What you'll get
- 4 copy-ready blocks
- 1 table
- 4 min read
- Sideways or down
- Sideways, filled in (illustrative, not a real company)
- Up
- Outside (asking for an introduction)
How to use it
when your contact stops replying, do not write to them a sixth time. Ask who else in the company owns part of the same problem, and open that door, openly.
The hack: when your contact stops replying, do not write to them a sixth time. Ask who else in the company owns part of the same problem, and open that door, openly.
Five other doors
| Door | Who it is | Why they will talk |
|---|---|---|
| Sideways | A peer of your contact in a function the problem touches (IT, finance, operations) | It affects their numbers too |
| Down | The person who lives with the problem every day | They know the detail and are rarely asked |
| Up | Your contact's manager, or the executive who stated the initiative | It is their priority you are writing about |
| The process | Procurement, security or legal | They know whether anything is planned and how it would be bought |
| Outside | A customer of yours, a partner or a former employee who knows someone there | An introduction beats any cold message |
Start sideways or down. Go up when you have something specific to say about a goal that leader has stated in public.
What to say
Sideways or down
Hi [First name],
To be open with you, I wrote to [contact] about [topic] and haven't heard back, which may mean it sits elsewhere.
From [their function], the question is usually [their concern]. How does [company] handle that today? If someone else owns it, a name is all I need.
[Your name]Sideways, filled in (illustrative, not a real company)
Hi Marcus,
To be open with you, I wrote to Dana Whitfield about planning for Northfield's second distribution centre and haven't heard back, which may mean it sits elsewhere.
From IT, the question is usually whether a planning tool fits the warehouse system you already run. How does Northfield handle that today? If someone else owns it, a name is all I need.
Sam CarterUp
Hi [First name],
In [source] you said [company] plans to [initiative]. I've been in touch with [contact or team] about one part of it, [specific part].
One question, if you have a moment: who is carrying that part this year? I'd rather speak to the right person than the nearest one.
[Your name]Outside (asking for an introduction)
Hi [First name],
I'm trying to reach the person at [company] who looks after [specific part]. I think you know [name or team].
Would you be comfortable forwarding two lines from me? If not, no problem at all, and I won't mention your name.
[Your name]The rule that keeps it honest
Say who else you have written to. Every message above does. If your first contact later hears about it from a colleague, they should hear exactly what you told the colleague. A second door opened in secret closes the first one for good.
Check before you send
- Have I given the first contact a fair run (several touches, each with something new)?
- Does the problem really touch the next person's job?
- Do I have one question that belongs to their role, not a copy of the first email?
- Have I logged it against the account, so a colleague does not write to the same person tomorrow?
Three mistakes to avoid
- Going straight to the CEO because the manager was quiet. Relevant beats senior.
- Sending five people the same email on the same day. They compare notes.
- Dropping the first contact. When a second conversation starts, tell them. They often rejoin.
Make it a habit: each time a contact goes quiet, write the next relevant door on the account's map before you send anything else.
Why this works on named accounts
Read next
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