A good introduction email template does one thing well: it gets two people talking without making either of them work for it. Whether you are introducing yourself to a new contact, connecting two people who should know each other, or asking permission before you make a warm intro, the right structure saves everyone time. Below are copy-paste introduction email templates for each situation, plus the etiquette that keeps the thread clean and the follow-through that actually closes the loop.
Grab the template that fits, swap in the details, and send. Every example uses plain formatting so you can paste it straight into Gmail or Outlook.
Types of introduction emails
Most intros fall into three buckets. Knowing which one you are writing tells you what to include and who owns the next reply.
- Self introduction email. You reach out to someone who does not know you yet: a new prospect, a hiring manager, a peer you admire, or the team you just joined. The burden is on you to establish relevance fast.
- Introducing two people. You know two people who would benefit from knowing each other, and you connect them in one message. Your job is to give each person enough context to say yes and then get out of the way.
- Double opt-in intro email. Before you connect two people, you ask each of them privately whether they want the intro. This is the polite default for busy contacts because nobody gets a surprise thread they did not agree to.
Match the template to the type and the rest gets easy.
The templates
Copy any of these, replace the bracketed fields, and send.
1. Self introduction email (cold outreach)
Subject: Quick intro, [your company] x [their company]
Hi [First name],
I am [your name], [your role] at [your company]. I came across [specific thing: their post, their product, a mutual connection] and wanted to reach out directly.
We help [type of person or company] with [specific outcome]. Given [reason this is relevant to them], I thought a short conversation might be worth your time.
Are you open to 15 minutes next week? Happy to work around your schedule.
Best, [Your name]
2. New-role self introduction email (internal)
Use this when you have just joined a team and want to introduce yourself to colleagues or stakeholders.
Subject: Hello from the new [role] on [team]
Hi everyone,
I am [your name], and I joined this week as [role] on the [team] team. I will be focused on [area of responsibility], so you will likely hear from me about [topic].
A little context: before this I was at [previous company or background], and I am genuinely looking forward to working with all of you.
If you have 15 minutes for a quick hello over the next couple of weeks, I would love to learn what you are working on. My calendar is open, just grab a slot.
Thanks, [Your name]
3. Introducing two people (single email)
Send this only after both parties have agreed to the intro (see the double opt-in template below).
Subject: Intro: [Person A] x [Person B]
Hi [Person A] and [Person B],
I have been meaning to connect the two of you.
[Person A], meet [Person B], [their role and one line on why they are great].
[Person B], meet [Person A], [their role and one line on why they are great].
The reason I thought you two should talk: [one sentence on the shared interest or opportunity].
I will step back and let you take it from here. [Person A], I will let you grab a time that works.
Best, [Your name]
4. Double opt-in intro email (asking permission first)
Send this to each person separately before you connect them. It gives them a graceful way to pass.
Subject: Would an intro to [Person B] be useful?
Hi [Person A],
I know [Person B], who is [role and one line of context]. Given [reason it is relevant to Person A], I think the two of you would have a good conversation about [topic].
Want me to make the intro? No pressure at all if the timing is not right. If you are in, a sentence about what you would want to cover helps me tee it up.
Best, [Your name]
5. Warm intro request (asking someone to introduce you)
Use this when you want a mutual contact to connect you to a third person. Make it easy to forward.
Subject: Small favor: intro to [target person]?
Hi [First name],
I saw you are connected to [target person] at [company]. I am hoping to reach them about [specific, brief reason].
Would you be comfortable making an intro? To make it easy, here is a blurb you can forward:
“[Your name] is [one line on who you are]. They are reaching out because [reason], and wanted to connect with [target person] about [topic]. Should take 15 minutes.”
Totally fine if you would rather not, and thank you either way.
Best, [Your name]
Intro etiquette
Templates get you 80 percent of the way. These habits handle the rest.
- Always double opt-in. Never connect two busy people cold. Ask each side privately first, then make the intro once both say yes. It respects everyone’s time and protects your own credibility, because you are only forwarding intros people actually want.
- Move to bcc on the handoff. When you send the connecting email, tell both people you are moving yourself to bcc (or simply dropping off). It signals that the conversation is theirs now and keeps your inbox out of a thread you no longer need to be in. A quick line like “moving myself to bcc so I am out of your way” does the job.
- Make it easy to say yes. Give each person one line of context about the other and one sentence on why the connection matters. Do not make them research a stranger. The clearer the “why,” the faster the reply.
- Name the next step. Tell one person to grab a time or send the first message so the intro does not stall in mutual politeness. An intro with no owner dies in the inbox.
- Keep the subject specific. “Intro: Sarah x Marcus” beats “Connecting.” A clear subject line makes the thread easy to find later.
Handling the intro thread that follows
The intro is the easy part. The follow-through is where most connections quietly die: someone means to reply, the thread scrolls off the screen, and two weeks later nobody has scheduled anything.
This is exactly the gap alfred_ is built to close. alfred_ is an AI executive assistant that connects to your Gmail or Outlook, understands who you are corresponding with, and drafts replies in your voice for you to approve before anything sends. When an intro lands in your inbox, alfred_ can draft the “great to meet you, here are a few times” reply so you are not starting from a blank screen. Because it remembers the context of who introduced whom and why, the draft sounds like you and references the right details.
Then it tracks the follow-up. If you said you would reply and have not, or you are waiting on the other person to grab a slot, alfred_ keeps that thread on your radar instead of letting it slip. That is the difference between an intro you were copied on and a relationship you actually built. If you want the mechanics of chasing a reply without nagging, our follow-up email templates pair well with any intro above.
The point is not to automate relationships. It is to remove the friction (the blank draft, the forgotten reply, the follow-up you meant to send) so the human part is all that is left. If you are comparing options, our guide to the best AI email assistant walks through what to look for.
Let alfred_ draft the intro and the follow-through
You can copy any template above and send it in two minutes. The harder part is the thread that follows: the reply, the timing, the follow-up you meant to send. alfred_ drafts those in your voice, tracks who owes whom, and keeps the loop from going quiet, all with your approval before anything sends. Start a free trial and let alfred_ handle the follow-through so your intros actually turn into conversations.