How to Write an Intro Email

Introducing … [drum roll] … the best intro email ever! This week, hotlou shares his lessons in how to write an intro email. Mike jumps in with a few lessons of his own. And together, they may have — dare we say — crafted the most perfect intro email ever.

Write an Intro Email that Sparks Action

The full email text from the show appears at the bottom of these show notes. I’ve also included the screenshot from the original.

I think everyone knows that it’s pretty standard to include the person’s name and why you’re making the intro. That usually includes an occupation in the context of business introductions.

Let’s dive deeper.

1. Who

Make sure the parties reading the message get a sense of who the person is beyond their name and occupation. Add some color about who the person is. Not only does it communicate to the third party that the person is worth knowing, but it also gives you an opportunity to show the person reading your description of them that you may know that better than they realize.

Don’t feel like you necessarily need to be nearly as hyperbolic as pointed out in the show. But putting a little effort in usually benefits all parties.

2. Why

This part sometimes can be the simplest. In fact, if you do a great job tying in the description of both parties, it’s usually as simple a single line, followed by a “I’ll let you two take it from here.”

3. What

As Mike so adroitly pointed out, the subject line can be the first impression. His example of “good men great introductions” is brilliant. And it increases the likelihood that it will be opened.

Intro Madlibs

Here’s the format hotlou walks through. Let’s go ahead and make it as close to a madlib (stay tuned for improvements on this):

FirstNameA — Meet FirstNameB LastNameB. [Describe FirstNameB LastNameB in a couple sentences in a straightforward way]. [Add something more creative and flatteringly about FirstNameB LastNameB]. [Finish with something friendly and funny].

[Reverse the names, follow the same format.]

[State your reason for introducing the two]

[Finish with a next step. Usually, “I’ll let you two take it from here.”]

It wasn’t mentioned on the episode, but usually when you receive these, it can be helpful to bcc the original sender. This technique saves their inbox. And you can even include “Thanks [introducer]! (to bcc to save your inbox).”

Reply All, the National Treasure

Email debt forgiveness day was invented by the hosts of hotlou’s second favorite podcast: Reply All.

Just begin the message with “Please forgive me.” and a link to the email debt forgiveness day website. New celebrity listeners Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt will take care of the rest.

Meet Phil Pogge

Mike — Meet Phil Pogge (“POH-ghee”). Phil is my super agent. I can ask him just about anything and he has a resource or an intro for me. He also has recently made the move I don’t have the guts to do: shave his head to combat MPB. More relevantly, he is primed to make some power moves in wind energy in Nebraska. When he executes it, we shall call it “The Pogge.”

Phil — Meet Mike Franklin (“FRANK-lin”). It has been said about Mike Franklin that he drove me to drinking and at times I’ve driven him to quit — but to be fair, I said both those things and neither are true. I’ve known him since we were 9 years old and he thought I was a bully. Fast friends we were. More recently, however, he was an energy lobbyist and working at the MN Chamber. Today, he’s a lobbyist at a grass-roots firm and I occasionally assist on the Facebook side of that initiative. I’d make a joke, but as you both know, I don’t joke about Facebook.

Anyway, you guys should know each other. I’ll let you take it from here, but if you ever have beers without me, I will hold it against you.

Best,
hotlou