When to pick each of the four email types
The voice you use to write a stranger is not the voice you use to write someone you've met, and neither is the voice you use to write someone you've already worked with. Most outreach fails because composers use one voice for everyone. Picking the right type isn't about choosing a template, it's about showing up with the right level of familiarity for the actual relationship.
What to do
New introduction
Use this when you've never spoken to the recipient. The draft will lead with curiosity about their work, not with a pitch. The ask will be soft ("a quick chat" or "a glance at the score"). Don't use this for someone you've already exchanged emails with — they'll feel forgotten.
We've met
Use this when you've crossed paths in person, gotten a referral, or had a single email back and forth. The draft will reference the connection in the first sentence, so make sure you give the drafter the context ("We met at Tanglewood" or "Marin Aldred suggested I write").
Familiar
Use this when you have an active or past collaboration. The draft assumes a working relationship and skips the introductions. Tone is direct, peer-to-peer.
Follow-up
Use this when you've already sent something and they've gone quiet. The draft will frame the silence neutrally (no guilt, no apology) and offer them an easy out so they don't feel pressure.
Common questions
What if it's a referral but I've never met them?
Use We've metand pick the "Mutual friend referred them" option. The draft will lead with the referral, which is what makes the email warm.
How long should the email be?
Default is 80-120 words. If you turn on "Keep it short," you'll get 40-60 words — which fits on a phone screen and is the sweet spot for cold outreach.
Why no "send the score" CTA in a New introduction?
Cold outreach gets responses when the ask is small. "Take a look at the score" is a 30-minute commitment for a stranger. "A quick chat" is a 15-minute commitment. Save the score-review ask for after they've replied to the short version.