How to ask for warm intros (6 best practices + email templates)
In B2B sales, connecting with the right people is half the battle. While cold outreach can be effective, warm introductions — where someone within your network vouches for you and opens the door to a valuable connection — are a far more powerful tool. They help you break the ice faster, establish trust, and often lead to higher-quality sales conversions.
But how do you consistently get warm intros? In this guide, we'll walk you through how to ask for intros from different personas like customers, investors, board members, leadership, and partners. Plus, we’ll give you practical tips and templates for crafting your outreach.
Why Warm Intros Matter
Warm intros are crucial in sales because they:
- Increase Conversion Rates: Warm intros are 4x more likely to convert into deals than cold outreach.
- Help You Access Decision-Makers: Warm intros get you in front of the right people, faster.
- Build Trust: A personal connection makes it easier to establish credibility and rapport.
- Lead to Larger Deals: Referred customers spend 25% more on average compared to cold leads.
Now, let’s explore how to ask for these valuable intros from the most important personas in your network.
Warm Intro Best Practices
To maximize the effectiveness of your warm intros, follow these best practices:
- Be Specific: Always target the right person and be clear about who you’re asking for. Vague requests are less likely to succeed.
- Make It Easy: Provide a ready-to-send blurb that your contact can forward. This saves time and ensures your message is clear.
- Timing Is Key: Ask for intros after a win or successful interaction to leverage goodwill.
- Offer Value: Frame your request so it’s clear how the intro benefits both parties.
- Follow Up: Politely check in if you don’t hear back. Persistence (without being pushy) is essential.
- Show Gratitude: Always thank the person making the intro and keep them informed of the outcome.
By making it easy for others to help you, you increase the chances of securing valuable connections.
1. Asking for Warm Intros from Customers
Customers can be some of your best sources for introductions, especially if you’ve delivered value and built a relationship. They already trust you, and a positive experience with your product or service makes them more likely to vouch for you.
Best Practices:
- Timing: The best time to ask for an intro is after a successful interaction or when your customer has achieved a positive outcome (e.g., after using your product successfully).
- Be Specific: Don’t just ask for an intro to anyone at a company; identify the person (e.g., "I’d love to be connected to the VP of Sales at [Company Name]").
- Make It Easy: Provide a short blurb they can forward to the prospect — this saves them time and ensures clarity.
Example Request:
“Hi [Customer’s Name], I’m so glad to hear that you’re seeing great results with [product/service]. If you know someone at [Target Company] who might benefit from this, I’d love an introduction to the [Job Title] there. I’ve included a blurb below that you can simply forward along. Thank you!”
2. Asking for Warm Intros from Investors
Investors can be valuable sources for introductions, especially if they are familiar with your product and trust your business. They often have connections to potential customers, partners, and even other investors who can accelerate your growth.
Best Practices:
- Leverage Their Experience: Highlight how your connection with a specific prospect aligns with your growth goals or market strategy.
- Value Proposition: Clearly explain what you do and why the connection would be valuable to both parties.
- Personalize: Investors are busy, so be concise but make your request relevant to them.
Example Request:
“Hi [Investor’s Name], I hope all is well! We’ve been getting great traction with [Product], and I believe [Prospect’s Name] at [Company] would be a great fit. Could you facilitate an introduction? I’ve drafted a blurb below for your convenience.”
3. Asking for Warm Intros from Board Members
Board members have a unique perspective and often maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders in your industry. An intro from a board member can carry significant weight.
Best Practices:
- Respect Their Time: Board members are busy, so be clear and concise.
- Align With Strategic Goals: Frame your request as an opportunity that aligns with your business’s long-term objectives or strategic vision.
- Provide Clear Context: Help them understand why the intro is a good fit for both you and the person you're trying to connect with.
Example Request:
“Hi [Board Member’s Name], I hope you’re doing well. We’re looking to expand into [specific market/vertical], and I think [Prospect] at [Company] could provide valuable insights. Could you help facilitate an introduction? I’ve included a blurb below that you can easily forward if you think it’s a fit.”
4. Asking for Warm Intros from Leadership
Your leadership team (e.g., CEO, VP of Sales, etc.) can be powerful allies when it comes to making introductions, especially if they have strong connections in your industry.
Best Practices:
- Context Is Key: Be clear about why the intro matters to the business and how it ties into your goals.
- Be Efficient: Leadership is often busy, so make the process of making the intro as easy as possible by providing the context and the intro message.
- Align With Company Strategy: Ensure that your request is aligned with the company’s strategic direction and priorities.
Example Request:
“Hi [Leader’s Name], I’m working on expanding our network within [target market] and believe an introduction to [Prospect’s Name] could be beneficial. Would you be open to making this connection? I’ve drafted a quick email for you to forward.”
5. Asking for Warm Intros from Partners and Advisors
Partners and advisors often have well-established networks and can provide introductions that lead to business opportunities, collaborations, or strategic alliances.
Best Practices:
- Highlight Mutual Benefit: When asking for an intro, make sure to emphasize how the introduction benefits both parties.
- Be Concise but Compelling: Partners and advisors are likely to have limited time, so keep your ask clear and focused.
- Show Appreciation: Always thank them and keep them in the loop on the results of the introduction.
Example Request:
“Hi [Partner’s Name], I hope you’re doing well. I think [Prospect’s Name] at [Company] would benefit from a conversation with us. We’re focusing on [specific goal or initiative], and I think they could be a great fit. If you’re open to it, I’d love an introduction. Here’s a blurb below for you to forward.”
6. Asking for Warm Intros from Senior Employees (Sales Teams, Colleagues, etc.)
Your internal team is a great resource for warm intros, especially if they’ve had previous relationships with potential clients or decision-makers.
Best Practices:
- Encourage Team Collaboration: Create a culture where your team shares potential referral opportunities and introductions.
- Be Clear About Value: Help your colleagues understand why the intro matters and how it benefits both parties.
- Reward Contributions: Recognize and incentivize team members who help make introductions.
Example Request:
“Hey [Colleague’s Name], I’m looking to connect with [Prospect Name] at [Company]. Since you have experience working with them in the past, I’d really appreciate your help facilitating an intro. Here’s a blurb for you to send along.”
How to generate warm intros at SCALE with Vieu
Vieu is an AI-powered platform that revolutionizes how sales teams find+ execute warm intros at scale. We index your company’s network (investors, champions, advisors, partners, leadership and more) to identify relationships that can directly connect you to your target buyer!
And these are beyond superficial LinkedIn connections. These people who’ve shared a patent together, worked in the same team, are part of the same community and more!
If you’d like to join companies like HP, Planisware, Rubriks, and fill up your pipeline with warmer revenue, check it out here. It’ll blow your mind, we promise ;)
Conclusion: Building Your Referral Network
The key to getting more warm introductions lies in being strategic and thoughtful in how you ask. Whether it’s from customers, investors, board members, leadership, partners, or internal team members, each person can be an invaluable link to new business opportunities.
By following the best practices outlined above and tailoring your requests to each persona, you’ll be able to significantly increase your chances of getting those critical warm intros. And with the help of tools like Vieu, you can optimize your outreach efforts, ensuring you're always one step closer to connecting with the decision-makers that matter most.
