Reaching out to experts can seem very intimidating and nerve-wracking. Am I worthy of talking to this person? The answer is yes. Even though they have done so much, these experts didn’t get to where they are without being accessible and helpful. These are some tips for making that interaction easier:

• First of all, put yourself in the expert’s shoes. Often, we think about ourselves and what we can get from the interaction. But it’s not about us alone, every interaction is a two way street that has to be valuable to both people.
• Be genuinely interested in the person, and do your research. Everyone has their unique interests, something you can learn through their social media accounts and published work. Learning about what an expert’s interests actually are allows you to ask smart questions that stand out from the crowd.
• If emailing, make sure your subject line is direct to the point. The expert should know exactly what to expect from the subject line; this keeps them from deleting it before reading.
• As the saying goes, “flattery gets you everywhere.” Everyone loves compliments; tell the expert what you enjoy about their work.
• Looking at it from the expert’s point of view, he or she gets tons of emails daily. He or she doesn’t have time to get coffee with or help every person that asks. To stand out, figure out what value you have to offer. Experts have their own issues to deal with too, and they would love to have someone address the “pain points” that they face.
• Reduce the amount of brainpower they need to expend. Instead of asking them what help they need, which takes time and effort to think about, come with a pre-planned offer that appeals to them.
• If you’re asking for their time, explicitly say how much time you need and keep it short. For example, it’s a lot easier to say yes to “15 minute phone call” than “coffee meeting” because the first is clearly a lot less demanding on their schedule.

These tips aren’t fool-proof, and it may take some trial and error to figure out what works best for you. But go ahead and reach out! You’ll be surprised as to the responses you get.