The dos and don'ts of the e-mail introduction

Sending a clunker to save yourself time does no one any favours.

- Pilita Clark

Out of the blue earlier in 2024, a man I have known for years sent me an e-mail introduction to one of his work contacts that was such a striking example of the genre that it has stuck in my mind ever since.

In the space of a few charming words, he conveyed the brilliance of the contact, who was copied into the e-mail, and larded his description of me so lavishly that I barely recognised myself.

He promised both of us we would have much to gossip about and would undoubtedly hit it off, all of which proved to be true when we duly caught up in person.

This, I thought later, did exactly what an e-mail introduction should do. Produce a meeting that is useful, mutually beneficial and fun.

So why are so many e-mail introductions so dismal in comparison, and why are some still utterly woeful?

One answer is obvious. Far too many break the basic rule that an introducer should almost always check to make sure both parties are happy to be introduced.

I say "almost" because, in the cheering example I've just cited, this rule was not obeyed. It didn't matter in this case because the introducer knew me well enough to be sure that a) I would like to meet with his contact and b) I had met said contact briefly in the past.