In our last Tip we talked about the importance of warming up cold calls to improve our odds of success in scheduling research meetings (there are several examples of "warm requests" on Mark's blog for review). We can go one step further to ensure our success by making "hot" calls. These are calls to our coaches where we are almost certain to get a positive response to our request for a meeting.

Here's how it might sound, "Hi Laura. I was thinking about our big meeting coming up in two weeks, and I'm wondering if we can get together soon so I can do my homework and make sure I'm prepared. What day would work best for you?"

By reaching out to our coaches, who want us to win and win if we win, we make this request easy. There is no concern and should be no hesitation in making these calls. One way to get the most out of these calls is to add this question to your request, "Who else should I meet with to make sure I am ready for the meeting?" Now we have more people to reach out to who are more than likely to meet with us based on the referral from our coach.

One more thought - after calling a coach and nailing down a meeting, be sure to call another person immediately. Why? Because success begets success, and the best time to make a call is right after we get a "yes".