How to introduce yourself in an email – samples included
If you’re wondering how to introduce yourself in an email, read on to find perfect openers for specific types of situations.
The good news about email introductions – they’re easier than breaking the ice in person with a stranger. You have the time to write (and rewrite) your introductory message until it’s perfect, and you don’t have to make awkward eye contact.
All of that is true – but what if you’re bad at writing email introductions? As a business owner, a negative first impression can start the conversation on the wrong foot and can also cost you important opportunities.
In general, business emails should be brief, and your request should appear in the first or second sentence. But when you’re writing to introduce yourself, you need to first establish some social currency before asking for anything significant.
Still worried? Don’t be! Below, we’ve included several templates to get you through various situations and tips on how to personalize your emails so they have the greatest effect.
An email template is a (mostly) prewritten email you can use to quickly respond to common inquiries or requests. By using it for business introductions, you can save time by not having to type the same thing over and over again, while also receiving some of these additional benefits:
It’s easy to see how an email template can be a valuable tool for your business – and those are just a few of the many benefits.
So what makes a great introductory email template? Here are some essential elements:
With these key components in mind, let’s take a look at some specific examples of great business introduction templates.
Below, we’ll look at several common situations that may benefit from using a template. Each of these scenarios could happen to you frequently or be something you don’t have much experience with.
Either way, a template can provide some benefits over writing an email from scratch.
When you briefly meet a potential client, partner, or investor at an event but don’t get the chance to properly introduce yourself, follow up with an email.
Remind the recipient of how and where you met, and provide your contact information.
Dear [Connection Name],
It was wonderful to meet you last week at [insert conference name]. We only spoke for a brief moment, but I promised I would send you my contact information.
I would love to chat more about your expertise and find ways we can collaborate. Are you available for lunch or coffee this coming week?
Please let me know your availability, and we can plan from there. I look forward to getting to know you more.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
When a mutual acquaintance offers to share a contact with you, always follow up. Your reputation depends on keeping your promises, even if they’re small. Email makes it easy.
Dear [Referral Name],
Our mutual friend, [insert friend name], suggested I contact you about one of my upcoming projects. S/He spoke highly of the work you’ve done with other clients. I took the time to do a bit of research on your background, and it seems that there’s a great opportunity for us to collaborate.
Are you available for a brief phone conversation this week to chat, say, [insert day name]? Please let me know! I’m looking forward to exploring how we can work together.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
This email establishes a connection through a mutual friend or acquaintance and shows that the writer has researched the recipient’s background and expertise.
Occasionally you may encounter the work of another professional, whether on LinkedIn or in person. You think you should connect for current or future ventures? Here’s one way to do it.
Dear [New Connection Name],
We haven’t met, but I’ve been following your work on [insert topic] for a while now. I’m grateful for your invaluable contributions to the space and have been greatly inspired by your research.
I would love the opportunity to talk more and pick your brain this week if you’re available. Coffee on me!
Warmly,
[Your Name]
The writer positions himself or herself as a “fan” but smoothly pivots the intention of the message to a peer-to-peer networking request.
Emphasizing that coffee will be picked up by the writer, as well as positioning the meeting as “picking your brain,” sets it up as a “show up and talk” experience for the recipient, as opposed to an involving or costly event.
Someone you’d like to know received a promotion or just got a new job. It’s a great time to introduce yourself. You need to use a bit of finesse, however, or else you will risk sounding like an opportunist.
Hi [Achiever Name],
It’s so great to hear the good news about your promotion to [position name] at [company name]. Congratulations on your well-earned success! I understand that you’ve been responsible for a lot of [company name]’s growth.
As a long-time follower of [company name] and an expert in my field, I would love to learn more about how I can help you achieve your goals in your new position. Let me know if you have availability this week to schedule a brief conversation over lunch.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Rather than a cheesy “Congratulations!,” the writer demonstrates interest in the company and the reader’s influence there.
Further, the writer establishes expertise and promises to bring helpful research. The reader doesn’t need to do anything except send his or her availability.
One of the primary reasons to introduce yourself is when you’re looking for opportunities for your business. The best strategy is to find the right contact and be forthcoming. Try the following approach.
Dear [Helper’s Name],
You may not be the right person, but I wonder if you can help me—or at least point me in the right direction. Do you use highly skilled [insert role or position name]? We are a boutique firm offering customised solutions to businesses just like yours.
If you’re not the right person to contact, I apologize for taking your time. But any direction you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time!
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
People love to feel helpful. Many organizations are intricate and complex, and if you pick up on it, you can establish instantaneous insider rapport. It may be the only cue they need to happily assist. Also, the shorter paragraphs ensure that the reader will continue to the end.
When building your email template or using one of the ones above, there are a few other factors to keep in mind to make sure it’s as effective as possible. These will vary depending on your specific goals and audience, but here are a few general tips.
Even if the body of your email uses a template and is sure to land you a lunch meeting, the recipient of your email may not even bother to open your message if you write a bad subject line.
One- or two-word subject lines like “Remember me?” are unlikely to survive the spam filter. Here are the types of subject lines that have the best shot of getting opened:
Avoid gimmicks, sarcasm, and irony. Instead, carefully select seven to ten words that pique interest but don’t annoy.
While it’s important to include all the key information, you don’t want to overwhelm recipients with too much text. Keep your email template concise and to the point. If you can’t get the message across in a few sentences, consider a different method of communication, or break it into several topic-specific emails.
Remember, people are busy and most likely won’t take the time to read a long, rambling email.
There is nothing worse than a wall of text. Use white space to break up your text and make it easier to read. This means using the following:
All these will make your email more visually appealing and easier to digest, allowing the receiver to quickly understand your message.
Remember, you only have to make this template once, but you will use it over and over again. That means it’s worth taking the time to edit and proofread your template until it is perfect. After all, first impressions matter, and you want to make sure yours is a good one.
If you’re not sure where to start, there are plenty of resources available online, including email templates and tutorials on how to create them. With a little effort, you can be sure your business introductions are as polished and professional as you are.
While email templates can be a helpful way to save time and keep your branding consistent, there are also some potential challenges you should be aware of, especially when building your own.
While there are some potential challenges to using email templates, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. By taking the time to create a great template, you can save yourself time and hassle in the long run.
If you’re still a little hesitant to create your templates and the ones above aren’t cutting it, there’s another option: professional email software.
A service like Titan can provide you with templates for the following:
It also allows you to tweak and customize each template so it works best for you. It will also give you the added benefits of personalized domain names, read receipts, and slick automatic signatures.
Your email has the best chance of not only being delivered but of being opened if it comes from a professional email address. Try Titan today!