Explain the proposed connection separately to each person and confirm that both are willing to be introduced. Share the agreed purpose and appropriate contact details, then let the participants choose how to continue. A prior relationship gives you context; it does not automatically give you permission to create a new commitment.
Check whether the proposed connection is relevant
Before asking for permission, describe why the two people might benefit from a conversation. Identify the specific question, experience or potential collaboration involved. Avoid introducing people simply because they work in the same broad industry or because one has asked to meet someone influential. A clear reason makes it easier for both sides to judge fit without an awkward public refusal.
Check what you actually know about their current roles and availability. Someone’s previous expertise may remain useful while their present responsibilities or interests have changed. Do not describe willingness, purchasing authority or commercial intent that the person has not confirmed. Keep the proposed introduction separate from an endorsement of every service or claim either participant may make.
Ask each person privately with enough context
Send a concise permission request through an appropriate existing channel. Explain who the other person is, the proposed topic, the likely first step and why you thought the connection might be relevant. Include a shareable brief when useful. Give the recipient a straightforward option to decline or suggest another route without requiring them to justify private circumstances.
Ask what information they are comfortable sharing. A public professional profile may be enough before a direct address is exchanged. Do not add someone to a group conversation first and ask for consent afterward. Silence should not be treated as agreement; it may mean the message was missed, the timing is unsuitable or the person does not wish to participate.
Make the agreed introduction easy to use
Once both sides agree, write a short note naming the shared purpose and the roles each person has confirmed. Explain who will propose the next step so the conversation does not depend on both waiting for the other. Keep expectations modest: an introduction can open a discussion without establishing a project, referral obligation or promise to provide unpaid work.
Include only the context needed for the conversation. Avoid forwarding a long private message chain containing unrelated comments, customer information or personal details. If timing or scope changes before you send the introduction, check whether the original permission still applies. A person who agreed to a research conversation has not necessarily agreed to receive a sales proposal.
Respect the participants’ control after the handoff
Let the participants manage their discussion unless they have asked you to coordinate a specific step. You can offer a light check-in about whether the introduction reached them, but do not demand a detailed account of a private conversation. Avoid repeatedly pressing someone to accept a meeting because you feel responsible for making the connection successful.
If one side declines, communicate the practical outcome without sharing private reasons. Keep any relationship notes proportionate and follow the information-handling rules applicable to your work. Review what made the introduction relevant or unhelpful so future requests improve. The aim is a useful, voluntary connection with clear expectations, rather than a count of introductions made.
A fictional introducer changes the contact route
A fictional scenario to explain the method, not a customer result or a market benchmark.
A fictional consultant knows a service designer and a founder researching customer onboarding. Before connecting them, the consultant asks each person whether a brief discussion about onboarding research would be useful. The designer is interested but prefers an initial message through their public professional contact page rather than sharing a personal email address.
The consultant confirms that route with the founder and provides only the agreed context. The introduction says the founder will propose a short discussion and that no commercial project has been agreed. When the founder later wants to discuss paid design work, they raise that separately with the designer. The fictional example shows how permission can cover a specific purpose and channel without becoming an open-ended claim on someone’s time.
TAKE THIS INTO YOUR NEXT CONVERSATION
A practical next-step checklist.
- Explain a specific reason for the proposed connection.
- Ask both people before starting a shared conversation.
- Confirm the purpose and contact details that may be shared.
- Name the next action without promising participation beyond it.
- Respect a decline and keep follow-up proportionate.
Common questions.
Is permission still necessary when both profiles are public?
Public profiles can help people assess relevance, but they do not establish willingness to join a particular conversation. Ask before presenting the introduction as agreed, and use contact routes the people have chosen to make available.
What if someone does not reply to the permission request?
Do not assume acceptance. A proportionate follow-up may be appropriate through the existing relationship, but leave the person a clear option to decline or not participate. Avoid sharing their private details while the decision remains unconfirmed.
Further reading & source context.
These primary references provide background. They are not evidence for the fictional example above and do not endorse AccelerateLink.
- SBA: business growth resources (U.S. context)
- MIT Career Advising: professional networking
- ICO: data minimisation (UK guidance)
Found an error or a missing qualification? Send an editorial correction.
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