You already know warm intros convert at 40–60% while cold emails sit at 1–3%. You've found the right path through your network. Now comes the part where most people fumble it: writing the actual email.
Once you've found the path, the formula for asking for the intro without fumbling it is worth knowing before you use any of these templates.
The templates below cover every scenario you'll run into — asking a mutual connection for the intro, doing a proper double opt-in, targeting investors, reconnecting before you need something, and more. Each one is copy-paste ready. Swap out the bracketed fields and send.
40–60%
Warm intro reply rate
1–3%
Cold email reply rate
20x
Advantage of warm path
Before the templates: a warm intro email does one thing. It transfers trust from the connector to you. The best ones are short, specific, and make it easy for the connector to say yes — not a heavy lift that requires them to draft a paragraph about you from scratch.
The best intro request gives the connector something close to a finished email they can forward with minor edits. Make their job trivially easy.
1 Asking a mutual connection for an intro
This is the most common scenario. You've identified the warm path through your second-degree network — now you need to ask the connector to make the introduction. Keep it tight. Give them a draft they can forward with two edits.
Template — Intro Request to Connector
Subject: Quick ask — intro to [Target Name]?
Hey [Connector Name],
Hope you're doing well. Quick ask — do you know [Target Name] at [Company] well enough to make an intro?
I'm [one sentence on who you are and what you do]. I'd love to connect with [Target Name] because [specific reason — a deal, a job, a partnership, a question they're uniquely positioned to answer].
Happy to send a blurb you can paste right in if it's easier. And totally fine if the timing's off or the relationship isn't close enough — I appreciate you considering it either way.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
When to use it: You've confirmed the mutual connection exists and the relationship is reasonably strong. Don't skip the "well enough" qualifier — it gives the connector an easy out if the relationship is weaker than you assumed, and it signals you're not expecting them to vouch for you based on a weak tie.
2 The double opt-in intro request
A double opt-in intro is the gold standard. You ask the connector to check with the target before making the intro — rather than just forwarding your info without consent. It respects everyone's time, protects the connector's reputation, and results in a warmer landing when the intro does happen. This is the right way to ask for any intro when the relationship matters.
Template — Double Opt-In Intro Request
Subject: Intro to [Target Name] — would you be up for a double opt-in?
Hi [Connector Name],
I noticed you know [Target Name] — I'd love an intro if you're comfortable. But I'd rather do a double opt-in than put you in an awkward spot.
Would you be willing to send [Target Name] a quick note asking if they're open to connecting? Something like: "A friend of mine, [Your Name], is [one sentence about what you do] — would you be open to an intro?"
If they say yes, I'll send you a short blurb you can forward. If the timing's wrong for them, totally fine — I'd never want to put you in an uncomfortable position.
Thanks for considering it.
[Your Name]
When to use it: Anytime the connector's relationship with the target is important to preserve, or when the target is senior enough that a cold intro landing in their inbox could reflect badly on the connector. VCs, C-suite, and anyone with high inbound volume — always do a double opt-in.
3 Following up after you get the intro
The connector made the intro. Now you're in the thread and need to respond — quickly, warmly, and with a clear ask. The clock starts the moment the connector hits send. A slow or vague response wastes the goodwill the intro created.
Template — Your Reply After Getting Intro'd
Subject: [Keep the existing thread subject line]
[Connector Name], thanks so much for making this happen — really appreciate it.
[Target Name], great to meet you. [One sentence on who you are — specific and concrete, not generic.]
I'll keep this brief: [one to two sentences on exactly why you wanted to connect and what you're hoping to explore].
Would [specific time window, e.g., "a 20-minute call sometime next week"] work for you? Here's a scheduling link if that makes it easier: [link]
Thanks again — looking forward to it.
[Your Name]
When to use it: Every time. Reply within 24 hours — ideally within a few hours. Move the connector to BCC immediately so you're not asking them to participate in a scheduling back-and-forth. The intro is theirs to make; the conversation is yours to run.
4 Asking for an intro to an investor
Investor intros are high-stakes and over-requested. The connector's reputation is on the line every time they make one. This template makes your ask easy to evaluate: the connector can quickly decide if the fit is strong enough to put their name on it.
Template — Investor Intro Request
Subject: Intro to [Investor Name] — quick ask
Hey [Connector Name],
I'm raising [round size, e.g., "a $1.5M pre-seed"] for [Company Name] — [one sentence on what you build and who it's for]. We're at [one concrete traction signal, e.g., "$40K MRR, growing 20% MoM"].
