How To Make Introductions In 2020

Meeting the right investor, customer, partner, or potential hire can make or break your business, and often the best connections come through an introduction by someone you already know.

I’m a firm believer in Double Opt-In Introductions, which means I only introduce two people after I’ve mentioned the introduction to each separately and they’ve both agreed to be introduced to each other. I cannot tell you how many intros I have personally ignored because people add me to an email chain or text thread I didn't agree to be on (Sorry to that man!).

In an effort to positively contribute to positive business etiquette behavior here is a quick email template you can steal:

Introducing 2 people in your network:

Hey [xyz],

It was great catching up at lunch yesterday. You mentioned your podcasting strategy a few times and I think it might be great for you to chat with my friend ABC who runs Two Chainz LLC. Are you open to me reaching out to them to see if they are willing to chat with you?

Thanks,

(Your Name)

XYZ then says “of course”.

Then you send an email/text to ABC and say

Hey ABC,

Was having lunch with XYZ from [insert context] and they’d like to chat with you about their podcasting strategy. Do you have 20 min for them?

Thanks,

(Your Name)

ABC says yes, and then you just forward the email to XYZ, move yourself to the BCC line and say:

"You both have context. See below."

Boom! Excellent email introduction complete. Both parties leave feeling completely bought in to the experience. You’ve protected your network’s time and both appreciate YOU for being thoughtful.

Need an introduction for yourself? Here is a quick template to request an intro:

Hi ABC,

Would you be open to introducing me to [insert person]? I am looking to connect with them for 20 min on the phone about [insert valuable thing you need from them/hyperlink].

Thanks for considering,

(Your Name)

Final Tips:

1. Be brief. No one wants to read 2-3 paragraphs about you or why you are so interesting. Think tweet sized context!
2. Optimize send time: Send requests right after meeting someone or on Tuesday-Thursday, or Saturday. Friday or Monday emails always get buried.
3. Choose which kind of meeting you ask for intentionally and be specific. High-commitment meetings like breakfast or coffee have a lower chance of being accepted. If it’s a long shot offer to do a 15-20 min call.

I've vetted and had great experience with this process! Use it and let me know what type of connections you are out there securing or providing!