Star Wars Shows Us All How to Make First Contact with a Business Lead
Take a Lesson from Princess Leia
It’s my fault. I’m easy to find. Someone reaches out to me for the first time by email or through some messaging service at least once a day. It could be a student seeking career advice, someone looking for a job, or an executive at a movie studio or big corporation interested in working with my company, Starlight Runner. I’m fine with being accessible. The problem is, four out of five notes that I get from these people are so hard to read, it’s ridiculous!
Some of the emails I get seem to start right in the middle of a thought, as if I already know exactly what’s going on. Others run multiple paragraphs, as if I have time to spend 15 or 20 minutes on someone’s life story. Still others are wildly unclear, almost daring me to puzzle through to figure out the point. I gotta tell you, I’ve actually given up on a few and just hit delete.
So here’s my advice when it comes to making first contact with a business lead, or with anyone you respect and from whom you’d like a response: check out and emulate Princess Leia’s holographic message to Ben Kenobi in the original Star Wars movie. Here it is:
Short—less than 60 seconds—crystal clear, and to the point. This is what you’re email or note needs to be like. Let’s break the message down to understand how effective it really is:
General Kenobi.
She opens briefly and respectfully.
Years ago, you served my father in the Clone Wars.
She points out who she is, and draws on a strong area of commonality. She’s made sure that Ben will be interested in what she has to say.
Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire.
She gets quickly to the point. Here is the problem she’s dealing with.
I regret that I am unable to present my father’s request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I’m afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed.
Look closely at this sentence: she’s telling Ben that she has been attempting to handle the problem on her own. It’s implicit that she has strength and resources. She hasn’t been just laying around waiting for someone to help her. But she is also honest and humble about the limitations of her abilities. If you’re helpless and need me to do everything, I’m not interested. If you’re arrogant and decided to let me in on an opportunity, forget about it. Leia’s explanation strikes the proper balance.
I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it.
Now she’s telling Ben that she has done her homework and taken some action. She conveys specific goals and ambitions.
You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan.
Here is her “ask.” Note how simple, direct, and clear it is. That’s all you need in a first contact message. It’s also implicit that in fulfilling this “ask,” Ben will strike a blow against the Empire—that’s a reward she knows he will appreciate. It’s always a plus to indicate how our relationship can be mutually beneficial.
This is our most desperate hour.
This sentence conveys the import or urgency of the note. It provides a timeframe for response. It also indicates how meaningful the correspondence is to the messenger.
Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.
Leia wraps up by explaining why she contacted Ben specifically. It conveys respect and the specialness of the connection. It’s also a nice little boost to the ego…!
It’s a great piece of writing. I’ve used this technique from early in my career, and it has worked for me far more often than not. Take this advice, and I promise it will be more likely to draw business folk like me out of the desert in response. Now get out there, and may the Force be with you!
