Introduction

So this is your introductory email, the email that will define your future correspondence (or lack thereof) with this person. What do you want to say? Writing a succinct and clear introductory email will increase the chances that your client will take it and engage with you.

Tips on How to Write an Introductory Email

1. The email should carry proper relevant information of the sender.
2. The email should be concise.
3. Always be courteous and polite
4. Keep the tone of your email personal, friendly, helpful, informational, and professional.
5. Assure the client that he or she can come forward with any of their feedback, complaints, or problems and you will be available to help him or her out.
6. Designation of the sender should be mentioned clearly i.e, include company name, return address, telephone number, and email address.
7. Keep it short. Most people skim emails and rarely read beyond the first paragraph or so. Keep your message short – 2 or 3 paragraphs at the most. Don’t include more than a few sentences in each paragraph. Leave a space between each paragraph and another space before your closing and signature.
8. Use a simple font. You may like to try Calibri, Times New Roman, Cambria or Arial. Make sure you use a font size that is easy to read. An 11 or 12-point font size is readable.

The Subject Line

This is the most prominent piece in an email message. The subject of an email message should be a short summary of its contents. An email should always have a good and convincing subject line. Emails lacking subject line are either ignored or deleted.

A catchy subject line leaves an appealing impression on the recipient. It helps in gaining recipient’s attention and persuading him or her to open the email sent. Your recipient should have a good idea about what the email is about before they even open it.

Keep it short as well; a long subject can be cumbersome.

The Greeting

Don’t start off with “Hello” or “Hi”. Be professional.

The salutation is best when it is used with your client’s name but avoid using the recipient’s first name alone in the salutation. You can use it when you have developed a relationship with the client. You can use greetings like that once you’ve gotten to know the person.

Start off with a tried-and-true business greeting like Dear Dr. Jones Patrick.

Get the title of your client right. Don’t use the salutation “to whom it may concern”. When you are making an introduction to a client, it is so wrong for you to address your client in such manner.

Use “Dear Ms./Mr./Mrs.” If you are at all unsure about the marital status of the female you are emailing, you should always default to using “Ms.” as it is less presumptuous.

Never use “To whom it may concern in an email of introduction to a client. You are supposed to know your client by name.

The Body

The body should be made up of the following:

1. Introduction/who you are
2. Where you are from
3. What you want

Who are you? Self-introduction helps a person to introduce himself to a client. This is the first thing you should do. This is where you tell your client who you are and what you do. Keep the introduction brief. The introduction should contain your name and what you do as well as your position in your company.

If your name carries too many titles e.g Dr, Engr, director, Chief. Only use the one that is paramount to you.

Where are you from? This should carry your company name, briefly reintroduce your company goals.

What do you want? Briefly tell your client the reason why you are making the contacts, for example,

Dear Ms. Alicia James,

I am Ms. Elly Douglas, your new account manager. I will be available to manage your account with us while Mr. Paul Alex, your former accountant, is away. He is currently attending to some urgent issues in our organization. We regard you as one of our most esteemed customers. So, be rest assured of a highly professional and satisfactory service from me.

Kindly feel free to contact me if you have any issues.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Elly Douglas

The Closing (Thank You)

This is the last section of your letter of introduction to a client. You should thank the customer once again for his time. It is unfair for someone to read your email and at the end, you don’t appreciate his time spent in going through your email. Then reinforce that you are happy to work with the client and the client should feel free to contact you if there are any issues.

The idea of thanking the client is to close the letter on a positive note, and leave your client feeling welcome, appreciated, and important. For example, I appreciate you taking your time to read this email.

The Sign Off

The sign off is just as important at the content of your email. Don’t end your email of introduction in a casual manner. It is a professional email. Never end it like “catch you later John” or something more ridiculous like “bye, for now, John”. Try picking something similar to the greeting – very formal or just formal enough depending on your audience “sincerely” or “yours faithfully”. Here is an example of professional email sign off:

Yours faithfully

Elly Douglas

[email protected]

+2226789408

doveinsurance.com

Proofread

When you’re writing, it’s important to proofread and spell check your message prior to sending it. Never be in a haste to press that button. Always make sure that you go through the emails over again.Check your grammars, spelling, and your words. You can read it out to know how it sounds in your ears before sending it to your clients. You have only got one chance to make a good impression, and a typo can get your email message trashed.

Conclusion

First impression lasts really long. It shows whether you are clumsy or professional. In virtual communications, your email introduction could be that first impression. So, make it as good and professional as you can.