Warm Introductions#

Warm introductions convert at 3-8x the rate of cold outreach. Nanabase makes it easy to request introductions through colleagues and manage intro requests you receive.

How Warm Intros Work#

TRADITIONAL COLD OUTREACH:
You → Cold email → Target (low response rate)

WARM INTRODUCTION:
You → Request → Colleague → Introduction → Target (high response rate)

A warm intro carries trust from the existing relationship, dramatically improving your chances of a meaningful connection.

Requesting an Introduction#

From Who Knows Who#

1. Search for a company or person in Network
2. Find a colleague with a connection
3. Click Request Intro
4. Complete the request form
5. Submit your request

From a Contact#

1. Open a contact in the directory
2. See who shared this contact
3. Click Request Intro
4. Complete the request form

Writing a Good Request#

Your request should include:

Why you want to connect:

"I'd like to discuss their enterprise API pricing 
as we evaluate payment providers for our platform."

What you'd like to discuss:

"Specifically, I want to understand their volume 
discounts and implementation timeline."

Context that helps:

"We're a Series B fintech processing $10M/month. 
Similar stage to when you worked with them."

Request Template#

Hi [Colleague],

I saw you know [Contact] at [Company]. I'm reaching 
out because [reason].

Specifically, I'd like to discuss [topics].

Some context: [relevant background]

Would you be comfortable making an introduction? 
Happy to provide a blurb you can forward.

Thanks!

Managing Intro Requests#

Viewing Your Requests#

Go to Activity → Intro Requests to see:

• Pending — Requests awaiting response
• Accepted — Intros in progress or completed
• Declined — Requests you or others declined

Request Status#

| Status | Meaning | |--------|---------| | Pending | Waiting for colleague to respond | | Accepted | Colleague agreed to make intro | | Introduced | Introduction email sent | | Completed | Connection was made | | Declined | Request was declined | | Expired | No response after 7 days |

Responding to Intro Requests#

When someone requests an intro through you:

You'll Receive#

• Email notification
• In-app notification
• Request appears in your Activity

Your Options#

Accept:

1. Click Accept
2. Review the suggested intro email
3. Edit if needed
4. Send the introduction

Ask for More Info:

1. Click Request More Info
2. Ask your question
3. Wait for the requester to respond

Decline:

1. Click Decline
2. Optionally provide a reason
3. The requester is notified (reason optional)

Making the Introduction#

When you accept, Nanabase helps you send the intro:

1. A draft email is prepared with both parties CC'd
2. Edit the introduction message as needed
3. Send directly from Nanabase (or copy to your email)

Sample intro email:

Subject: Introduction: [Requester] <> [Contact]

Hi [Contact],

I wanted to introduce you to [Requester], who [context].

[Requester's blurb about why they want to connect]

I'll let you two take it from here!

Best,
[Your name]

Best Practices#

For Requesting Intros#

Be selective:

• Don't request intros for people you could reach yourself
• Save social capital for important connections
• Quality over quantity

Make it easy:

• Provide all context upfront
• Include a forwardable blurb
• Be clear about your ask

Be patient:

• Give colleagues time to respond
• Don't follow up aggressively
• Respect "no" gracefully

Follow through:

• Act quickly when introduced
• Be professional in the interaction
• Report back to your colleague

For Making Intros#

Screen requests:

• Is this a good use of your contact's time?
• Is the requester professional and prepared?
• Would you vouch for this person?

Set expectations:

• Be honest about relationship strength
• Don't oversell the connection
• Let both parties know what to expect

Make it easy for both:

• Give context about both parties
• Explain why this intro makes sense
• Keep it brief

Intro Etiquette#

The Double Opt-In:

Before introducing:

1. Ask your contact if they're open to the intro
2. If yes, make the introduction
3. If no, politely decline the request

This respects your contact's time and preferences.

The Forwardable Email:

When requesting:

1. Write a brief "about me" blurb
2. Explain why you want to connect
3. Make it easy to forward as-is

The Close-the-Loop:

After being introduced:

1. Follow up with the contact promptly
2. Update the introducer on how it went
3. Thank them for the connection

Activity Feed#

The Activity Feed shows introduction activity:

Today
├── You requested intro to John Smith (via Sarah Chen)
├── Mike Jones accepted your intro request
└── Lisa Park introduced you to Amanda Lee

This Week
├── 3 intro requests received
├── 2 introductions made
└── 1 introduction completed

Filtering Activity#

Filter by:

• Sent — Requests you've made
• Received — Requests from colleagues
• Made — Introductions you've facilitated
• Status — Pending, accepted, declined, etc.

Measuring Success#

Track intro effectiveness:

Response rate: How often do intro requests get accepted?

Conversion rate: How often do introductions lead to meetings?

Time to response: How quickly do people respond to intros?

Frequently Asked Questions#

What if someone doesn't respond to my request? Requests expire after 7 days. You'll be notified, and you can try a different path or reach out directly.

Can I see why someone declined? Only if they choose to provide a reason. Declines can be anonymous.

What if I don't know the contact well enough? Be honest! You can decline, or accept but note the connection isn't strong. The requester will appreciate honesty.

Is there a limit to intro requests? We encourage quality over quantity. There's no hard limit, but excessive requests may be rate-limited.

Can I withdraw an intro request? Yes. Open the request and click Withdraw before it's been accepted.

Are intro emails sent from my email address? You can send from Nanabase (using our servers) or copy the draft to your own email client.

Related#