![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2014\/04\/1.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Have you ever been the beneficiary of an introduction that changed your life?<\/p>\n
Maybe you got a new job because someone introduced you to the owner of a business. Or maybe you got a mentor, or a new client\/customer that resulted in thousands of dollars in revenue to your own company.<\/p>\n
If you have benefited from a great introduction, then you know what a powerful impact this one simple tool can make.<\/p>\n
And you may be thinking that the key to success is finding a way to get your friends and contacts to introduce you to their wealthy, powerful friends, right?<\/p>\n
If that\u2019s what you\u2019re thinking, then let\u2019s stop right here. No one gets ahead by waiting at home for the phone to ring. And nothing is less attractive than someone who wants to get<\/em>, but is unwilling to give<\/em>.<\/p>\n In other words, if you want to be introduced, then you need to become an introducer. Success comes to those who take initiative<\/a>. Think proactively about which of your current friends, colleagues, clients, customers, and other connections would benefit from meeting others in your network, then put them together. Start introducing people you know to other people you know and you\u2019ll find others will do the same for you.<\/p>\n AoM has previously tackled the etiquette of making in-person introductions<\/a>. That post demonstrated how to show respect and deference when introducing business associates of various ranks face-to-face.<\/p>\n In this post, I\u2019m going to share <\/b>how you can use virtual introductions as a tool for helping others and for advancing your career or business. As you\u2019ll see, principles of gentlemanly etiquette still apply, even if you\u2019re not in the same room together.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll also share specific examples of how introductions I or others have made have led to new friendships and even brand new businesses, added millions of dollars in revenue to one company\u2019s bottom line, and formed new business collaborations.<\/p>\n But first, let\u2019s examine why introductions are so powerful and why they can benefit you as much as they can benefit those you introduce \u2014 when it’s done the right way.<\/p>\n In the recent book Give and Take<\/i><\/a>, Wharton professor Adam Grant profiles Adam Rifkin, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur who has made three introductions a day for nearly a decade<\/a>. Rifkin\u2019s efforts have led to a dozen business partnerships, hundreds of jobs, and the creation of numerous companies.<\/p>\n Just as importantly, Rifkin\u2019s habit of making introductions has contributed to his own personal success. Even though he is inherently shy, Rifkin is phenomenally well-connected, which led Fortune<\/em> to crown him as the best networker of 2011. Thanks in part to that connectedness, his startups, including his most recent company PandaWhale, have received high-profile venture capital funding<\/a> and been profiled by TechCrunch<\/a>.<\/p>\n Give and Take<\/i>\u2019s central premise, supported by decades of academic and social research, is that \u201cgivers\u201d \u2014 people who are inclined to give to others \u2014 are more likely to be successful in business and in life than \u201ctakers\u201d \u2014 those whose first instinct is to think of their own self-interest. Grant argues that introductions are one of the most powerful tools givers can use to strengthen their weak ties within their network, a concept Malcolm Gladwell introduced to a wide audience in The Tipping Point<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n Gladwell argued that when it comes to finding out new information, weak ties — people that we know peripherally — are more important than strong ties, because strong ties are the people you already know well and talk to frequently. A strong tie probably knows a lot of the same people and information you already know. Because of this, you tend to learn more from your weak ties than you do from your strong ties.<\/p>\n And yet few people make introductions regularly, perhaps out of a mistaken belief in limited returns, or due to confusion about how to go about doing introductions effectively.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s nip that in the bud, shall we? In a moment, I\u2019m going to break down five simple steps you can use as a framework for making introductions.<\/p>\n But just in case I still haven\u2019t convinced you that you should be making introductions, let\u2019s take a look at a perfect example of someone who parlayed a habit for doing so into a very successful career, and evaluate why introductions are so powerful.<\/p>\n John and Dotty<\/p><\/div>\n Pat Walsh had a long career with Merrill Lynch. The kind of career no one seems to have anymore \u2014 32 years with the same company.