Is it better to introduce contacts to each other, or refer one to the other? Many XING users discuss exactly this question (it’s not as trivial as it may seem at first). You can find both options by clicking on your contact’s profile page, and then on the “Introduce” button in the upper-right corner. I’d like to briefly explain what the difference is, and when each option is the right one.
Your two options: referring or introducing.
Introduce contacts to one another: This means that both people will receive a message from you. The first person as a XING message, the second person either as an email or a XING message.
Refer this person to somebody else: You can either send the second person a XING message or an email with the contact you’d like to refer. The person you wish to refer will not be notified.
The difference between the two is simple: in the first case, you’ve introduced two individuals, similar to doing so in person. Both know of the introduction and can decide whether they’d like to connect or even do business together. In the second case, I’m just passing a name along to another contact of mine, such as handing over a business card. The person I give the “business card” to can do whatever he wants: either contact the person, hold on to the card, or throw it away.
Introduce contacts when both parties stand to gain
Personally, I only introduce people when I know that they’ve already met each other, and simply are not connected on XING. Or else I’m quite certain that both parties stand to gain from being connected; in this case, I make sure to tell each person what the other person has to offer.
As a rule, I generally only confirm contacts if I’ve met them in person at least once. It’s a good way for me to keep my network manageable, and allow me to keep up on the relationships to the extent that it makes sense to me.
Referral – The non-binding approach
Just like passing along a business card, you can refer a XING contact to someone not yet on the website. All you have to do is enter the recipient’s email address in the box “via email”.
Because of the flexibility and non-binding nature, the default setting is to refer a contact. So refer anyone you think is a valuable contact – to your mother, your boss, your best friend. The person you pass the contact along to has nothing to lose, and the person you refer is none the wiser. No one needs to feel pressured, and you needn’t feel that you’ve tried to set up an introduction and failed.
By the way: For the person receiving your referral, it looks as if you just introduced the person.
If you’d like to learn more about referrals and introductions, check out the following groups (mostly in German): [add localized groups here]
Good luck in your referrals!
Silke Schippmann
XING´s official twitter account
Leave a comment
I.
Well, I am not sure about the English version. But in the German version the text going with the referral is somewhat confusing. It is not really clear (to me) who is referred to whom. (I have to think about it every time…)
Maybe some explanatory snippet in the front end could clear this up.
II.
As I am he ‘symmetric type’ I wold also prefer the bilateral introduction to me the standard option and not the (confusing) referral.
But maybe that is just me
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