Cold messages to people in my field, do they work? after 5 years as a sales associate

A friend suggested informational chats and I do not know how to ask. I have been trying to stay organised about it. I want advice, not a job directly. How do you phrase the request?

Follow up with a thank-you and a short update. One of my chats led to a referral a month later.

Keep everything in writing and save the confirmation numbers. It made the follow-up calls so much easier.