How to ask for help from people who don't know you

8 hours ago

Asking for help is a skill, not an innate attribute; the key principle is to put yourself in the other person's mind.
To make someone want to help, demonstrate you are worth helping by showing proof of work, personal connections, or institutional credibility, with proof of work being the strongest.
Explain context concisely by connecting it to what the other person already knows, using borrowed attention wisely.
Make requests easy to accept by reducing costs, being specific, low-friction, and bounded in scope.
Make it easy for the other person to say no to avoid pressured yeses and build genuine, willing help that fosters relationships.
Never lie in requests, as dishonesty undermines credibility and any chance of a positive response.

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