Letter of Introduction: Overview and Examples
What Is a Letter of Introduction?
A letter of introduction is a professional message that introduces one person to another or introduces the writer to someone they have not met. It is usually sent by email, although it can also take the form of a printed business letter.
A good introduction gives the recipient enough context to understand:
- Who is being introduced
- Why the introduction is relevant
- How the two parties could help each other
- What should happen next
Letters of introduction can support networking, collaboration, recruitment, onboarding and business development. Before introducing two people, confirm that both parties are comfortable with the connection and with the information you intend to share.
Types of Letters of Introduction
Introducing another person
In this type of letter, you connect two people in your professional network. Common situations include introducing:
- One colleague to another
- A job candidate to a hiring manager
- A freelancer to a potential client
- A new employee to a team
- A customer to an account manager
- A mentor to someone seeking guidance
- Two professionals with complementary expertise
The sender acts as the connection between the two recipients and explains why the introduction may be valuable.
Introducing yourself
A self-introduction letter allows you to contact someone you have not met. You might write one when:
- Joining a new organization
- Contacting a potential business partner
- Requesting an informational interview
- Approaching someone in your professional network
- Introducing your services to a prospective client
- Starting work with a new customer or department
Unlike a cover letter, a self-introduction letter does not necessarily respond to a specific job opening.
Letter of Introduction vs. Cover Letter
A letter of introduction builds a professional connection. It may introduce you, a colleague, a client or another contact without referring to an open position.
A cover letter is normally submitted with a résumé when applying for a particular job. It explains how the applicant’s experience and qualifications match the employer’s requirements.
Letter of Introduction vs. Recommendation Letter
A letter of introduction explains who someone is and why a connection may be useful. It does not necessarily endorse that person for a position.
A recommendation letter evaluates someone’s qualities, performance or suitability for an opportunity. It usually includes evidence supporting the recommendation.
How To Write a Letter of Introduction
1. Obtain permission
Ask both people whether they are comfortable with the introduction. This step prevents an unexpected message from creating pressure or sharing information the person wanted to keep private.
When introducing yourself, you do not need prior consent, but you should have a reasonable professional purpose for making contact.
2. Use a clear subject line
The subject line should make the message easy to understand and retrieve. Examples include:
- Introduction: Maria Chen and Daniel Brooks
- Connecting You With Our New Project Manager
- Introduction From Alex Morgan at Northway Consulting
- Potential Partnership Introduction
- Introducing Jordan Lee, Product Designer
Avoid vague subject lines such as “Hello” or “A quick question.”
3. Choose an appropriate greeting
Use the recipient’s preferred name when you know it. A professional greeting can still feel friendly:
- Hi Jordan,
- Hello Ms. Patel,
- Dear Dr. Franklin,
- Hi Jordan and Maria,
Match the formality of the greeting to the relationship and workplace culture.
4. Explain why you are writing
State the purpose near the beginning. The recipient should not have to read several paragraphs before understanding why they are included.
For example:
“I’m writing to introduce you to Elena Martinez, a customer research specialist who is supporting our upcoming product launch.”
5. Introduce the person by name
Use the person’s full name and relevant title. If you are introducing yourself, briefly explain your current position, organization or area of expertise.
Include only details that help the recipient understand the connection.
6. Establish relevance
Explain why the introduction makes sense. Mention relevant experience, interests or goals without turning the email into a full biography.
For example:
“Elena has led customer interview programs for three SaaS launches, while David is currently planning the research process for our European expansion.”
7. Explain the mutual value
An effective introduction should benefit both parties or at least give each person a clear reason to participate.
You might explain that:
- One person has knowledge the other needs
- Both are working on related projects
- A candidate may fit an open position
- A service provider can solve a business problem
- The recipients share a professional interest
- One person requested an informational conversation
8. Suggest the next step
Make the expected action clear without placing unnecessary pressure on either recipient. You might suggest a brief call, an email conversation or a meeting.
For example:
“If you are both available, I think a 20-minute call next week would be a useful place to start.”
9. Share contact information
When sending an email, place both people in the appropriate To or CC fields. Include additional contact information only when it is necessary and you have permission to share it.
10. Close professionally
End with a short, courteous sign-off:
- Best regards,
- Sincerely,
- Thank you,
- All the best,
Include your name, title and organization when the recipient may not already know that information.
