The Network Advantage

Week 5 Challenge
How to reach top executives (Without getting ignored)
A while back I wanted to land a meeting with a top CEO.

Not just any CEO. A heavyweight. Someone who was completely out of reach.

⇢ I could have tried a generic cold email.

⇢ I could have sent a direct message on LinkedIn.

⇢ I could have ask a mutual contact for an introduction.

My experience suggests there would have been:

⇥ No response.

⇥ No response.

⇥ No response.

And at that point it’s tempting to give up.

But I also appreciate:

↳ Executives at this level are supremely busy.

↳ They simply ignore any cold outreach messages.

↳Executive Assistants are paid keep their day focussed.

So, I learnt the secret to getting through, and getting a positive response. And
that’s what I am sharing in this part of the Network Advantage Challenge.

Highly personalised, curiosity invoking, outreach.

A strategy inspired by Stu Heinecke, the master of contact marketing and author of
How to Get a Meeting with Anyone.

Instead of another generic “I’d love to connect” message I used a di erent

strategy.

Within two weeks, that same CEO invited me to a private meeting.

Why most Outreach gets ignored (And how to x It)

The problem isn’t that high-level people don’t want to connect.
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 It’s that they’re drowning in noise.

❌ They get hundreds of cold emails every week. Most of them are generic,
uninspired, and straight-up useless.

❌ Their time is extremely valuable. They don’t waste it on “Let’s grab co ee”
requests from random strangers.

❌ They prioritise productive relationships over random approaches. If they don’t

already know you (or at least recognise your name), they’re not going to reply.

Of course, the golden ticket is a direct introduction, or referral, from a contact who
knows you both well.

But, if you don't have that, how do you break through the noise?

Step 1: Earn Attention Before You Reach Out

Most outreach fails because it’s cold. The person has never seen your name
before.

Your rst move? warm them up - make sure they’ve already seen your name -
before you ever send a message.

Here’s how:

Show up in their world. Engage with their content - comment on their LinkedIn
posts, share their work, or mention them in your own content. They should see
your name multiple times before you reach out.
Use strategic gifting. Send a physical, highly-personalized, high-value (but not
necessarily costly) item. No ask! Just something unique enough that they have to
respond.
Stu Heinecke (who I mentioned earlier) has a go-to, which is a custom cartoon
illustrating their business or interests.

There are other options I've used too. Sports memorabilia. A relevant business
book with handwritten notes on key insights. A bespoke video message.

You might even build a mini-gift series to build anticipation. Just remember you're
dealing with a senior executive, so get the tone right.

You goal is to gain visibility and create familiarity, for them to think:

“I’ve seen this name before… Where do I know them from?”

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Once this foundation is laid, you’re ready to follow up.

By the time you actually send a message, you’re not quite as much of a stranger
anymore.

Step 2: Follow up with a message they can’t ignore (The 3-part formula)
They’ve received your gift, it’s time to send a personal follow-up—but not via a
“Here's what I do, let’s connect email.

DULL&BORING

Instead, use a handwritten note.

↳ That is rare nowadays.

↳ That is showing intentionality.

↳ That is a stark contrast to digital noise.

To write it use this 3-part framework:

The Hook:

About them, not you → Reference what they’ve written, or said.

The Value:

Why they should engage with you → A reason that bene ts them.

The Soft Close:

Make it easy for them to say yes → Keep it light, no pressure.

Here’s a simple template:

Dear [Name],

I recently sent you [name the gift you sent] because [reason why it’s of interest to
them]. I hope it brought a smile to your day.

This is a quick note to say thanks for the insights you’ve shared on [hot topic]. Your
perspective on [speci c insight from their work] really stood out to me.

I’m working on some research [an article, a book] into [hot topic] as part of my
work on [an issue related to your expertise and hot topic] and wondered if I might
interview you about that.
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It's a 20-minute exchange if you’re open to it. Please let me know.

[Your Name]
[Your Contact Info]

Why a letter works (And why you need to use it instead of email)
A physical letter will always get opened. Especially if it's hand written.

It feels (and is) personal. Handwritten notes trigger a positive psychological

response because:

↳ They Can’t be mass produced - which is exactly why they work.

