In a world of increasing remote work and ever expanding social networks people are desperate to connect in a more meaningful way (besides our lovely coworking space in Fort Collins). Often, that meaningful way is to get a cooperative 3rd party to introduce you to someone over email. If one more well-meaning 3rd party sends me a “connection” email like the following, I’m going to go CRAY all over the interwebs.
Angel,
I was in a meeting with these folks yesterday and thought you’d all like to connect. Find their email addresses above.
Tom
WHY?! Why would I want to email a bunch of strangers? It’s sort of like ringing my doorbell and slinging a couple of strangers into my living room then driving away, tires squealing. But because I’m a lovely person, I tried to email the strangers and ask what they needed from me but Tom, in his infinite wisdom, mistyped all of their email addresses so they all bounced back. Tom, you’re a peach. Never change.
Here is a formula for crafting connection emails that won’t make your friends and colleagues cringe:
Character Key:
Needer: person who you’re trying to help
Giver: person who you think can help
Me: I tell the Needer that I’ll send a connection email so they know it’s coming. OCCASIONALLY I will warn the Giver that a connection email is coming but since I’ve pretty much nailed the connection email process this isn’t usually necessary. I ALWAYS address the Giver first in the email and the NEEDER second.
Components of the Connection Email:
Address the email to both the NEEDER and the GIVER.
Title: Please e-meet each other!
Giver,
I’d like to introduce you to my friend NEEDER. She loves X, Y, Z (Z is always directly related to the need they have). Background info like relocation, education, jobs or another way they might know each other OR the context of why they should know one another (you were both at my birthday party). Needer asked for my help in meeting people who Z & A so naturally you jumped right out at me as an expert in those areas. NEEDER will be emailing you with more info about the project etc. Needer is also available to help volunteer for your upcoming event if that’s helpful for you.
Needer,
Please meet my dear friend, GIVER. She loves X, Y, Z and we’ve known each other for xx years. She has been instrumental in Z & A so she’ll be a wealth of information for your upcoming project. Giver is wicked busy right now due to an upcoming presentation so it may take her a few days to get back with you. Thanks for being patient.
I’ll let you two connect directly from here as everyone is copied on this email. I hope it’s fruitful for you both!
Angel
Summary:
There are a couple of key components that will make your connection email more useful to everyone.
First, in order to pull off a stellar connector email, you HAVE to know both parties fairly well. You won’t be able to address their likes, needs and personality if you’ve never had a good conversation. If you don’t know each party well enough to follow the script above YOU SHOULD NOT BE SENDING CONNECTOR EMAILS!
Second, always make it clear WHO is supposed to take action. 99% of the time, I ask the NEEDER to send the next email and a tip on what it should contain. This removes ALL the ambiguity of who is supposed to do what and it’s the key thing that is lacking in almost every connection email I RECEIVE. #awkward.
Here are some real world examples of connection emails that I have sent in the past month:
Amanda M,
Please meet Amanda W. Amanda is relocating here in August. She mentioned that she’s certified in event planning, has an MBA and loves coordinating business events so it seemed natural to connect you two.
Amanda W, please meet Amanda M. Amanda and I have known each other for years and she’s a neighbor to our midtown Cohere location. Here is her website xxxxxxxx. Amanda is well-connected to many businesses, events and the arts scene here in town.
I’d love for you two to meet sometime and see if an interesting connection pops for you. I’ll leave it to Amanda W to email Amanda M.
Glad my name’s not Amanda,
Angel
C,
Please meet S, Founder of the xxxxxx. We used to be next door neighbors in Fort Collins (our businesses, not our homes) and S is expanding into Denver. He’s looking for connections with the coolest coworking spaces both for space to conduct the tech workshops AND as a business landing place.
S, Please meet C of xxx xxx. We’ve been circling each other in the coworking world for 4-ish years now?! xxx xxx is very similar to Cohere and if I may be biased, is my favorite Denver coworking hub. C is the founder and community manager for both locations.
S, please email C and explain in more detail what you’re needing.
Angel
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Go forth and connect.
100% agreed: be picky! If you don’t know one party very well, there should be no unsolicited connections, there should always be an ask. Email is the worst! But it’s at least better than phone!
I think the Toms of this world are something? Misguided? Trying to help but can’t? Want to seem like they are doing something important by sending an email but can’t even? The best part about Tom is that he met me once at a conference and clearly had just met the other parties and then tried to Connector us. #lame. @NickArmstrong:disqus, I had to use the phone last week. #sigh
Ohhhhh yes. I love talking to folks and encouraging them, but in the last year — becuase I seem busy :0) — I sometimes have 2-3 strangers a week who want to talk to me about being a consultant (most of the contact is via “friend of friend”). I’ve had people get angry with me when I suggest a time a few months off — or when I offer a 15-minute chat. I really dig meeting new people and helping people — and do make time to do so — but ill-timed contact can throw off a whole day when deadlines are swooping in…
Carson, exactly. Our success can be measured by the amount of requests we get to pick our brains. Stop picking me. Please, just stop. I wrote 2 whole ebooks for you that gives you a giant download of my brain!!