Letter of Introduction Format
A typical letter of introduction contains:
- Subject line
- Greeting
- Reason for writing
- Name and role of the person being introduced
- Relevant background
- Reason the connection may be useful
- Suggested next step
- Contact information
- Professional closing
Example 1: Introducing Two Professional Contacts
Subject: Introduction: Maya Patel and Chris Nelson
Hi Maya and Chris,
I’m pleased to introduce you both because I believe your current projects have a useful connection.
Maya is a customer success director at BeaconCloud and is developing a new onboarding program for enterprise customers. Chris is an independent learning designer who specializes in software training and has created onboarding programs for several B2B technology companies.
Maya, Chris may be able to help you turn your existing product documentation into a more structured training experience. Chris, BeaconCloud’s project could also be a strong fit for your background in enterprise onboarding.
I’ll leave you two to continue the conversation. If helpful, I’m happy to join an initial call.
Best regards,
Taylor Williams
Operations Manager
Example 2: Introducing a New Team Member
Subject: Introducing Our New Marketing Operations Manager
Hi team,
I’m pleased to introduce Priya Shah, who is joining us as our new marketing operations manager.
Priya has six years of experience managing campaign systems, reporting workflows and cross-functional launch processes. She will initially focus on improving lead attribution and coordinating the reporting process between marketing and sales.
Over the next two weeks, Priya will schedule short meetings with each function to learn about our current workflows. Please join me in welcoming her to the team.
Best,
Marcus Reed
Marketing Director
Example 3: Introducing Yourself to a Professional Contact
Subject: Introduction From a Fellow Product Marketing Professional
Hi Jordan,
My name is Lauren Kim, and I lead product marketing for a workflow software company. Amanda Ruiz suggested that I contact you because of your experience launching products in the healthcare market.
My team is currently researching how procurement and compliance requirements affect software adoption in healthcare organizations. I read your recent article on enterprise buying committees and found your framework particularly useful.
If you are available, I would appreciate a brief informational conversation about your experience. I would be happy to work around your schedule and keep the call to 20 minutes.
Thank you for considering my request.
Best regards,
Lauren Kim
Senior Product Marketing Manager
lauren.kim@example.com
Example 4: Introducing a Candidate to a Hiring Manager
Subject: Introduction: Daniel Cho for the Customer Success Position
Hi Renee,
With Daniel’s permission, I’d like to introduce him regarding the customer success position on your team.
Daniel and I worked together for three years at Westbridge Software. He managed a portfolio of mid-market customers and consistently demonstrated strong communication, organization and problem-solving skills. He is now looking for a role that offers greater involvement in onboarding and customer education.
Renee leads customer success at Northline and can provide more information about the position and its priorities. Daniel is copied here and can share his résumé directly.
I’ll leave the two of you to continue the conversation.
Best,
Samantha Lee
Tips for Writing an Effective Introduction
- Keep the message concise and focused on one purpose.
- Personalize the introduction for the specific recipients.
- Confirm names, titles and contact details before sending.
- Avoid sharing confidential or unnecessary personal information.
- Explain the value of the connection to both parties.
- Use a natural tone instead of exaggerated praise.
- Provide a suggested next step without creating an obligation.
- Proofread the message for spelling and clarity.
- Follow up only when doing so would be useful.
Create Professional Introduction Materials With Dokie
A new relationship may lead to a client pitch, partnership discussion, onboarding session or internal proposal that requires more than an email. Dokie is an AI presentation maker that transforms documents, URLs, research and notes into structured, business-ready slides.
You can apply a custom template, edit the generated content and export the final deck as an editable PowerPoint file. Dokie helps professionals turn background information into polished company introductions, project proposals, client briefings and onboarding presentations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a letter of introduction be?
Most introduction emails should be between one and four short paragraphs. Include enough context to make the connection useful, but allow the recipients to discuss details directly.
Should both people be copied on an introduction email?
Yes, when both parties have agreed to the introduction. Including them in the same message allows them to continue the conversation without requiring another email from you.
Can I write a letter of introduction for myself?
Yes. Briefly explain who you are, why you are contacting the recipient and what next step you are requesting.
Do I need permission before introducing two people?
It is good professional practice to obtain permission from both parties, especially when the introduction involves a job opportunity, business request or sharing contact information.