Be describable in one sentence, respond to intros fast, make the introducer look good, and report back on what came of it.
The idea
An introduction puts the introducer's reputation on the line. They're saying, "I trust you won't make me look bad, and I believe you'll add value to this other person I care about." The people who get introduced over and over make that easy and safe. After a decade of watching who gets introduced and who doesn't, I see three traits. You're clear: a friend can describe your work in one sentence. You're reliable: you don't ghost an intro or take three weeks to reply. And you make others look good: when you turn out to be helpful to their contact, they want to do it again. What kills it: only taking, being forgettable, and making it weird.
How to do it
Thank three people who've introduced you in the past, and tell them what came of it.
Write the one sentence a stranger would hear about you. If it's fuzzy, sharpen your focus.
When someone introduces you, follow through promptly so the introducer never regrets it.
Make five introductions yourself this month, double opt-in. The best receivers are usually the best givers.
Example
In 2025 a friend I hadn't spoken to in months introduced me to someone I'd wanted to meet for years. The opposite case: a real estate agent who turned every coffee chat into a sales pitch. Nobody introduces them anymore.
Watch out for
Waiting until you're impressive enough. Being reliable, clear about your value and genuinely helpful is what earns the intro.
Relatable: If you make a lot of introductions, try the introduction tool in Relatable, which asks both sides before anyone's details move. A careful email does the same. How-to: Make a warm introduction.
Related frameworks
The Double Opt-In Introduction: Ask both people before connecting them, give a specific reason, and only make introductions both would thank you for.
The Chain of Trust: Trust travels through people. Beth trusts Jack, Jack trusts me, so Beth gives me five minutes. One careless, templated message can snap the link.
The Friday Close-the-Loop Ritual: Every Friday, spend five minutes asking what good thing happened this week and who you have to thank for it, then send one message.
Be Worth Knowing: Share your own take and what you're into; industry jargon makes you invisible, while personality and stories make you memorable.