Home / Message templates / How to Write an Email Asking for an Introduction
Introduction Request Emails That Make Saying Yes Easy
To write an email asking for an introduction, name the exact person you want to meet. Give one sentence on why the meeting is worth their time. Include a short blurb your connection can forward as is. Ask if they're comfortable making the intro, and make no an easy answer. The rule: saying yes should take two minutes and zero writing.
A warm intro from someone both people trust opens doors a cold email never will. But it costs your connection something: a little time and a little of their good name. The easier and safer you make it for them, the more likely they are to say yes.
The best requests are specific and ready to go. They say who you want to meet and why. They explain what's in it for that person. They include a note that's ready to forward. Many connectors like to check with the other person first, and a forwardable email makes that easy.
On this page
Write yours in 20 seconds
Free, no signup. The example is filled in: press the button, then replace it with your own situation. In Capstone, a message like it is written for each person you know when their check-in is due.
10 examples to copy
One message is easy. Hundreds of people, all year, is the hard part. Capstone Outreach puts everyone you know on a rhythm you pick, from weekly to every three months. When someone is due, a message like these is already written in your voice from your history with them. You approve it, and it goes from your own email or phone. See how it works.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
Everyone on a rhythm. Who is due, and when. Recorded in the app on a demo account.
1. Classic request with a forwardable blurb
Subject: Introduction to [Target name]?
Why it works: A ready-to-forward blurb lets your connection ask the other person first. That is how good connectors like to work.
2. Asking a close contact, short and casual
Subject: Small favor?
Why it works: A close contact gets a casual note. The personal line at the end keeps it from feeling like a trade.
3. Job search: introduction to a hiring manager
Subject: Intro to [Target name] at [Company]?
Why it works: Giving the link, your resume and a small, clear ask makes it easy for your contact to vouch for you.
4. Fundraiser asking a board member for a donor introduction
Subject: Introduction to [Target name]?
Why it works: Promising no ask at the first meeting protects your board member's relationship. It makes yes easier.
5. Founder asking an investor for a customer introduction
Subject: Intro to [Target name] at [Target company]?
Why it works: Explaining why the target is a fit helps an investor judge whether the intro reflects well on them.
6. Reconnecting with the connector before asking
Subject: Been a while, [Name]
Why it works: Naming the gap and showing real interest in them first matters. The ask won't feel like the only reason you wrote.
7. Asking for an intro to anyone at a company
Subject: Know anyone at [Target company]?
Why it works: Widening the ask to anyone on the team gives your contact more ways to say yes.
8. Asking for advice or an informational meeting
Subject: Would [Target name] be open to a quick chat?
Why it works: Promising specific questions and a strict time limit shows respect for the target's time.
9. Gentle follow-up after no reply
Subject: Re: Introduction to [Target name]?
Why it works: Offering an even easier path, plus a clear no-pressure out, gets replies. It does not strain the relationship.
10. Thank you and update after the introduction
Subject: Thank you for introducing me to [Target name]
Why it works: Closing the loop shows your connector their good name was safe with you. That earns the next introduction.
Sending these to more than a few people? See how people keep track of who to follow up with, and when: what a personal CRM does and the best personal CRMs, compared.
When to send it
- Ask when you have a specific, timely reason to meet the person. A vague hope to connect someday is not enough.
- Reach out to connections you've talked with in the last year or so. Otherwise, reconnect first before you ask.
- Don't ask a connector for more than one introduction at a time.
- If you hear nothing, send one follow-up after about a week. Then let it go.
Subject lines
- Introduction to [Target name]?
- Small favor?
- Intro to [Target name] at [Company]?
- Know anyone at [Target company]?
- Would [Target name] be open to a quick chat?
- Been a while, [Name]
- Could you connect us?
- A quick introduction request
- Forwardable note for [Target name]
- Thank you for introducing me to [Target name]
- Re: Introduction to [Target name]?
- Asking a favor, no pressure
- Would you introduce me?
- Two-minute favor
What to avoid
- Asking for 'any introductions you can think of,' which gives your connection nothing to act on.
- Making your connector write the introduction from scratch.
- Leaving out why the meeting would help the person you want to meet.
- Asking someone you haven't spoken with in years to vouch for you without reconnecting first.
- Contacting the target directly and name-dropping your connection before they've agreed.
- Forgetting to thank your connector and report back after the meeting.
After you send it
If your connector doesn't reply, send one gentle follow-up about a week later. Then let it go. If they make the introduction, reply within a day. Move your connector to BCC and set up the meeting. Afterward, thank them and share how it went. Then keep the relationship two-way. Look for introductions you can make for them and congratulate their news. Check in every couple of months, so the next ask isn't the only time you write.
Building the habit: how to keep in touch with contacts and what a personal CRM does.
The intro came through. Will you follow up in time? Write your thanks to the friend and your note to the new contact now. Pick the day and hour each one goes out, after you approve it.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
A study of 20 million LinkedIn members found that acquaintances, more than close friends, led to new jobs (Science, 2022). Capstone keeps those people warm. You approve every message, and it goes from your own email or phone.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write an email asking for an introduction?
Name the exact person you want to meet. Explain in one sentence why the talk would be worth their time. Include a short blurb your connection can forward. Ask if they're comfortable making the intro, and give them an easy out. Keep the whole email under 150 words.
What is an introduction email?
An introduction email connects two people who don't know each other yet, or introduces you to someone new. There are two kinds. In one, you ask a mutual contact to introduce you, which is what this page covers. In the other, you make the intro yourself between two people you know.
What is a forwardable email?
It's a short, self-contained note you write for your connection to forward to the person you want to meet. It says who you are, what you'd like to discuss and why it matters to them. It lets your connector ask permission before making a direct introduction. Most experienced connectors prefer that.
How do you ask for an introduction without being pushy?
Be specific, brief and easy to decline. Ask for one introduction at a time. Explain the benefit to the other person, and do the writing for your connector. Say 'no problem if not' and mean it. Follow up once at most, and thank them no matter how it turns out.
How do you respond when someone introduces you by email?
Reply within a day. Thank the person who introduced you and move them to BCC so their inbox stays clear. Then speak directly to the new contact. Add a line about why you're glad to meet. Suggest a specific time to talk or share a link to your calendar.
Is it okay to ask someone you don't know well for an introduction?
Yes, but keep the ask small and make declining easy. Explain how you know each other and why you think they know the target. Say why the meeting matters. Accept that they may not feel comfortable vouching for you. You might ask for advice instead of an introduction.