- Email Bill Gates at [email protected]. For media inquiries, email [email protected].
- Send a letter to Bill Gates at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The mailing address is PO Box 23350, Seattle, WA, 98102.
- You can also tweet at Bill Gates. His handle is @BillGates.
Using Social Media
Tweet at Bill Gates on Twitter using his handle, @BillGates. This is best if you want his opinion on a news topic or something equally casual and informal that you don’t mind being public. Compose a tweet of 280 characters or less and tag @BillGates somewhere in the tweet (it doesn’t matter if it’s at the beginning, middle, or end). A sample tweet would be, “Question for you, @BillGates: What’s your biggest tip for new grads like myself entering the tech field?” Don’t spam his account by tweeting at him 20 times in a row. At most, tweet at him once a day and, if you’re going to tweet at him multiple times, switch up the language of your tweet. Avoid copying and pasting.
Connect with Bill Gates on LinkedIn with a personalized message. On his profile page, click the ellipses under his picture and select “Connect” from the menu that drops down. You’ll be prompted to include a personal message that’s 300 characters or less with your request. Briefly explain why you’re reaching out to him and include your contact information like phone number and email address. If you don’t customize your connection request, this is the automatic message that will be sent to Bill Gates with your request: “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” A sample message would look like this: “Dear Bill Gates, I’ve been following you for a long time and am really impressed by how you started your own company and turned it into one of the biggest names in the world. I’d love to interview you about being an entrepreneur for a post on my blog. If you’re interested, you can reach me at [email protected]. Thanks!” You can’t send someone a private message on LinkedIn until you’re connected.
Comment on a picture or send a direct message on Instagram. Find Bill Gates’ page by opening the Instagram app on your phone and searching “@thisisbillgates.” For quick remarks like compliments or feedback, leave a comment on Bill Gates’ most recent picture with your question. For longer queries, tap the ellipses in the top right corner of his page and then tap “Send Message” from the menu that pops up. This will send him a private message. It’s not necessary to tag @thisisbillgates in the comments or messages. He will automatically receive a notification without the tag. Bill Gates rarely, if ever, comments back on his pictures so don’t leave a comment if it’s something you want him to answer. If he responds to a comment, you’ll get a notification. A conversation bubble in an orange box will pop up at the bottom of the app. If he responds to a direct message, you’ll see the mailbox icon in the top right corner of your homepage turn into a blue circle with a “1” in it. Tap the circle to read his response.
Leave a comment on one of his Facebook posts. There’s no option to directly message Bill Gates via his Facebook profile so comment on one of his pictures or status updates instead. Acknowledge the original post with a compliment or comment on the content of the post, then move onto your own question or reason for contacting him. Everyone can see your comment so keep it professional and respectful. Your comment might be, “Love this picture of you and your daughter! What’s been the hardest part about raising kids while having a successful career at the same time?” Bill Gates’ profile page is located at www.facebook.com/BillGates.
Sending an Email
Start with an intriguing subject line that will get him to open the email. This is the most important step to ensure that your email isn’t just automatically deleted. Express what the email is about in an interesting way. For example, your subject line could be, “A note from your biggest fan” instead of “Contact request.” Using your question as the subject line itself is a straightforward and practical method. Your subject line would be, “What inspired you to start Microsoft?”. Keep your subject line to less than 70 characters so it is mobile-friendly. Avoid emojis, all caps, or excessive exclamation points that make your email look like spam. This could get it sent to the junk mail folder, never to be seen again.
Describe the reason for your email in less than 125 words. No one wants to read a huge wall of text, especially not someone as busy as Bill Gates. The shorter the email, the better. Be concise and get straight to the point by including your reason for contacting him in the very first sentence, then using the next 2 to 3 sentences to flesh out the details. The entire email should be about 4 to 6 sentences. A sample email would look like, “Hi Mr. Gates, I loved your book The Road Ahead so much that I’d like to raffle off a signed copy of it for an upcoming charity event I’m hosting. The event is on October 3rd at the University of Michigan and all proceeds from the raffle will go towards helping inner city children get into college. If you’re interested in supporting such a great cause, you can mail the book to my attention at 515 East Jefferson Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Thank you, John Smith.” Include a greeting at the beginning of your message and a closing at the end. Proofread your email for grammar and spelling. Gmail has these features built in but there are plenty of sites online where you can paste your text and have it reviewed instantly for free.
Send the finished email to [email protected]. This is the general email for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the only public email available for Bill Gates. Make sure all of the fields (subject line, address, and body) are filled out correctly and thoroughly before clicking “Send.” You may get an automatic response letting you know that your email was received. CC yourself on the email too to get it in your inbox and see what it looks like. CC is email lingo for “carbon copy” and is an optional field below the address field where you can type in your own email address. If you’re part of the media or press and have a media inquiry, email [email protected].
Mailing a Letter
Write a 1-page letter to Bill Gates addressing the 5 W’s. These are who, what, when, where, and why. Include a brief description of who you are, what your reason for contacting Mr. Gates is, and why he should care about whatever it is you’re asking for or saying. The “when” and “where” W’s are only applicable if you’re contacting him about an event or interview. Be as specific as possible when you’re writing your letter and include as many details as you can without going over a single-spaced, typed page. Start your letter with a salutation and end with a proper closing before signing your name. Keep your letter professional. Even if you are expressing a complaint, remember that you’re talking to a very well-respected and influential man. Be respectful and always err on the side of being too formal rather than too casual when it comes to your language. Use a spell check program on your computer or ask a friend to proofread your letter before you send it to fix any typos or grammar mistakes.
Include a prepaid return envelope if you want a response. This is not only a courtesy, it also increases the chances that you’ll get a response since it makes answering your letter incredibly easy and convenient. Purchase the envelope with a prepaid stamp or label at the post office and have it addressed to you so Bill Gates can respond without spending a dime or having to go to the post office himself. Most shipping services also offer prepaid envelope options. The cost of a prepaid envelope depends on the size of the envelope, which shipping service you’re using, and the current postage rate.
Fill the envelope and address it to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation’s mailing address is PO Box 23350, Seattle, WA, 98102. Write or type the address on the front of the envelope along with “Attn: Bill Gates” on the first line so the mail carrier knows exactly who in the building should receive the letter. Stuff the envelope with your letter and, if you’re sending one, the prepaid return envelope. The physical headquarters’ address is also listed on the foundation’s website. That address is: 500 Fifth Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109.
Mail the filled envelope with a tracking number. Instead of just dropping the envelope in the mailbox, go to the post office or shipping service in person and request that the letter be sent with tracking. This means that you’ll be given a unique number that you can use to check the status of your envelope online and know when it’s delivered and signed for. Tracking may make your postage a little more expensive but it’s often worth it for peace of mind. If you live in the United States, the U.S. Postal Service offers tracking on first class mail and priority mail packages.
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