Hi there,

Q: I've found varying suggestions on different forums. But I'm curious whether anyone here has had luck with either of those approaches above.

I would recommend emails, they convert better if you have the right script / target the right people. It's the approach I used and it worked pretty well. However, if you have a weak script and target random people they won’t convert much.

You can find more at the link below:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

Honestly, I'm not sure! I can see pros/cons for both.

What I'd recommend is to actually do both! Try it out in a 1st round/phase (5-10 emails and 5-10 LinkedIn messgaes) and see what the hit rate is. Then, focus on the tactic that seems to work best…basically run your own experiment :)

Quick note: For anyone you email, if they don't respond, do try to follow-up on LinkedIn after a week or two. They may not have gotten the email. (Of course, intro yourself by apologizing for double-messaging)

Hi there,

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

• Generally speaking, while it is common practice that (nearly) graduates contact alumns working in the target industries and companies, you do not want to come off creepy. Moreover, in case you are thinking about contacting them via their university e-mail, chances are high they are not checking them anymore.
• As such, I would advise you to contact them via LinkedIn since 1) it is very transparent for them who you are and how you might know each other and 2) you ensure the message actually reaches them.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on the best approach to receive the referrals for your desired companies, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

I would find that “cold email” technique to be a bit creepy. One thing is you finding me randomly on LinkedIn and reaching out. Other is someone out of nowhere trying to guess my email.

Hi!

The ideal approach would be to network via your school's Alumni or friends of friends.

Otherwise, I'd recommend the LinkedIn approach rather than cold emails.

Good luck,

Anto