Say why you are there

Open with the reason, plainly, in one sentence. "I am trying to work out whether to do X, and you have done it — could I ask you three things?" That sentence does most of the work, because the other person immediately knows the size of the ask and whether they can meet it.

Vagueness feels more polite and is actually much harder to respond to. "I would love to hear about your career" hands somebody a blank page and thirty minutes to fill. Three specific questions give them something they can answer well in ten.