Effective Steps for Introducing Contacts Via Email

Email introductions are a great way to increase your network, build a personal brand, as well as introduce your contacts.

But you’ll need to find the balance between conveying your intent and making a smart first impression. And to help you do that, we’ve outlined some effective tips for making an email introduction.

You want your email introduction to be clear and direct. It needs to provide all the relevant information and make whoever you’re introducing feel worth getting to know.

Steps For Making An Email Introduction

Make sure you’re comfortable in making the introduction

Give yourself permission to reject any introduction request you’re uncomfortable with.

You don’t have to do every favor that is asked of you. Whenever a friend asks you to introduce them to every senior executive you know, be polite, but don’t feel bad in telling them “No.”

Get permission

Make sure that both parties are aware of the introduction before you begin writing your email. You can send them a quick note to ask for their permission. If you’re unsure where to start, here’s a template for your reference:

Hey [Name],

I hope you’re doing well today. [Name of Contact who asked for the introduction, e.g. Chris] asked me if I could introduce him to you. Chris is a [brief description of the contact and how you know them]. He wanted to talk to you about [topic].

I wanted to run it by your first. Please let me know if this is fine with you and if you’re interested.

Thank you!

[Your Signature]

Write a clear subject line

Ensure your email has a clear subject line so recipients can instantly know what it is about. Even something as simple as “Introduction to [Name of the person who asked for introduction]” will work. There’s no need to overdo it.

Be straightforward

Keep your emails short and sweet. You can add greetings at the beginning of your email but be careful not to drag on for too long. In sentences one or two, you should introduce the topic or thank the author for agreeing to the introduction.

Introduce both parties clearly

Start by introducing the person who asked you to make the connection. Mention who they are as a professional and why they asked to be introduced. Ensure you include a brief introduction about both parties. This will help everyone get on the same page.

Indicate the next steps

If either contact wanted to communicate with one another over the phone or in person, you might include that in your email. If not, you can keep it vague and say they can “connect directly” with each other.

Walk away

Your email should end with a statement that you are leaving the thread so they can better get acquainted. Once you have sent the email, you don’t need to respond to that thread.

Email Introduction Sample Template

Hi [Contact 1],

Thank you so much for agreeing to talk to [Contact 2] about [Why Contact 2 requested an intro. E.g., to ask about a specific company or search for jobs in the industry]. This email contains [Contact 2’s pronoun; e.g., him, her, them] so you can connect directly [for a coffee meeting/ short call/ a chat].

I mentioned in my previous email that [Contact 1] is a [Flattering description of Contact 1 you can think of while still being truthful. For example, “is the best salesperson I know” or “is an expert in your field.]

I’ll let both of you take it from here.

All the best,

[Signature]

Final Note

Email introductions are essential to making connections, forging new relationships, and connecting with your clients.

Follow these steps for making an email introduction, and make sure to keep it simple. Also, don’t forget to keep your message genuine and personal. At the end of the day, it’s all about human connection.