<\/p>\n During that time, Walsh made a habit of introducing people in his network to one another any chance he got. \u201cI really enjoyed making connections, matching people up,\u201d says Walsh. \u201cIf I\u2019m impressed with someone, I\u2019ll introduce them to someone else I know.\u201d He introduced job candidates to hiring managers, and promising young employees to executives.<\/p>\n \u201cI would introduce people all the time,\u201d says Walsh. \u201cWe were at a restaurant in Princeton, New Jersey one time, and I was really impressed with our waiter. He was a very mature and well spoken guy.\u201d Walsh introduced him to a colleague at Merrill Lynch. They hit it off. \u201cWithin a month, he had gotten hired. It worked out really well.\u201d<\/p>\n Walsh didn\u2019t make introductions because he expected it to pay off professionally. But that ended up being a byproduct. Walsh\u2019s habit of introducing people led to promotion after promotion. \u201cI started as a broker, then went into management training and then managed three branch offices,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n One particular introduction paid off in an unexpected way when Walsh\u2019s friend, John, stopped by the office. \u201cThere was this young, pretty secretary named Dotty who was working there at the time,\u201d says Walsh. \u201cI thought she was very polished, a terrific person. So I introduced them.\u201d A week later, John came back in and took Dotty to lunch. A year later they were married.<\/p>\n At the peak of his career, Walsh served as head of global human resources for the company. Typical of a good matchmaker, he demurs when asked if his habit of making introductions led to his success with the company. \u201cI didn\u2019t really look at introductions as a means of getting ahead,\u201d says Walsh. \u201cI looked more for \u2018win, win\u2019 opportunities when I met people who I thought might be terrific at the company.\u201d<\/p>\n If Walsh\u2019s story isn\u2019t convincing enough, let\u2019s take a deeper look at reasons why you should be doing introductions today:<\/p>\n Everybody wins<\/b>. It\u2019s rare there\u2019s a \u201cwin-win-win,\u201d but if anything qualifies, it\u2019s making introductions (when they’re done in the right way!). The people you introduce benefit in that they\u2019ve just met someone new. Your recipients are grateful to you and will probably repay the favor one day. And everyone benefits from a more connected world where resources and professionals have stronger ties.<\/p>\n Introductions can lead to financial rewards<\/b>. Chris Johnson has fueled a multi-million dollar business by introducing others. The co-founder of Simplifilm<\/a>, a film production company specializing in working with authors, Johnson attributes a good chunk of his company\u2019s success to his habit of making at least one introduction per day. \u201cI’m kind of a binge networker,\u201d acknowledges Johnson. \u201cI probably average <\/i>250 introductions a year, but I probably get to it two times a week. I might also introduce three people to one client.\u201d<\/p>\n And the result? \u201cI’ve created many relationships by introductions.\u201d These relationships have certainly paid off. \u201cIntroductions are my #2 source of new business, and we did about $1 million in revenue last year. We expect to double it this year,\u201d says Johnson.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unique, and will help you stand out.<\/b> It is rare these days for people to take the time to make introductions, which is why it can be very memorable. Johnson says making introductions helps you stand out in a sea of competition. When you make introductions, \u201cpeople remember you,\u201d says Johnson. \u201cIt’s a way to tell two people three things: I like you both. I am thinking of you. I vouch for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Introductions help you strengthen your weak ties. <\/b>As Gladwell demonstrated in The Tipping Point<\/i>, there is great power in your weak ties. You can use introductions as a tool for reconnecting with and strengthening relationships with these weak ties.<\/p>\n Rather than sending a lame \u201cJust checking in!\u201d email to a weak tie you haven\u2019t spoken to in months or years, use the opportunity to introduce your weak tie to someone else who they might enjoy meeting. It\u2019s a much more powerful way to reconnect, and your weak tie will be more likely to help you in return.<\/p>\n Society as a whole benefits. <\/b>Apple computer wouldn\u2019t exist if Bill Fernandez hadn\u2019t introduced Steve Jobs to Steve Wozniak. <\/b>The Beatles would never have recorded a note if Ivan Vaughan hadn\u2019t introduced Paul McCartney to John Lennon.<\/p>\n And where would we be if someone hadn\u2019t introduced Daryl Hall to John Oates? I don\u2019t know about you, but I can\u2019t go for that. No can do.