It’s hard to judge an introductory email, you don’t want to come across as either sleazy or too informal. I work with colleagues who think ‘Hiya’ is acceptable, all the way to ‘Good afternoon Sir/Madam’ – it’s varied and also depends on the recipient. Important business contacts or a new job can all be gained from a good introductory email to get you through the door, it’s far easier than a phone call and you can pack in a lot more information. Having certainly received my fair share of people from agencies introducing themselves I’ve seen a good few examples of what to do and certainly not what to do.
Do’s
Be Unique
Best subject line I have seen recently was “Hello… Is it ABM you’re looking for?” it certainly made me laugh at the end of a long day, a little humour and play on words went a long way! Where I usually push the ‘delete’ button, I actually read it and signed up for what they were offering.
Know Your Audience
Research important points for your audience and align that in your introduction; . Try researching your prospective company / person, see what is happening for them in the market and say why you would be the best person to help them on that journey.
Create a Personal Connection
Start your mail with a mutual contact. I.e. “James Cooke suggested I contact you regarding…” It means your recipient will be more likely to help a friend of their network and is more likely to read your email
Don’ts
Ramble on and on and on and on and on and on
You may have a lot to say, but anything over 250 words will definitely not be read; any introduction email that the recipient has to scroll through to read won’t have quite the impression you want to make. Keep it short and sweet and leave them a reason to contact you for more information.
Keep the attachments to a minimum
You may want to send showcases of your work or more information on your opportunity but a large email with attachments will just be confusing and with no direction on which to open, none will be and just be left altogether.
Wrong date, wrong time
Be smart with your beautifully crafted email and don’t send it on a Friday evening (delete) or a Monday morning (delete) or at the busy times for that particular business (quarter end) – you may have to wait another week but carefully selecting the time you send your email can be worth the wait…and not just deleted.
Do you have any tips on sending introductory emails…what emails do you receive that you pay attention to? Let me know in the comments below!
