My tips for reaching out for professional favors to people you do not know well: 1. MOST IMPORTANTLY: keep the language professional and succinct. Be brief. Talk to this person as if they were your boss, or even better, your bosses boss. This means only sending messages during work days from 9-5. Keep the tone and messaging clean and clear. Don’t get emotional, needy or desperate ever. Being a professional means appearing steady, confident and reliable. This starts from your very first message.