Do you use LinkedIn to enhance your email introductions? Perhaps I should back up and ask if you do email introductions.

One of the many reasons I thrive in the entrepreneurial world is my knack for connecting people I think should meet each other. In fact, people I’ve introduced via email have complimented me on how well I compose these emails.

One reason for this is that many years ago, I got the idea of including the URL to the LinkedIn profile for each of the people I’m introducing.

I do this for a couple reasons. First, giving access to these profiles means I don’t have to go into detail describing the people to each other. Second, if someone’s profile needs a bit of improvement, then perhaps this serves as a reminder to spiff it up. And maybe they’ll even contact me to help them do that.

 

How I Use LinkedIn to Enhance Email Introductions

  • At a minimum, put each person’s LinkedIn URL at the end of the section where you tell the other person about them.
  • Perhaps you are wondering which URL I’m referring to. If you go to anyone’s profile on LinkedIn, you will see a URL at the top of the screen.
  • Include information from each person’s LinkedIn profile in your email introduction. Good places to look are the profile headline, summary section, position title, and position description. This approach will help you, whether it’s someone looking for a job or a business person wanting to gain more clients.
  • Many times, I reference how long I’ve known each of the people I’m introducing. If you don’t recall when you met them, click on the See Contact Info section of the person’s profile. To find this section, go to the top of their profile and to the right of their headline. At the bottom of the section is the exact date the two of you connected on LinkedIn.
  • Also, if you have been messaging on LinkedIn with either of these people, look at recent discussions. For example, a job seeking friend recently messaged me a few types of positions she wants to land. I included that information in the email introduction connecting her with someone in the same field.

 

How About You?

Have you used LinkedIn when you do email introductions? How? Have others referenced your LinkedIn profile when introducing you to someone via email?

My blog post editor Lisa Dicksteen says she’s going to start adding profile URLs when she makes email introductions.

 

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those ages 45 and older, to become more effective and productive using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and more – ranging from entrepreneurs to people in large corporations. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.