It started with an email, the inverse of a cold pitch.

This was in 2023. And I had started consulting a few years prior. 

Earlier in 2018, I had gotten my first remote job with a cold pitch. But 5 years later, things were slightly different.

I wanted a new role. I desired a position I didn't have before. That's when I got the email.

The First Secret of Influence 

It was an email blast to everybody. The startup was growing. And I saw there was an opportunity to make an impact with the company. I replied to the email blast offering my congratulations, and I also shared some suggestions. 

The founder contacted me back. He loved it and asked to have a call. Why would I refuse? 

A few days later, we had a call and he shared the things they are working on and the challenges they had. I offered (for zero charge) to promote his offer to my private email list.

This is the first lesson in building influence and authority. Nobody grants you influence and authority on a platter. You need to have something on your own that makes you worthy of influence. 

In my own case, as a marketing consultant, I have my own email list and I have promoted offers for clients to my email list for little or no charge. It is called building trust. 

If you have nothing, it is hard to go past the conversation stage. I have encouraged several people to build a personal brand on social media as a leverage. For most professionals, LinkedIn seems to be the best platform.

People will give you what it feels like you already have. If you have nothing, it will be hard for them to rationalize their decision to give you something.

Practical Steps 

Most remote companies have people working from multiple regions of the world. In some cases, your co-workers might misinterpret you in their heads. This is why it is important to label yourself before they label you.

The first practical step here is to learn how to correctly pronounce people's names. Of course, you can't do this with everybody. But you can do it with the people you work most frequently with. 

It is said that the most beautiful sound in the world to a person is the person's name. 

The second practical step is to give without holding back. I learned this a few years ago from my business coach. Gatekeeping will only limit your opportunities. 

When you give, people feel the urge to reciprocate the gesture. The insight you hoard has no value. 

The third practical step is to document. This is super important in remote work environments. If you don't document your impact, after a while, it will start to feel like you had none. 

The fourth practical step is to build in public. One of the beautiful uses of social media today is the ability it gives people to document their journey in the public domain. 

There are many content ideas and forms for this. A simple example is making a piece of content every week (on your most preferred social media platform) sharing one new thing you learned in your work (or profession). It is also a way of documenting your impact (in real time).

The fifth practical step is to take sides. And this means that whenever there is a deliberation in your company or organization, don't sit on the fence for long. Pick a side and construct a sound argument. 

Now, you may end up on the losing side. But you will gain more respect and influence among your colleagues. The goal is never to win the argument. The goal is to be clear and win the respect of people on both sides.