Cold messages to people in my field, do they work? - 20 weeks in

I want to talk to people in a new field but I hate cold messages. It has been a long 20 weeks. Some people reply with short answers. What did you ask?

I wrote three short lines: who I am, why them and a small ask for fifteen minutes. About one in four said yes.

I asked what they wish they had known at my stage. People enjoy answering that.