Who Needs Professional Email Introductions and How to Make Them the Best

1. When do you need to make email introductions?
2. Essential elements of a successful introduction email template
3. Tips vs. mistakes: how to make the best email introductions
4. Useful advice to create awesome introductions via email
5. Our favorite email introductions examples

Useful tools:
1. Newoldstamp - Email signature marketing
2. Mailchimp - Email builder and sender
3. Reply.io - Personal email outreach, calls, and tasks
4. Mailtrack - Email link opens tracking
5. Canva - Online tool for making designs

Email is still one of the most common ways to communicate in the digital world. And a proper email introduction plays an equally important role as the introduction in real life.

via GIPHY

When do you need to make email introductions?

There are various situations when you might need to nail an introduction email. Here are just a few examples. 

• Networking email introduction

An introductory email is a good way to establish a new network connection that might help you somehow in the future.

• Applying for a job

If you are sending your CV or want to know more about the company/position, also start with the introduction. 

You might also like: “How to Write a Successful Job Inquiry Email: The Finest Guide with Examples.”

• Introducing yourself as a new employee

This way, you can also present yourself as a qualified professional and friendly colleague at your new place of employment.

• Contacting a possible job candidate

This type of email could be the first thing you send as a company representative to a possible job candidate.

• Reaching out to a potential client

Let your potential client know you better. Introduce your service and offers to them.

source: Medium

• Making a business offer 

Explain your potential business partner who you are and how you both can benefit from your collaboration.

Essential elements of a successful introduction email template

Here are eleven steps you need to follow if you want to master writing effective professional email introductions. 

#1 Make sure you write to an actual person

Avoid sending your introduction to generic email addresses like info@something.com. Chances that nobody will get back to you are pretty high. Plus, knowing the specific person you are writing to will help you craft a more authentic and interesting letter than if you write to a general audience.

#2 Use a clear subject line

Make it clear in a subject what the email is about. It is crucial to keep it short and to the point since a lot of people read emails on their mobile devices. For example:

“Copywriter position — Natalie Polly.” 

“Can I buy you dinner?” 

“Sandra Bullock suggested I get in touch.”

#3 Add a proper greeting

If you are writing on a casual basis, you can choose between greetings like “Hi,” “Hello.” It is better to avoid generic greetings such as “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To whom it may concern” because they will make your email non-personalized. We recommend you to use a simple salutation such as “Dear + name” in any situation.

Read more about proper greetings in business emails.

#4 Start an email body with something about the recipient

In this paragraph, you can mention any similarities you have (e.g., you went to the same college, share the same hometown, etc.) It is also appropriate to compliment the recipient’s best-performing articles, blogs, projects.

#5 Mention any mutual connections

A mutual connection increases your chances of getting a response, advice, or assistance. Consider mentioning the referral in a subject line or the first paragraph, so the recipient sees it right away. Even if you are sure that you don't have any mutual connections, we highly suggest you check once again anyways. The results might surprise you. The best places to search for mutual acquaintances are LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, recipient’s blog posts, and acknowledgment pages (if a person wrote a book). 

source: Thebalancecareers.com

#6 Clearly describe the reason you are contacting them

Today, people are busier than ever, and very few have time to read long letters. So, don't be vague and get to the point as soon as possible. Also, keep in mind that the introduction email is not your short bio.

#7 Avoid making demands

Form your sentences so that they sound like you make a suggestion or ask for advice. Avoid dictating someone what to do. For instance, “Would you be willing to sign the paper?” sounds more polite than “Sign the paper and send it back to me.” 

#8 Give some value to the recipient

Explain how you can help them. It's easy to do when you are writing to apply for a job or want to introduce your product or service. But what if it is a networking email? In such situations, compliments can also be considered as a value because you make people feel great when you say something nice about them. In addition, you can recommend them an article they might like, write a review on Facebook about their business and share the link, or offer to introduce them to someone who they would take advantage of knowing.

#9 Consider using a call to action

It is a good idea to include a direct call to action (CTA), which will make it easier for the reader to respond to your email. This CTA can range from adding a link for them to leave a review of your business to a more personal invitation to meet for lunch.

#10 Make a conclusion

Often, a show of appreciation like “Thank you” or “I appreciate your help” is enough. 

#11 Use a professional email signature

Make it easy for the recipient to get back in touch with you by including a professional email signature with your name, job title, and phone number. It is also an excellent idea to include URLs to your social media accounts. Here is how to set up your email signature.

You might also like: “The Ultimate Guide: How to Make the Most of Your Business Email Signatures.”

Tips vs. mistakes: how to make the best email introductions

• DON'T contact total strangers

They might question where you got their email address.

• DO find some common acquaintances

You will be surprised by how many people you have common acquaintances with. Just search well.

• DON'T talk about yourself only

Try to focus on the person you are getting in touch with. For instance, instead of writing, “I am a QA engineer at ABC company with 5+ years of experience,” first mention something like “I enjoyed reading your blog and listening to your podcast.”

• DO point out your similarities

As we already mentioned, it can be even the same college, hometown, state, country. The possibilities are endless here.

• DON'T be too long

Keep in mind that too long introduction emails have high chances of getting right into a trash bin.

• DO write short and concise emails

Learn to introduce yourself briefly. Delete unnecessary adjectives and no-sense sentences.

• DON'T ask for favors right away

It’s not the best idea to ask the recipient to do something for you right in the first email. Even if you do this, try to make a suggestion and don’t be too persistent. Learn the subtle difference between “Would you be open to…?” and “Please give me feedback on...”.

• DO offer something first

Don’t only ask, but also give something valuable. You can share a useful app, article, etc. or simply offer your help with anything.

Read our blog post: “The Best Tips for Cold Outreach Before Conference: Increase Your Network and Get More Leads.”

Useful advice to create awesome introductions via email

What else can you do to achieve the best possible results when writing your email introduction yourself? Here are a few more tips you might consider optimizing your introductory message.

• Check the grammar of your emails

Before you send your email, make sure to check if all the names are spelled correctly, and there are no typos or mistakes. Recipients might perceive your poor grammar as a lack of effort or attention to detail. This is especially important for new job email introductions.

source: Grammarly

• Avoid complicated designs and visuals

Try to keep your introduction emails as simple and easy-to-read as possible. Avoid using too many different colors, fonts, and large pictures. However, some situations allow adding a GIF.

• Consider sending test emails to yourself

We recommend you send an email to yourself first to ensure that everything looks great before sending it to someone else. It might be useful to ask a friend or family member to check the email as well.

• Always follow-up

Don't be upset if you haven't received a response immediately. Sometimes, you need to send a second or even third message to be noticed by the recipient. 

Our favorite email introductions examples

Introduction email example - Applying for a job

Introduction email example - Networking email 

Introduction Email Example - Informal Email To a New Team Member

Introduction email example - Follow-up email