3 TIPS WHEN CONNECTING PEOPLE TOGETHER VIA EMAIL

As our worlds get smaller with the advent of the internet, people who are separated by distance can now be brought together through the power of email. Email is the best way to initially introduce people who are not physically in front of each other. Arranging a phone introduction is awkward – it is better to introduce two people over email and then let them discuss their business without you and at their convenience.

Knowing you’ve made an introduction that will equally benefit both people being introduced is terrific feeling. But, making an introduction in our fast paced world is more challenging now than it used to be. We all have more friends, followers, and connections than we realise and getting someone’s attention takes an artful introduction.

To ensure that both recipients see the value to an email introduction, here are some tips you need to keep in mind.

Explain the purpose of the introduction

Make it clear why you’re making the introduction – why the two people should meet. Just think – if someone introduces you to someone via email and doesn’t make it clear why he/she is trying to connect you with each other, chances are great that you will not proceed with the meeting. Explain the value one party can bring the other. By introducing people, you most probably know that one party has a need which you know the other party can provide the answer to. Or it could be that you know that both parties connecting with be mutually beneficial. Whatever the reason, make it clear – and then leave the two parties pick up from the introduction.

Give an overview of each person and how you know them

The more complete the introduction the easier it will be for the two to help each other. By giving each party a glimpse into how you met the other party, you give the impression that the person has gone through your strict scrutiny, and is therefore someone the other side can trust. One of the serious things to avoid when making these email introductions is to pave the way for two people you hardly know to meet. If anything goes wrong, you will always be known as the person who makes bad introductions – which you won’t like, of course.

Follow-up on the introduction

It is usually incumbent on the person being introduced to the other person to follow-up with an email thanking the introducer and schedule a meeting with the person s/he was introduced to.But allow the two parties sometime to connect after you have initially sent the email introduction. After a few days (not a few minutes!), volunteer to be present during a physical meeting between the two people you introduced. This way, awkward moments for both parties are eliminated, plus this helps both parties to be more at ease. If a physical meeting isn’t possible due to schedules or distance, ask for updates from both people – to ensure you that things went well.