<\/p>\n Now I want to outline a framework you can use for making introductions on an ongoing basis. Using just five very simple and easy steps, you can make doing introductions a habit, and both you and your connections will benefit.<\/p>\n Doing introductions can be time consuming, so it\u2019s valuable to focus on people who matter to you. In other words, it\u2019s best to spend your time connecting people who you would like to deepen your relationship with and who are going to greatly benefit from your introductions.<\/p>\n For me, there are two types of people who automatically go on my personal list of high-value contacts: my clients, and anyone who has been on my podcast. I owe a debt to anyone who has hired me, or given me 30-45 minutes out of their day to be interviewed for my podcast, and therefore I am always trying to think of ways to repay the favor by introducing them to someone else.<\/p>\n Since just about everyone I\u2019ve interviewed on my podcast is kinda a bigger deal than I am, this is a great way to follow up and deepen the relationship<\/a> after having forged an initial relationship.<\/p>\n The second step is to always be alert for opportunities to make an introduction. Chris Johnson says this doesn\u2019t mean he has to constantly rack his brain for people to introduce, “It’s a reflex. I try hard to remember my network, and remember what they do. I try hard to ask people if there’s any introduction I can make.\u201d<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to have a complex system. It just takes a little forethought and time. \u201cI don’t have anything like \u2018Johnson’s laws of intros,\u2019 says Johnson. \u201cI just try hard to do it once a day.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition, you have to make sure the value in the introduction is reciprocal. If I went around introducing every rabid Jets fan who also happens to love social media to Gary Vaynerchuk, I wouldn\u2019t be giving Gary Vee much value. So it\u2019s better to introduce two people who can provide equal value to one another.<\/p>\n When in doubt, check first to see if your introduction recipients actually want the introduction. They may not. If you don\u2019t check first, you may just create an unwanted, drive-by introduction that burns bridges rather than builds them. The last thing you want is your introduction recipients feeling burdened rather than benefited by the introduction sitting in their inbox, even if it was unintentional.<\/p>\n You wouldn\u2019t stop by a buddy\u2019s house unannounced with someone you want to introduce them to and leave the person sitting on the couch in the living room, so don\u2019t do the same with their inbox.<\/p>\n Like anything, in order to make a pattern stick, you have to make it a habit<\/a>.<\/p>\n To make introducing people a habit, I use a couple of simple tools:<\/p>\n A Calendar<\/b><\/p>\n One of the most powerful tools for creating any regular habit is the most simple: adding a repeating reminder on your calendar. Give and Take<\/i> author Grant uses this approach for reconnecting with his \u201cdormant ties\u201d \u2014 people who you used to know, but with whom you\u2019ve lost touch. \u201cI added a repeating reminder to my calendar: reconnect with at least one dormant tie each month,\u201d he wrote in The Huffington Post<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n A Relationship-Management Program<\/b><\/p>\n I use a CRM program called Contactually for managing relationships, in part because it sends me reminders to follow up with people who I haven\u2019t communicated with in a long time. When I receive these reminders, I then think about someone I can introduce them to. By doing so, I give them something of value and I don\u2019t look like I’m just reconnecting for the purpose of trying to get something out of them.<\/p>\n A non-urgent introduction can quickly fall to the bottom of the priority list, especially if the people you are introducing are busy, successful professionals. So you have to explain clearly why your introduction matters.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why I try to make my introductions brief and to the point. I want to be respectful of others\u2019 time, which is why I aim to clearly articulate anything the two people I am introducing have in common.<\/p>\n Be wary when introducing very successful, very busy people who likely are the recipient of many introductions of dubious value. The last thing you want to do is create awkwardness by introducing a very successful and very busy person to someone who provides little value in return.<\/p>\n I used this approach when I introduced Andrew Warner, founder of the video podcast Mixergy<\/a>, to Susan RoAne, the bestselling author of How to Work a Room<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n I had interviewed both Andrew and Susan for my own podcast, and I thought Susan would be a good fit for Mixergy.