html
Tips for Mastering E-mail Overload = hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/4438.html
Prior to reading this post, I just sent a painstakingly crafted e-mail asking for advice from a potential mentor, who I am also hoping to build a relationship with...! Good news is, I think I would score a 4/5 based on the points you emphasized. But I definitely could have fine tuned a couple of things.
Another coincidence - I actually just ran into Rob Moore a few days ago at reunions here at Princeton, so it was pretty funny when I saw his e-mail up on your site.
Carter
Excuse me for my english which is not very good.
I am 46 years old and my salary is 3000€ per month for 35 hours labor per week and 38 days af hollydays per year.
Now, i can take my early retirement with 1500€ per month but if i continue my job, my retreat can be 2000€ in 2017 (at 55 years old).
My question is : what do you make in my place ?
Thank you for your answer
Jeff
Thanks for writing this article Tim.