A simple, proven framework for connecting with new clients (and even friends)

Plus, the power of not focusing on a specific outcome when you first connect with someone

Hi there, my friend.

I first spoke with Grace Lemire three years ago, back when I was conducting interviews for my book. I had seen some of her TikToks about money and reached out to learn more about her experience. After speaking with her, I left impressed with her drive, passion and smarts.

Fast forward to 2025, and I felt compelled to reach out to Grace again after seeing this LinkedIn post about a simple, no-pressure tactic she used for reaching out to potential business clients.

It came down to this simple framework…

"Hey, saw what you’re building at [company]. [reason why you genuinely love it]. Let me know how I can support!"

That’s it.

It seemed like a perfect example of what we talk about at “Ask, Save, Earn” when it comes to the importance of putting yourself out there, so I wanted to share it with you.

By the way, the tactic isn’t just for business clients. It can work in your personal life, too.

Here’s my email interview with Grace, edited lightly…

Matt Schulz: First, can you tell me a little about yourself and your business? (Also, can you ballpark for me how many followers you have? Social, newsletter, etc.)

Grace Lemire: I am a full-time freelance marketer and content creator. I launched my freelance business 4 years ago and started social media (180k followers across platforms) about a year after that. I work primarily with startup founders, helping build their personal brands on social media via ghostwritten copy.

MS: I love this no-pitch outreach approach that you've talked about. How did you come across it and do you have a success story from it that you could share?

GL: Since the beginning, I've made it a priority to get in close proximity to people who are smarter than me (or even just those with different skillsets and knowledge bases) because I think you learn 10x faster that way.

One day, I just happened upon a company called Uprise online and loved what they were building. I did a little research on the founders, thought they were super-cool and knowledgable people, and decided to send one founder, Chris, a LinkedIn message. It used the exact format I shared in the post. It was coming from a pure desire to connect and support the startup they were building. He asked me to hop on a call to chat more and come to find out, they needed marketing support. I ended up working with them for over a year.

It made me realize that networking is immensely valuable for career opportunities, but as freelancers, people go about it by cold pitching far too often. Just focusing on genuine connection leads to much better quality relationships, which I think makes people want to work with you even more.

MS: Successful, in-demand people get contacted constantly by people seeking a few minutes of their time. What is it that you think has made this no-pitch approach super-successful for you?

GL: I think it's because I'm not asking for any of their time. I offer to support them. The first time I did this, I was imagining him saying something like, "Yeah, we're on ProductHunt right now and would love an upvote!" or something like that. I didn't expect it to lead to a work opportunity. (Editor’s note: ProductHunt is an online platform for sharing and discovering new products. It describes itself as “a place for product-loving enthusiasts to share and geek out about the latest mobile apps, websites, hardware projects, and tech creations.”)

I also do this mostly with startup founders, not the CEOs of massive companies who get 10,000 messages per day, and I think that helps.

MS: It can be nerve-wracking to reach out to people, especially people that you admire. Do you think that an approach like this can make it easier for people to try? Why?

GL: Yeah, I think it can create a simpler framework. A Connect message on LinkedIn is short -– you don't need to prepare a big speech or a long conversation. It's a quick note. Type it. Send it. If they don't respond? So what? Move onto the next person you're interested in connecting with. Detach from a specific outcome.

MS: The concept of detaching from a specific outcome is so important, but it can be easier said than done, right? It can be tough to be patient. Do you have any suggestions to help people more easily detach?

GL: I think this is where people go wrong and why they often get frustrated fast.

If you expect every single connection to generate some sort of financial result (i.e., getting hired), you'll be disappointed quickly. The goal is to focus on genuine connection and let it lead to genuine opportunities because of a true mutual desire to work together. I find that when I detach from the outcome, I connect with people more, and oftentimes the outcome is better than what I anticipated.

MS: Your post talked about this no-pitch approach as a way to reach out to prospective business clients. However, do you think a similar approach could work when trying to connect with someone socially? Why or why not?

GL: Absolutely! This approach is essentially just a framework for making genuine connections. You can apply it to anyone you'd like to connect with, whether business or not.

MS: Are you someone who is generally comfortable with raising your hand in a roomful of people, introducing yourself to strangers or asking for things? Have you found that it has gotten easier for you over the years?

GL: I am someone who's comfortable speaking up when I feel called, and it has gotten easier over time. As a business owner, you learn the lesson very quickly that closed mouths don't get fed. You have to put yourself out there if you want to move forward in your career. And truly, if you putting yourself out there doesn't work/generates no result/your outreach doesn't land, so what?

MS: Lastly, if there was one thing you'd want people to know about reaching out to connect with others, what would that be?

GL: Just be human. Be yourself. Talk like you normally would. Be genuinely curious about what other people are doing. People are craving connection, not a stale, formal message.

Share your story about making connections

The older I get, the clearer it becomes that you are your network. It is so easy to apply for any number of jobs today, so it has never been more important to leverage connections to stand out. That’s why I love Grace’s advice so much. It’s so simple, but it can be incredibly powerful.

Keep it simple.

Be curious.

Focus on making real, genuine connections rather than seeing them as just transactional.

Believe me, it works. In a future post, I’ll share some of my experiences with networking. It isn’t a stretch to say that I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.

Got a success story to share? Drop it in the comments below or message me in the Substack app. I’d love to hear it.

Update from last week

My son’s move back to college, which I talked about in last week’s post, went about as smoothly as possible. Plenty of tears shed, though fewer than last year, and plenty of excitement for what’s ahead.

Here’s to starting amazing new chapters!

Until next time…
Matt