How to Approach Cold Networking as an Account Manager

I just deleted 147 cold emails without reading them. Here’s what they all got wrong: Every morning, my inbox looks the same. A flood of pitches from people trying to sell me something. Most days, I just mass delete them. But this morning, I decided to actually read through them first. Within 5 minutes, I spotted a pattern. Everyone was making the exact same mistake. They were all trying to close the deal. ALL IN THE FIRST MESSAGE 🥵 Let me show you what I mean (with two small examples): APPROACH A: "The Wall of Text" Send 100 cold emails with full pitch, calendar link, and case studies. • 3 people open • 0 responses • 0 intros This looks exactly like the 147 emails I just deleted "Hi [Name], I noticed your company is scaling fast! We help companies like yours optimize their marketing stack through our proprietary AI technology. Our clients see 300% ROI within 90 days. Here's my Calendly link to book a 15-min chat: [LINK]. Looking forward to connecting! Best, [Name]" BORING!!! APPROACH B: "Micro Conversations" Same 100 prospects, broken down into micro-convo's. Email 1: "Do you know [mutual connection]?" • Send 100 • ~40 open • ~20 respond Email 2: "They mentioned you're scaling your marketing team. I'd love to connect about [specific thing]." • Send to 20 who responded • ~15 continue engaging Email 3: "Would you mind if they made an intro?" • Ask 15 engaged prospects • ~10 intros Final score: • Approach A: No intros • Approach B: 10 intros How to Apply These Lessons (Tactical Summary): 1. Focus on Micro-Conversations: Break your cold outreach into smaller, manageable steps. Build rapport before making any asks. 2. Personalize Everything: Reference mutual connections, specific company milestones, or shared interests in every message. 3. Play the Long Game: Aim for replies in the first message.. not conversions. If you’ve been struggling with cold outreach, you might just need a new approach. Give this one a try and lmk how it goes.

Here’s one of my favorite networking tricks. It helped me land more conversations than anything else I did. And I never had to email a "stranger" again. First, I’d land an informational interview. You have to find a way to land at least one to start. During the conversation, I'd be a sponge. I’d take in everything this person was saying, ask good questions, and build a rapport. Then I’d pull out the ace up my sleeve. At the very end of the conversation, I’d ask one specific question: “Is there anyone else you think I should talk to?” The results? Pure gold. Usually they'd recommend a friend / colleague and offer to make an introduction. Warm intros typically mean guaranteed responses, way better than my cold email rates! But sometimes they’d give me a name without an intro. In that case, I’d ask if I could mention them in the email - then I'd drop their name right in the subject line: "Referral from [Name]" That also led to a significantly higher response rate. The best part about this tactic is that it creates a flywheel effect. Every person you meet will lead to you a new connection or two. Over time, you'll be sending fewer cold emails and landing tons of warm conversations. Just make sure to thank each person who makes an intro for you along the way!

💡 Stop Pitching. Start Connecting. ⁉️Ever received a connection request and within 2 minutes got a sales pitch in your inbox? Yeah… same. 😐 ✅ Let me say this clearly — LinkedIn is not your cold-calling CRM. It’s a professional ecosystem where relationships come before revenue. Here’s the truth: ✨ People don’t buy from strangers who barge into their inbox. They work with people who engage, resonate, and show up consistently in their professional space. ✅ Instead of Pitching, Try This: ✅ Follow first. ✅ Don’t send that connection request just yet. Follow their content, observe what they talk about. ✅ Engage meaningfully. Read their posts. Leave a comment that adds value — not “Great post!” but something that starts a conversation. ✅ Show up consistently. ✅ Make your name familiar — not as a nuisance, but as someone who gets it. Contribute. Don’t sell. ✅ Share insights, answer a question, link to a helpful resource (that’s not yours). Let them come to you. ✅ People notice value. When the time is right, they’ll say: “Hey, I’d love to learn more about what you do.” 💬 Real Talk: ✅ I've had founders, execs, even VCs reach out to me because I spent time engaging with their work genuinely—no pitch, no pressure. Just respect and real curiosity. ✅ One comment turned into a zoom invite. ✅ One like turned into a strategic partnership. ✅ One DM (months later) turned into a full-time gig. ✅ So next time you're tempted to pitch in that cold message — pause. Breathe. Play the long game. 📣 Final Thought: ✅ Build relationships before you build your pipeline. ✅ Be human before being a brand. ✅ Be generous before being transactional. 👍 Thank me later. #LinkedInTips #Networking #NoColdPitching #RelationshipMarketing #SocialSelling #ValueFirst #CareerGrowth #StartupTips #ProfessionalBrand #LeadWithValue