<\/p>\n Now, I could have very easily talked myself out of making this introduction. After all, Andrew has a team of producers and guest bookers who handle booking his guests. Why would he even need me to make an introduction?<\/p>\n The same could be said for Susan. As a bestselling author and in-demand keynote speaker who specializes in talking about mingling, she is incredibly well-connected.<\/p>\n Who am I to be so presumptuous as to introduce those two?<\/p>\n But even well-connected people don\u2019t know everyone on the planet, and Andrew needs a steady stream of quality guests.<\/p>\n So here was my email to Andrew and his team:<\/p>\n I turns out my instincts were right on. Not only had Andrew read Susan\u2019s book, but it turns out he was a big fan.<\/p>\n I immediately did an introduction:<\/p>\n As you can see, I kept the introduction short and made it a little lighthearted.<\/p>\n AoM\u2019s own resident style guru is another expert in the art of the gentlemanly virtual introduction. I wouldn\u2019t be writing for AoM if I hadn\u2019t been the beneficiary of Antonio introducing me to Brett and Kate. Here\u2019s Antonio\u2019s original email:<\/p>\n Antonio\u2019s email was short, to the point, and relevant. He even went the extra step of reporting that he had read through my free ebook and that it was of high quality. That\u2019s why it was a well-executed introduction.<\/p>\n Finally, follow up with the people you introduce a few weeks or months later to be sure they connected. Oftentimes people get busy and they simply forget to follow through on the introduction you made.<\/p>\n Introductions may simply get lost, or overlooked. That\u2019s why it\u2019s best to have a system for tracking the introductions you do.<\/p>\n Recently, I followed up on one introduction I had made 18 months ago. It turned out the two guys I had introduced had hit it off so well, they had launched a new marketing consulting business together.<\/p>\n When it comes to making introductions, you have to play the long game. You can\u2019t expect introductions to immediately turn into money in your pocket. As both Walsh and Johnson demonstrated, introductions will pay off if you do it consistently.<\/p>\n If I look back at my career, nearly every job I ever had came thanks to an introduction. From waiting tables at a BBQ restaurant during high school to working at the White House, someone stuck their neck out for me and introduced me. Even today, the majority of my clients come via an introduction from a mutual acquaintance or friend.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why I believe giving back by making introductions is so important. Not simply because it is financially rewarding for all involved, but because a small investment of your time can make a massive difference.<\/p>\n Your introduction can literally alter the course of a person\u2019s life.<\/p>\n Remember John and Dotty, the couple that Pat Walsh introduced who later got married? Curious if the marriage worked out?<\/p>\n Turns out it worked quite well. John and Dotty have been married for 43 years.<\/p>\n How do I know?<\/p>\n They\u2019re my parents.<\/p>\n Here they are, after 43 years of marriage, with my son, Mason, who was their first grandson:<\/p>\n I wouldn\u2019t be here today if Pat Walsh hadn\u2019t taken the time to make an introduction. Mason wouldn\u2019t be here today if Pat Walsh hadn\u2019t made that introduction.<\/p>\n We\u2019re both testaments to the power of introductions.<\/p>\n Thanks, Pat.<\/p>\n Listen to our podcast with John for more networking tips:<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Power of Making Introductions and Strengthening Weak Ties<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/04\/2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow Pat Walsh Built a Career One Introduction at a Time<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/04\/3.jpg\")
Why You Should Be Doing Introductions<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/04\/4.png\")
<\/p>\nHow to Make Introductions in 5 Simple Steps<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/04\/5.png\")
<\/p>\nStep 1: Identify Your High-Value Contacts<\/b><\/h3>\n
Step 2: Be on the Lookout for Introduction Opportunities<\/b><\/h3>\n
Step 3: Use Tools to Make Introductions a Regular Habit<\/b><\/h3>\n
Step 4: Make the Introduction Brief, Relevant, and Fun<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/04\/6.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/04\/7.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2014\/04\/8.png\")
<\/p>\nStep 5: Follow Up Later<\/b><\/h3>\n
Get Started Making Introductions Today<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/04\/9.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/04\/10.jpg\")
<\/p>\n