{"id":9701,"date":"2014-10-30T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-30T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/creator\/?p=9701"},"modified":"2020-03-30T18:59:36","modified_gmt":"2020-03-30T22:59:36","slug":"5-simple-steps-successful-introduction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/professional-development\/5-simple-steps-successful-introduction","title":{"rendered":"Five simple steps to a successful introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"

How To Make A Good Introduction<\/h1>\n

If you could meet any living person, who would it be?<\/p>\n

While this is the sort of question you might answer on an online dating profile, it\u2019s an important consideration for entrepreneurs. And as a business matter, this question requires a follow-up: What would you do to secure<\/i> this coveted meeting?<\/p>\n

What most people don\u2019t realize is that the most critical aspects of business introductions happen before the handshakes. They aren\u2019t like online dating, and they\u2019re way more complicated than writing a 30-second email. Rather, introductions are based on the strength of relationships.<\/p>\n

Steps To Making A Good Introduction<\/h2>\n

Here are five steps you should take to improve the chances that your introduction will go off without a hitch:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Build Trust<\/b><\/h2>\n

When a contact agrees to make an introduction for you, she\u2019s giving you her stamp of approval. She\u2019s now directly invested in both parties and how the meeting goes.<\/p>\n

That being said, before you even ask for an introduction, you must gain her trust. It takes a lot of work for someone to build a strong connection with an industry leader, and she won\u2019t be willing to risk those years of effort on a person she doesn\u2019t trust. You\u2019re much more likely to get that coveted introduction if your contact considers you a friend and wants you to be successful.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Choose Wisely<\/b><\/h2>\n

You probably spent hours brainstorming different investors you\u2019d like to meet, so why not spend just as much time choosing your introducer? The best way to make a solid connection is to ask somebody you trust. If a person you don\u2019t know very well makes an introduction, it could set a negative or awkward tone for the relationship.<\/p>\n

Be wary of people you don\u2019t know making unsolicited connections for you \u2014 they probably have ulterior, self-serving motives. What\u2019s more, they\u2019re devaluing your relationship. If the person doesn\u2019t appreciate you enough to be thoughtful and build a relationship with you, she isn\u2019t the kind of person you want arranging introductions.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Vet Your Request<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you have a strong connection with your contact, she may naturally try to vet the reasons behind your introduction request. This is a good sign. By asking questions about the goals of your introduction, she can ensure that the parties involved will fit well together.<\/p>\n

For instance, if you\u2019re looking for an investor and want to be introduced to Mark Cuban, she might ask questions that deconstruct your request, such as:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u201cWhat is your criteria for an investor?\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cWhat are your goals?\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cWhat stage are you at?\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cWhat terms are you seeking?\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cWhy do you think Cuban is a good fit?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Based on your answers, you and your contact will be able to determine whether Cuban is the best investor for your situation. It\u2019s possible that she might actually know someone who would suit your needs better, but the only way to know for sure is to dive into the motivations behind your request.<\/p>\n

    4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Incentivize<\/b><\/h2>\n

    In some instances, your contact may simply want to make an introduction for you to improve your chances of success. In other cases, however, you might want to incentivize the introduction so your colleague will be better inclined to help you execute a solid deal.<\/p>\n

    You need your contact on your side during the introduction, and incentives like advisory shares, equity, cash compensation, and other referral bonuses can make the introduction mutually beneficial. It\u2019s ethical and fair to include these incentives, and it may also increase your probability of success.<\/p>\n

    But keep in mind that your contact isn\u2019t going to sacrifice her relationship with the person you want to meet no matter how great the incentives are. This person carries weight with the person you want to meet, can prepare you for the meeting, and can get the other side excited. So she\u2019s going to make sure it\u2019s actually<\/i> a good fit, which is the best type of partnership outcome you could have.<\/p>\n

    5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Send Your Info<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Once your contact agrees to make the introduction, the final step is to send her your company information so she can forward it on.<\/p>\n

    Sending your information is a way for you to do the work rather than putting all the work on the introducer, as well as control how you\u2019re presented to the other person. If edits are required, the person who\u2019s introducing you at least has something to start with and improve upon when making the connection.<\/p>\n

    Shared contacts will typically send an email with the provided information, a reinforcement that the company is worthwhile, and a request to see whether the other party is interested.<\/p>\n

    At that point, if the other party agrees to the introduction, your contact will arrange the connection. From there, it\u2019s up to you to seal the deal.<\/p>\n

    People ask for introductions all the time, but fostering the relationships needed for good connections takes years of hard work. Making strong associations isn\u2019t solely about whom you know; it\u2019s about how<\/i> you know them. The best introductions don\u2019t come from a transactional place. They occur when the parties involved have a strong relationship and the best possible understanding of what you need to succeed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    How To Make A Good Introduction If you could meet any living person, who would it be? While this is the sort of question you might answer on an online dating profile, it\u2019s an important consideration for entrepreneurs. And as a business matter, this question requires a follow-up: What would you do to secure this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1329,"featured_media":9706,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43902],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professional-development"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow To Make A Good Introduction | Ideas by We<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How To Make A Good Introduction If you could meet any living person, who would it be? 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