tl;dr: Make it easier and more effective for introducers to make connections for you by writing them specifically structured emails: Forwardable Introduction Requests (FIR).1
In the last two weeks, I’ve been asked for 6 introductions to various people and ended up successfully making 2 of those introductions.
For every one of those 6 requests, I’ve liked the person asking and wanted to make the introduction. But the way the askers made these requests was both ineffective for the asker and also inefficient for me.
This was my prompt, if you will, to write up how I ask for introductions. This is what I want people to do if they want me to do an introduction.
Making an introduction isn’t just connecting two people via email. A good introduction requires consent in advance from the introducee (the person to whom the asker is being introduced) and for the introducer to be able to communicate a lot of information about the asker.
Without asking the introducee in advance, the introduction becomes an ambush. So as the introducer, I always reach out first to the introducee to explain who the asker is, why they want to be introduced, and (ideally) why the introducee might benefit from or enjoy meeting the asker. I always ask the introducee if they’re willing to be introduced. If I’ve done a good job, the answer is usually yes.
As the introducer, I need to communicate three things to do a good job:
As Alex Iskold has pointed out, compiling this information takes time. To do it properly takes more than 10–15 minutes, especially if it involves emailing the asker to explain why they want the introduction. The 4 introductions I didn’t manage to make? Those fell through because the asker didn’t give me enough information — or didn’t give me the information fast enough — for me to do a good introduction.
Askers can make requesting an introduction much more efficient and more effective by doing it for the introducer.
Here’s my process, which I wish everyone would follow when asking me for an introduction. It might be helpful for you too.
Before reaching out to an introducer, I do research to be as specific as I can about what I need and who might be able to provide it. Whenever I skip this step, I regret it (I get introduced to the wrong people, I waste an introducer’s time, etc.)
Before assuming they’ll make an introduction, I send a quick email or message asking if they’d be open to it. Something like:
Subject: Would you be open to making introductions on [topic, as specific as possible]?
Hey [Introducer], I’m working on [project]. I’d love to connect with someone who [has expertise in X]. Would you be open to making an introduction if you know someone relevant? If yes, I’ll send you an email you can forward easily that has the relevant information about what I’m doing and what help I need. Also happy to get on a quick call to explain in a bit more detail. Let me know?
Many thanks in advance,
This serves two purposes for the introducer: It lets them decline easily if they can’t help (or they don’t want to), and it tells them that they won’t have to do any heavy lifting to help me out by making some introductions.
If the introducer says yes, I send them a FIR, which is a short email that is specifically written so that it can be forwarded without any modification on their part. The subject line is usually something like:
Subject: Know anyone you can introduce me to who [has relevant expertise]?
Hey [Introducer],
I’m working on [project] and would love to speak with someone about [specific need or expertise]. Do you know anyone who would be a good fit? Would love your thoughts and suggestions.
Thanks in advance! [Your Name, website, LinkedIn profile, or whatever is useful for the introducee to do a quick validation]
This type of FIR doesn’t specify the particular person I want to be introduced to. I’ve found this more useful because it allows the introducer to forward it more widely without needing to edit anything. This seems to increase my chances of getting a relevant but unexpected connection.
When I receive an FIR like this, as an introducer, I can forward it on by simply adding a brief line at the top to explain how I know the asker. Nothing else is needed from me other than to think about who I should forward it to.
The people I forward it to can reply if they’re interested or ignore it. If they do reply, I just add the asker’s email, and then my job is done. From there, it’s on the asker to follow up and make the most of the opportunity.
A good FIR saves time for the introducer, increases the likelihood that the introducer can cast a wider net for relevant introductions to make, and is more informative for introducees. A good FIR increases your chances of getting a useful introduction, and makes the process smoother for everyone involved.
The forwardable introduction email is not a new idea and several people have written about them before — such as Roy Bahat and Alex Iskold. The ones I’ve seen (including the two I linked above) focus on writing a forwardable introduction email tailored for just one person but I take a different approach. Works for me but ymmv…↩︎