Today the most common way to solve any professional matter is to speak through emails. That is why attracting someone through email, especially when they don't know you is really challenging.
You can attract somebody by your smile, behavior, and other methods when meeting in person. And when it comes to an email exchange, things are getting harder.
It does not matter for what reason you write the letter – you will definitely compete with the thousands of emails to be read. From first sight, writing the introduction letter seems like an easy task. But in fact, it can be stressful, primarily when you use the right words and do the right thing to catch someone's attention.
So, here, in our article, we will discuss how to present yourself in an email and make the other person get interested in your letter and read it.
What is the first thing the interlocutor sees in the letter? If you think that it's your name, we should upset you – it's wrong. The very first thing the other person sees is the letter's subject. Often, people look through their incoming letters quickly, and if nothing is interesting, they delete them. If you do not want your letters to have the same fate, you must carefully think about what you write in the letter's subject line. It would help if you created such a subject to make the receiver open your letter and read it.
When creating the subject lines, you need to remember the following: it should be as short as possible. You should make it 30 characters long (and not more) and be concrete. You can also remember the mate or something you both have in common in the subject line or simply propose the concrete offer.
The second thing you should pay attention to is the letter's opening. The letter's beginnings will be different according to the person you're writing to, obstacles and content. You should start your letter with a specially-made-for-the-receiver greeting. If you write a formal letter, you should use Mrs. or Mr., plus their last names. When it comes to the casual work atmosphere, you can simply start your letter with" Hi! or "Hello!" and then name the receiver by their first name.
Besides, we recommend you not to use the platitudes such as "to whom it may refer" or something else. Instead of it, you should say how much you feel inspired by his/her work and anything like that. And if you're starting a letter with a compliment, you should to do it the right way – the one that will not annoy the other person. You can be pleasantly frank – it's really cool if you say what is on your mind. On the other hand, you cannot just start your letter by saying "I like/love/adore your work…". You should refrain from writing things like that because it will look as if you've copied a template, and the receiver will probably delete the letter without reading it.
When you mention closing your letter, always ask a question. For example: "Do you want to have lunch together?", "Would you mind taking a look at this task?", "Shall we have a cup of coffee together?" And again, you should remember that the question should be short.
After greeting, you can come to the next step – presenting yourself. It is highly recommended to place the self-introduction at the letter's beginning. This way, you will give the receiver a complete picture of yourself and make him trust you. You can start your letter with a phrase or quote that you like. After it, you should tell about yourself and what makes you interesting in the shortest possible way.
Remember, there is no need to present your whole life story in letters because people do not have time to read everything. You only need to introduce yourself briefly. Then, you should tell the other person what exactly you're writing to him/her about. You can share your thoughts on a certain issue, offer your help or simply say that you think it would be interesting for them to get acquainted with each other.
In this part, you need to be concrete as much as possible. Give only specific information about yourself and the things that, in your opinion, refer to the receiver.
Now, we will share with you some presenting-yourself examples you can use in your introduction letter:
– My name is Helen. I am the content manager of Amazon.
– My name is David; I am the manager of our business trip to Dubai.
– I am Kristen. I am a student of the University of Washington and the coordinator of our project with Google.
Once you finish self-introduction, you come to the next phase – emphasizing the person you are writing to. This way, you will attract your receiver, and he will not skip your letter. In this part, you can say some words about what draws you to the receiver or his team. Or, if you have, you can mention the mate or something that you have in common. People make contact more if you say something you both have in common. You can also mention things from your non-work life as well.
After the self-presentation and emphasizing, you should describe what is going on with you now and what you want to ask about. Then, a person will understand why he has to read your letter. Of course, the receiver knows that if somebody wants or needs something from him, it's better to ask about it directly.
But there is a right and wrong way of asking for something. You should not simply write: "Do you want to go out for coffee?" or "I would like to offer my help." It will make people think you're weird and extroverted. The best approach for this part is to offer some help or advice. You can recommend them something, and they will surely be interested in getting this thing you offer.
The next thing you should do is to make a request. Here, you need to explain why you write a letter in a short specific form. This request should be clear and make the receiver do some action. Also, please make your request so beneficial that the receiver cannot resist it. If you ask a long question or make a lengthy request, the receiver will not read your letter – he will simply skip it. For example, if you ask him to write a letter of recommendation for your friend, the receiver will definitely refuse. But if you offer him something in return for this favor, he will think about it first.
For example: "Would you mind writing me a letter of recommendation? I'll be extremely grateful!" or "I would appreciate your opinion on my project."
After this, try to thank the receiver for reading your letter. The best way of doing this is to use words like "Thank you very much" or "I appreciate that you read my letter". This will not only show that you are grateful, but will also increase your chances of receiving a response.
Be professional, but do not use formal words. Use the language that is appropriate for this letter, be friendly, and do not forget to mention your contact information at the end.
Now, we will give you some examples of how you can request your introduction email:
– I am thinking about changing my career to a designer. That's why I'd like to meet you and discuss this professional change.
– I have just looked through the job-searching websites and found the content manager vacancy. I have a 10-year of job experience, and I think I will perfectly suit this position. I have also added my resume to the letter for you to read.
– I am searching for a job in the IT sphere. I genuinely believe that you can give me some tips on what the candidates can do to attract attention.
– I would like to speak with you about your project with Apple. I am genuinely sure that our conversation will bring great material for an article or blog. Can you take some time to meet this week?
At the end of your letter, you need to thank the receiver. Besides, we advise you to demonstrate that you understand how he/she is busy and you value the time they've spent on reading your letter. Also, you need to express the hope that they will respond to your letter. You can use various close lines such as "Yours sincerely," "Yours faithfully," "Thank you that you have made the time," "I truly value your time," "Thank you so much for consideration. I hope you will answer me soon", "I am looking forward to hearing from you soon," "Thanks," etc. And finally, do not forget to leave your contacts in the signature.
So, here is everything you need to know about writing the self-presenting email. We hope our tips will help you make such an email that nobody would even think to skip it. The main thing here is not to be nervous and always believe in yourself.
