How to get the busiest people to reply to your emails

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tim cook

Rick Wilking/Reuters

Apple CEO Tim Cook checks his phone during a break in the 2014 Allen and Co. media conference.

In an episode of "The 4-Hour Workweek" author Tim Ferriss' podcast, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen's creative partner behind hits like "Superbad" and "Pineapple Express," told Ferriss that he's become aware of how important it is to confidently reach out to people you admire.

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Goldberg acknowledged that he's in an advantageous position to make professional connections now that he's established a successful career, but he mentioned how a connection who now works at Funny Or Die once approached him on the street and turned that conversation into a regular correspondence that works in both of their favors.

"Sometimes people just drop their guards and agree to sh-- they shouldn't," Goldberg said, only half-jokingly.

One of the best ways to initiate a conversation with someone you admire - whether they're in your industry or just someone with an interesting career - is through a cold email.

We've gathered our favorite tips on crafting emails that the busiest people will reply to, from Ferriss, Influencers founder and behavioral expert Jon Levy, and behavioral finance author Ramit Sethi.

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