Whether you’re a professional, a business owner or self-employed, building your business or making career progress almost always involves creating and expanding your network of contacts. That means you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to meet people. That, of course, involves being comfortable with introducing yourself and then moving from small talk to more in-depth conversation. (See Networking And The Power Of A Question.)

But there’s another kind of introduction that’s equally if not more important. That’s when someone else actually introduces you and speaks at least momentarily on your behalf. Why might this be a more important type of introduction? Because your friend or colleague is leveraging one of their relationships for your benefit. This is an act that should be valued and honored. In fact, it’s such a vital point that Patti Johnson, writing for Success, has compiled the following 10 tips for helping you turn that introduction into a successful professional connection.

“The introducer is using their reputation for you.” This should be implicit but some people may not think too much about it. But it’s probably the most significant thing about being introduced by another. How you act will directly reflect on your friend or colleague. That’s a responsibility to be taken seriously.

“Follow up — quickly — to show good introduction etiquette.” Aside from etiquette, there’s a very practical reason to follow up quickly: in today’s fast-paced world your new acquaintance may simply forget you if you don’t follow up.

“Aim for an in-person intro.” Sure, an email intro, phone call or even Zoom first meeting can be okay. But so much communication is non-verbal that there’s really no substitute for a face-to-face conversation over a cup of coffee.

“Your schedule is secondary.” Easy to understand this one. Make it easy to schedule a meeting; you’re in a sense asking someone for a favor.  

“Prepare for your meeting.” There’s a reason that one of your colleagues or a friend thought it would be a good idea to introduce you. Make sure you understand what that reason is and do some basic research on your new contact. Go to LinkedIn, do a basic Google search and gather some background info about them. Why do they want to meet you?

“Know the ‘ask’ to show proper introduction etiquette.” Now comes the selfish part. What do you want to get out of the meeting or the connection? There’s nothing wrong with clearly stating what your goals are or what you want to accomplish. But that means you have to be prepared to articulate them.

“Work on a relationship, not a transaction.” Think about the tip above. What are your goals? If you know what you’re trying to accomplish, establishing a relationship with someone is a great way to move a step closer to your goal. Don’t expect your new contact to be a magical connection. Establishing a real relationship, though, may help that person understand what you’re after and they may know someone who can help.

“Show gratitude.” You probably appreciate both the person who introduced you and your new contact for both offering their time. So show it! Follow up with a hand-written thank-you note. In this age of endless emailing and texting a simple note will make you stand out.

“Stay in touch.” The old advertising rule of thumb is that it takes seven impressions for someone to notice a message. The same applies for in-person contacts. A one-time meeting will soon fade from memory. Follow up with anything from an email to a LinkedIn message. 

“You can’t just be a taker —It’s not proper etiquette for new introductions.” The more you give the more you get applies to so many aspects of life. It’s especially true in networking. People love to reciprocate when someone does them a favor. Think about making introductions and you’ll find yourself being introduced in return.