Best Intro I've Ever Read
I keep a smile file with all the nice things people say to me, and about me, for two reasons. The first reason is to share how I have been helpful to others. The second is for those days when doubt creeps in about what I'm doing. I am a fairly positive and confident person - I have a firm grip on what I am good at delivering and I deeply understand my shortcomings. But I am still a person, and I have days when I doubt what I bring to the table. On those days, I can open my smile file and remind myself of the good stuff I am doing.
A few weeks ago I sent an introduction email connecting two people whom I knew would get along and could perhaps benefit each other in their business lives. So I set out to connect them.
Now would be a fine time to share a pet-peeve of mine. Introductions that don't actually introduce people to each other. Uma meet Oprah - Oprah meet Uma. That tells me nothing...I don't know why we might like each other, I don't know what the other person does and honestly, I don't have time to go digging and research this person IN CASE there is something worth knowing.
As a communicator - I want to make things easy. So I have a formula for sending intros.
Start with a quick hello.
Say something nice about each person along with the way I thought the connection might be helpful. How you met, what they do, maybe how you see their relationship unfolding. Be brief, but share WHY you thought to connect them.
Leave it with them to actually connect. Give them permission to stop having you on the response emails as they coordinate a meeting (or not).
If you can't find a way to tie these people together - you should re-think an intro. Maybe you just think they'll like each other - that's fine. Just make sure they know it's not a business connection from the start.
Back to my intro email, I sent the email to the two guys who I thought should know each other and I told them WHY they might want to connect. It wasn't complicated, I didn't pitch their elevator speeches. I just spend an extra few minutes explaining the reason I thought they might be a good intro to make.
The real lesson here is don't expect people to work before they know why it's worth it.
Now we're coming full circle - because this is the email I I added to my smile file!
If you don't already have a smile file - I highly recommend starting one. It'll boost your spirits when you have those [hopefully] fleeting moments of doubt.
Plus, it's a great way to keep track of the happy clients you've worked with!
