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Using email to be introduced to a sales prospect who can help you with your business goals seems like one of the most logical and simple things in the world to do, yet it can be incredibly difficult to get right. So many factors come into play, and these factors can be real hurdles if you’re not careful. The main issue is a lack of knowledge, and this means that people who want to get introduced often employ techniques and strategies that end up making them look rude or boorish. You don’t want this. Try some of our tips here and you should be able to get the mix right.
- Your first job is to ensure that you’ve picked the right person to be introduced to. This is best achieved by using platforms like LinkedIn, where you can literally look at the positions and responsibilities of prospects and therefore pick out the right people to ask for contact with. You can also use software like Conspire, which gives you a clear breakdown of the people in your email loop. This way, you don’t come across as someone who is ill-informed and unable to make the right connection, which is a real no-no if you want to make any progress in your sales campaign.
- When you are contacting someone, be very specific with the details about the kinds of people you would like to meet. Simply saying that you want a meeting with someone in the company, or are interested in contacting leads, is way too vague and will make you look like you are trying to spam contacts. Instead, focus on job titles and the actual areas of the business these people are in. This saves time, as you are not wasting your time with people who offer no value. On top of that, it stops people from feeling like you can’t offer value as well.
- When asking for an introduction, keep a high level of detail about the reasons you are reaching out. State very clearly and concisely how you can help them. Remember, it’s never about you, it’s always about “What’s In it For Them”. It is important that you are clear about why you want to get to know the person. The more specific you are, the less time is wasted determining if there’s a fit and the more professional you appear. You can opt to list out some reasons at this stage, but if you do create a list on why you want to be introduced, keep the list simple and clear. The longer it gets, the more bored the recipient becomes. Quick and snappy rules the day in this area.
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- With regards to the person you want to be introduced to, you can include social capital or kudos in your introduction request. You have to be careful here though, because not everyone is that impressed with a long list of your social media connections, for example. If you know people that your prospect would perhaps like to speak with, don’t go overboard. Name dropping too much is not going to do anything but annoy them. It is best to let things happen at their own pace. If you manage this aspect of the email carefully, the recipients should be impressed anyway.
- When asking someone to help you get introduced, ensure the social capital is there. It’s all about helping. The person who can introduce you will appreciate it if you have helped them get business before. Send multiple prospects their way whenever it seems like a fit. One of the biggest and most useful ways to get introductions done well is to help as many people as possible. They will appreciate you and want to help you.
Finally, and to help smooth out the process even more, always follow up if that person has introduced you to a lead before. Follow up and give thanks. This is networking at its most dynamic, so if you are able to keep on top of the process and stay in touch, it can only help.
About the Author
Seth Gold is the CEO and Founder of Entro.io, a tool that allows connectors to quickly make and manage their email introductions. With Entro, you can automate your double opt-in introductions to respect everyone’s time, including your own. They also help you track the status of each intro and automatically follow up so you are never left out of the loop.
