Lead with curiosity, not credentials
Instead of opening with your resume, ask well-researched questions about the person’s current challenges. “What surprised you about moving from agency to product marketing?” invites reflection and opens space for advice.
Share enough about your background to give context, but keep it in service of your curiosity.
Use lightweight collaborations
Offer to help with something small: a user research session, a content review, or a data sanity check. Mini-projects demonstrate competence faster than any cold outreach paragraph.
Keep commitments tight (a week or two) so you can deliver quickly and leave a strong impression.
Document what you learn
After each conversation, jot down insights—tools mentioned, success metrics, cultural traits. Over time, you’ll build a knowledge base that informs your positioning and applications.
Following up with “I tried what you suggested” shows you’re taking action, not just collecting contacts.