How to ask a question that gets a reply? Be specific.

Nobody owes you an answer.

“Hello”, “I have a question.”, “Hi, I want advice”, “Can we get on a call?” are unlikely to get responses from a busy person. Here’s why:

1. You’re asking for a lot.
   When you ask to ask, you’re expecting the other person to reply and ask for more details, then wait for your reply, ask more questions if needed, and then share their thought process. That’s a bigger commitment than you think.
2. You come off as lazy.
   Yep, you read it right. Someone who’s not able to express themselves in words shows that you aren’t really prepared to do the work. You’re likely to ignore the advice anyway.
3. Details pique interest.
   The other person might not have time for small talk. You aren’t friends with them, yet. Why should they talk to you about the weather? You might have been conditioned to think that small talk is the only way to start a conversation, but that’s not true. Get to the point. Make it easier for the other person to respond by including as many details as you can. Ask your question in the first message itself. Let me know how it goes!