Many of my clients are asking me about using email as a way of introducing me to people they know. Here is what Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE has to say on this subject.
In this digital world, most of business is done online with convenience and ease. But what about referrals and introductions? Networking is an important part of business that won’t be pushed aside as we digitize our work processes.
Luckily, making introductions online is easy and effective — as long as you’re doing it right. An introduction is personal by nature, so when making them online there are a few things that must be done to preserve the intimacy of the interaction. Here are some tips for doing online introductions right.
The initial text-based introduction
Whether giving or receiving referrals, an electronic handshake via email or social workspaces can be a very effective form of introduction. Here’s how it works: The referral source sends a message to the prospect and CC’s you. You then follow up with the prospect, but within that first message there are some important things that must happen to facilitate a proper referral. Here are 5 tips for making electronic handshakes more effective:
- Make sure the referral source CC’s you. Ask them to. Don’t assume they will.
- When you contact the prospect, write something like, “I’d like to present myself as a resource to you, as I have been for George. Let’s set up a five-minute call or meeting to get the conversation started.”
- In your first message to the prospect, put your referral sources name in the subject field to increase the chances of the prospect reading the message.
- CC your referral source on this first message so they know you’re moving forward with the referral, but don’t CC them on every correspondence.
- Keep your messages short and try to move into phone calls or meetings as soon as is appropriate. Do not try to make sales via email.
