How to Write a Professional Networking Email

Whether you’re working in Global Health, or any other sector, sending professional networking emails will become a routine part of your job. If done well, they can be surprisingly simple but effective ways to get you one step closer to that Global Health opportunity you’ve been searching for.

But in order to get responses from these emails, they need to be written well. And that can take up a lot of your time.

To save you some valuable time, here are some simple tips and templates to increase your odds of receiving responses from professional networking emails.

Email script for a person you met at a networking event:

Hello [their name],

It was great speaking with you last night at [name of event or the location]. I really enjoyed hearing your insights on [the topic you spoke about], and I would like to continue this conversation with you over [coffee, Skype call, phone call, etc.].

Please let me know a few times that work well with your schedule. [State a few days/times you’re usually free like: “Any time after 2:00pm on weekdays usually works best for me.”]

Look forward to hearing from you!

Kind regards,

[your name]

Yes, it really is that simple! It does just what it needs to do: it reminds them of who you are and asks them the question you’re looking for. 

Email script for a person you were referred to in an email:

Hello [the name of the person who referred you],

Thank you for connecting us, [the name of the person who referred you]! And it’s nice to e-meet you, [name of the person]!

As [the name of the person who referred you] may have mentioned to you, I am [eg. really interested in pursuing a career in infectious disease research], as [reason why]. I see that you have expertise in [relevant area]. If you have time during the next few weeks, I would value speaking with you over [coffee, Skype call, phone call, etc.] about this.

Please let me know a few times that work well with your schedule. [State a few days/times you’re usually free like: “Any time after 2:00pm on weekdays usually works best for me.”]

Look forward to hearing from you!

Kind regards,

[your name]

Cold call email script (i.e. for someone you have not yet met or been referred to):

Dear [the name of the person who referred you],

I hope this email finds you well. I recently came across [some part of their work, perhaps a publication if they’re working in academia]. I really valued your insights on [X topic]. I am interested in connecting with you to hear more of your thoughts on this, as [reason why]. If you have time in the next few weeks, I would value speaking with you over [coffee, Skype call, phone call, etc.].

Please let me know a few times that work well with your schedule. [State a few days/times you’re usually free like: “Any time after 2:00pm on weekdays usually works best for me.”]

Look forward to hearing from you!

Kind regards,

[your name] 

KEY TIPS:

• If you met someone at a networking event, draft the email right when you get home. This way, the conversation is still fresh in your mind. And send the email the following morning so that it’s in their inbox when they arrive at their desk the next day.
• Make it short and sweet. Ideally, your email should be less than 6 sentences. Remember what the goal is: it’s to remind them of who you are and to get the person to respond to you. It’s not to tell them your life story. After all, you have to remember that this person likely receives a lot of these emails. So make yours stand out by being concise. 

AVOID THESE THINGS:

• Don’t wait more than 1 day to send it out. Otherwise, you will risk the person forgetting who you are.
• Copy/pasting the same email to several people. This is the TOP killer for professional emails! Pasting the body of an email that you just sent to someone else is, quite honestly, lazy and sloppy. Before sending an email, ask yourself why you are reaching out to that specific person. Why them? Research them beforehand to learn more about their work. Then show them you’re taking this seriously by tailoring your email to their work and interests.
• Don’t start with the “ask” right away. Avoid things like, “I want to work at your organization. How can I do that?” Get to know the person first. After all, it’s often about relationship building. So try to meet with them first to understand what their needs, interests and priorities are. This way, you’re more informed about whether this connection could actually be a great fit for you and for them.
• Starting an email with “Hi.” Starting an email chain with “Hi” (especially with someone you don’t know very well) can come across as unprofessional. In fact, many people in Global Health often start their emails with “Dear.” So to be safe, start with “Hello” or “Dear” and then let that person make the next move. If they respond back with “Hi”, you can do that too! However, if they respond with “Dear,” it’s smart to mimic that tone.