Article
How to Introduce Yourself in an Email in [Almost] Every Situation
HubSpot Sales Blog
Quoted on this wiki
Every place a page here uses this source, in the order the words come in it.
Have you ever started writing a new email, only to find yourself in a staring contest with a blinking cursor? I know I have. Introducing yourself by email can be awkward and challenging for all of us. Unlike in-person social settings, you can’t rely on tone of voice and body language to strike up a natural conversation. So, how do you even start an email to a stranger? And how do you write one that will get you an actual reply? Luckily, at HubSpot, we know a lotabout writing effective emails. Today, I’m going to teach you how to introduce yourself over email in (almost) any situation. Table of Contents How to Introduce Yourself in an Email Email Introduction Examples Introduction Email Templates for 12 Workplace Scenarios 1. Write a compelling subject line. 47% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line alone. You need to pique their curiosity so they’ll open the email to learn more. Put a question in the subject line or make a bold statement that they’ll want to explore. Two other tried-and-true methods? Numbers increase the average open rate by 57%. Personalizing subject lines is powerful, too: Adding someone’s name to the subject line increases the open rate by at least 50%. Here are some examples of compelling subject lines for introductory emails. Networking Subject Lines “Coffee on me?” “Can I buy you lunch?” “No such thing as a free lunch (until now?)” “Long-time [listener, reader, fan], first-time emailer” Sales Subject Lines “Do you have an online course for [book]?” “40% growth in 3 months — wow” “Have you considered Pinterest ads?” “Hello from [company]” “Something you might like…” “I’m not the problem [biggest challenge] is” Biggest mistake ever Job Search Subject Lines “Curious what working at [company] is like?” “Are you looking for a [job title]?” “Saw [company's] hiring a [job title]” “Crafting the perfect introduction email to a prospect is an art form we've refined over the years atWytlabs. “For subject lines, clarity beats cleverness,” advises Director Marc Bishop.” Even though your first instinct is probably saying something about you — such as “My name is X, and I'm reaching out because …”— this will quickly cause their eyes to glaze over. Here are some equally bad first sentences: “We've never met, but …” “You don't know me, but …” “I'm a complete stranger, but …” Never highlight the fact you’re a stranger — it’s like telling your recipient your email will probably be irrelevant. Start by mentioning something they’ve accomplished or their credentials — maybe they’re a guest speaker at an event you recently attended, or they’re a top-ranking expert in their field. Personalization boosts reply rates by up to 142% — acknowledging recipients' work up front shows them you did your research and puts them at ease that you’re not a stranger. HubSpotters loved these openers: “I noticed you manage one of the software teams at HubSpot.” “Just saw your post at the HubSpot blog about organizing a content calendar in terms of topic clusters.” “Have you ever thought about turning your book into an online course? Or creating an online course based on the same topic as your book?” “I‘m inspired by the work you’ve done, not to mention your unique career.” “I've never learned so much from a single piece of content.” LinkedIn is an excellent resource for researching your prospects. There you can view their accomplishments, any articles they’ve published, and often a link to their website if they have one. Additionally, you can view any connections you have in common and use that as an entry point. Personalization can also extend to challenges or pain points. You can lead with something like, “Are you currently facing [insert popular industry challenge]?” 4. Provide value for them. First rule of email introduction etiquette: Before you ask for anything, you need to provide value. Thanks to the principle of reciprocity, receiving value makes people want to return the favor.