↳ They are very unusual compared to email - stand out, get attention.

↳ They create a sense of goodwill - "this person put in e ort and showed
initiative."
↳ They seem less like an ask - a follow-up to a thoughtful gift.

↳ They provoke a natural reaction - "this person seems interesting.”

While every other consultant is spamming inboxes.

You’ll be the one who gets noticed, remembered, and responded to.

Step 3: The bold moved (Stand out like a pro)

If you’ve sent a highly personalised gift and followed up with a handwritten letter,
but still haven’t landed a response, it’s time to escalate.

At this stage, your target knows who you are. They’ve seen your name. They’ve
received something tangible from you. But they haven’t taken action yet.

That’s where these bold, high-impact plays come in.

The VIP Assistant Strategy (Use, instead o trying to get past the executive's
gatekeeper)
Executives don’t check their own inboxes—their assistants do.

So instead of trying to go direct, win over the gatekeeper. Send a message like:
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"Hey [Assistant’s Name], I sent [Exec’s Name] something recently—just wanted to
check if it landed on their desk. No rush, just wanted to make sure they saw it."

If the assistant likes you, you’re in.

The Exclusive Invite (Make It Feel Special)

Instead of asking for their time, ip the script: invite them to something valuable.

Example: “I’m hosting a small, invite-only roundtable for [industry leaders] - would
love to include you.”

Executives who don’t respond to your interview request may accept exclusive,
peer-level invitations.

The Shock & Awe Package (Go Full Heinecke)

If it’s a must-have connection, go beyond a single gift—send an entire sequence of
unexpected, high-value touches.

Example: A custom video breakdown of an opportunity tailored to them. Or a

sequence of 3-4 unique, themed gifts that tie into their personal interests (sports,
hobbies, favorite books).

What if they still don't respond?

At this point, you’ll have done what 99% of people will never do.

If they don’t respond after this? Move on. You’ve played the game at the highest
level. Michael Masterson take a “Three Strikes and You’re Out” approach to
business dealings. He calls this his baseball theory.

“I’ll make three attempts to get someone to give me a response, return my call, or
provide feedback. If I don’t get it, it’s time to pick up my chips and move on to the
next table.”

Mini-Mission
First step: Properly research your executives
Pick three high-value executives from your Dream 100 that you want to connect
with, but feel are out of your reach. Research their background, interests, and
recent visibility (interviews, articles, talks).

12 questions to get the call rolling.

⇢ Where did they go to school?

⇢ Were (or are) they involved in sport at a high level?

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⇢ What hobbies or personal interests do they publicly share?

⇢ What awards have they received?

⇢ Who do you both know?

⇢ Which media have they been interviewed by recently?

⇢ What is their point of view?

⇢ Have they written or appeared in a book?

⇢ What interest do they have in your subject matter?

⇢ Which social media platform (if any) are they present on?

⇢ What charities, causes, or foundations do they support?

⇢ What major deal or partnership has their company announced?

Action step: let's connect

If they're active on social media, engage with their content for a few weeks. Start
with likes, then make value-adding comments.
Using your research as the basis, select a small inexpensive gift.
Package this gift appropriately and send it to their mailing address via FedEx.
Include a card with the gift. Just your name. Nothing else.
Draft a handwritten letter follow-up. Use the guidelines above to make it speci c,
valuable, and impossible to ignore. No selling! If you're uncomfortable handwriting
then have the body typed and 'top and tail' it with your handwriting. Do NOT send
email.
If they don’t respond? Go bold. Win over the assistant, send an exclusive invite, or
launch a shock & awe campaign.
Is this a lot of e ort?

Yes it is, because ether stakes are high.

Connecting with senior executives is hard, but when you do it well it opens doors
to revenue streams you might never get access to otherwise.

Remember most consultants will never go beyond a desperately poor email, or

weak LinkedIn DM.

And even 99% of people reading this email won't act on it. So when you do this it
will stand out. The executive will notice it.
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You will increase your chance of building a network full of powerful, high-value
connections.

Next week, we move on to discussing how to select and nurture your Inner Circle -
those connections who'll move the needle for you.