Making an introduction with the person’s permission

You know an adviser who could help a participant from your workshop. The quick move is to forward the participant’s message and explain the situation for them. Agree the introduction with them first instead. It makes the introduction more useful, and it protects anything they told you that they did not mean to share, such as a worry they raised only with you.

Offer the contact before offering the introduction

Tell the person who the adviser is, what kind of work they handle, and why you think they fit. Say plainly what you have not checked: availability, fees, and whether the adviser can act in the person’s country. If you have a personal or financial connection to the adviser, say so.

Then offer a choice: “Would you like their details so you can contact them yourself, or would you like me to introduce you?” Accept either answer, and accept “I need time to think.” Some people want the contact but prefer to approach privately. Coming to a workshop should never make an introduction the automatic next step.

Agree on the information to share

If they want an introduction, ask what it should include. Usually their name, preferred contact method, the broad subject and a question about availability are enough. If a date matters, ask whether and how to mention it. Leave out agreements, screenshots and the story of a dispute; the person can share those directly if they decide to work with the adviser.

Draft the message and show it to the person before you send it. For example: “Leila is looking for advice about permissions for an illustrated book and would like to know whether you handle this kind of work in her country. She has asked me to introduce you. Could you let her know your availability and how an initial conversation is charged?” Send it only once Leila has approved the wording.

Keep separate choices separate

Permission to introduce someone covers that introduction and nothing else. It is not permission to add them to a mailing list, feature them in a case study, send their documents to other advisers, or follow up repeatedly. Ask about each of those separately if it comes up.

Keep the adviser’s side just as clear. Agreeing to receive an enquiry is not agreeing to take the matter on. The person still needs to understand the service, any checks the adviser requires, the fees, and who will do what. Do not promise an outcome on the adviser’s behalf.

Let the conversation move to the people involved

Once both sides have replied, step out. The person and the adviser decide how to continue, and you do not need to stay copied into their exchanges because you connected them. If you want to know whether the referral helped, ask one short question that needs no private details or documents, such as “Did you get the help you were looking for?” (more in How to tell whether an IP workshop helped).

Keep only the record your role needs, for example the date, who you introduced to whom, and that the person agreed. If the person asks what you shared and why, you should be able to show them the approved message. That clarity is what makes an introduction a welcome offer of help rather than a handover.