Here is how I got an 80% Success Rate in Cold Reach-Outs (even as a student) 1. Quality over Quantity Don’t mass message. Focus on high-potential connections and personalize each message. 💡 Example: “Hi [Name], I saw your talk on [topic] and it really aligns with my work on [project].” 2. Get to the Point Fast Introduce yourself and state why you’re reaching out in the first two sentences. 💡 Example: “I’m [Your Name], working on [specific project]. I’d love to chat about [shared interest].” 3. Choose the Right Platform Some respond best to LinkedIn, others to email, X, or their website’s contact form. Find the right way to reach them. 4. Be Specific About Your Ask Clearly state what you’re asking for- advice, a call, collaboration, etc. 💡 Example: “I’d love a quick 15-minute call to discuss [topic].” 5. Showcase Credibility Include a link to your GitHub, blog, or research to build trust. 💡 Example: “Here’s my recent work on [topic]: [link].” 6. Follow Up (Respectfully) If they don’t respond, send polite follow-ups 2-3 times with a week between messages. Persistence works, but don’t spam. 7. Respect Their Time Keep your message short and to the point. Show you respect their busy schedule. 💡 Example: “I know you’re busy—just a quick 15-minute call would be great!” Try these tips to level up your cold outreach! 🚀 #NetworkingTips #AICommunity #GrowthHacks

If Brandon Jeppson 👨🏼🍳 sent me a cold email, I’d respond. Why? Because he’s been engaging with my posts for months—liking, commenting, showing up consistently. I accepted his connection request because I recognized his name. So when his “cold” email lands in my inbox, he doesn’t feel like a stranger. Even though we haven’t spoken. This approach takes time. Think of it like planting seeds. You don’t plant today and harvest tomorrow. You provide water and sunlight. Build familiarity, and let trust grow. Don’t be addicted to speed. And here’s the best part: LinkedIn makes this easy. You can find people who fit your ideal prospect profile and who are already actively posting. Engage for 6 weeks, let familiarity build, then send your cold email. It’s far more effective than sending an avalanche of cold emails.

47 recruiter ghosts, 0 responses, 1 twelve-step messaging system that changed everything. As an introvert, I've never really enjoyed networking. It took me years to become good at it. 4 years ago, I was the guy sending "Would love to connect" messages into the void. Senior data scientists? Ignored. Hiring managers? Read but no response. Even junior engineers were ghosting me. I almost quit. Felt completely alone. The voice inside me told me: "No one cares about you" or "You're not good enough." But then I had a realization:  𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲. So I flipped the script. Built a system. Treated it like engineering. Here's the 12-step framework that changed everything for me:  1. 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 > 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 - Target 5-10 people who can actually move your career  2. 𝗗𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 "𝗠𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁" - Leading with asks kills trust instantly. Lead with value.  3. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿 - You can't withdraw if you haven't deposited  4. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 - Celebrate their wins, share valuable resources, connect them with someone  5. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 - Find connection clues in their content  6. 𝟭𝟬 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 - List 10 ways to add value (the good ideas come after the envious points)  7. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 - Rank by success likelihood and execution ease  8. 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆 - Try the 1st outreach idea, try the 2nd, then the 3rd. Many relationships start on the 3rd touchpoint.  9. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 - Keep showing up without asking for anything 10. 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 - Great networking is about alignment, not charm. Find ways where both of you benefit. 11. 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 - Your network is a living asset 12. 𝗕𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 - Show your work so you're top-of-mind I’ve used this system to grow a network that’s led to projects, collaborations, and opportunities I couldn’t have cold-applied into. (Oh, and got 90+ interviews in 90 days. Yes, really.) People who used to ignore my messages started reaching out to ME. That's the power of systematic networking. Your resume gets you past HR. Your network gets you the job. Stop begging for coffee chats. Start building relationships that build careers. If you’re stuck sending resumes into a void, networking isn’t just an option; it’s the only option. Follow me, Jaret André to land your next dream $100K+ data job ASAP. PS. If you're struggling with networking to get your job in the US or Canada, DM me. PPS. I'm happy to help, but please keep in mind that I can only accept 3 more clients this month.