I know you're connected to [Investor Name] at [Fund]. Would you be comfortable making an intro? I've done some research and think there's a genuine fit — [one sentence on why this specific investor, not just "they invest in our space"].
Happy to send a short blurb you can forward if that's easier. And no pressure at all — I only want the intro if you'd feel good putting your name on it.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
When to use it: When you're actively fundraising and have a real traction signal to share. Don't ask for investor intros before you have something concrete — the connector's credibility takes the hit, not yours. One strong intro to the right investor is worth more than ten weak ones to mismatched funds.
5 Reconnecting before asking for a favor
Cold-asking someone you haven't spoken to in two years is a fast way to burn a relationship. This template warms up a dormant contact without making the ask immediately — giving you a genuine exchange before you need something. The re-engagement has to be real, not transparent setup.
Template — Reconnect Before the Ask
Subject: Long overdue catch-up — [specific reference to something they'd recognize]
Hi [Name],
It's been too long. I've been following [something specific they've done or announced — a promotion, a company milestone, a post they wrote] and wanted to reach out.
[One or two genuine sentences: what you've been up to, a shared memory, or something you genuinely appreciated about them or their work.]
Would love to catch up properly — even a 20-minute call would be great. No agenda, just good to stay connected with people doing interesting things.
Hope you're well,
[Your Name]
When to use it: When the relationship has gone dormant and you want to reconnect before asking for anything. The key: the specific reference in the subject line and the genuine catch-up body. If you reach back out only when you need something, people notice. Build the relationship back first — then, in a separate conversation, make the ask.
6 Thanking the connector after the intro
Most people forget this one entirely. Thanking the connector after the intro — especially with a quick update on what happened — closes the loop and strengthens the relationship. Connectors who feel appreciated make more intros. This is how your network compounds.
Template — Thank You to Connector Post-Intro
Subject: Re: [original intro thread subject] — thank you
Hey [Connector Name],
Just wanted to close the loop — [Target Name] and I had a great call. [One concrete outcome: "We're scheduling a follow-up," "They made an intro to someone on their team," "Doesn't look like the right fit right now, but the conversation was useful."]
Thanks again for making that happen. Genuinely appreciated — you didn't have to, and it made a real difference.
Hope I can return the favor sometime.
[Your Name]
When to use it: Always. Send this within a week of the intro call, even if the outcome wasn't what you hoped. Connectors rarely hear back after they make an intro — being the person who closes the loop makes you memorable and earns you future goodwill that compounds over time.
7 Cold-to-warm bridge (referencing a shared connection)
Sometimes you can't get a formal introduction — but you do have a shared connection you can reference. This is technically a cold email, but name-dropping a mutual contact you've actually spoken to about this person shifts the dynamic meaningfully. Use it when a formal intro isn't possible but a genuine connection exists.
Template — Cold-to-Warm Bridge Email
Subject: [Mutual Contact Name] suggested I reach out
Hi [Target Name],
[Mutual Contact Name] mentioned you when we were talking about [relevant topic] — they thought our work might overlap in interesting ways.
I'm [one sentence: who you are and what you do, concrete]. Specifically, [one sentence on what you're working on that's relevant to them].
I'd love to connect briefly — [specific ask: "a 15-minute call," "your thoughts on X," "whether a partnership makes sense"]. Happy to work around your schedule.
[Mutual Contact's Name] can vouch for me if you want to double-check.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
When to use it: When you've had an actual conversation with the mutual contact who mentioned the target — not just when you share a LinkedIn connection. The line "they can vouch for me" is the signal of legitimacy. Only include it if it's true and you've already told the mutual contact you're reaching out. Fabricated warm signals get spotted immediately.
One thing these templates all share: they're short. The instinct when stakes are high is to write more — more context, more justification, more proof of legitimacy. Resist it. Every sentence you add is a sentence the reader has to decide whether to continue reading. The connector already vouched for you. The template just needs to not get in the way of that.
But the templates are only half the problem. The harder half is knowing who to ask in the first place.
Before you can use any of these, you need to know which path through your network leads to the target — and who the right person to ask is. That's not a writing problem. It's a visibility problem. Your second-degree network has the paths. You just can't see them without the right tool.
Kimono maps your warm paths in 2 minutes. Once you know who the right connector is, the template does the rest.
If you're not sure whether you're the kind of person who has more warm paths than you think, check out our guide to 5 signs you're a super-connector. The people who benefit most from these templates are the ones who've never systematically mapped their network.