warm-intro-finderlisted

Finds the human bridges between the writer and a target — mutual contacts, alumni networks, ex-colleagues, podcast connections, board overlaps — and ranks them by how likely they are to make a useful introduction. Different from connection-finder (which finds "like you" content hooks). This one finds *people* who can vouch. Use whenever the user is about to send a cold email and hasn't checked who they know in common with the target. Triggers on "warm intro," "find a connection," "who do I know," "mutual contact," "do I have anyone," "who can introduce me."
kalyvask/winning-writing · ★ 4 · AI & Automation · score 77

Install: claude install-skill kalyvask/winning-writing

# Warm-intro finder Source: `points/cold-email-rules.md` rule 4 ("Find a mutual contact and name them") + the AB test result that the same email sent to `jobs@anthropic.com` got zero response while sent direct via warm intro got a reply at 8:25 AM the next morning. ## The premise A warm intro from someone the recipient trusts roughly **doubles** open rate and **triples** response rate compared to the same email sent cold. Most cold emails fail not because they're bad, but because the writer never checked their network. This skill exists because the check is mechanical and almost everyone skips it. ## What "warm" actually means Not all mutual contacts are useful. The bar is: - The connector has **engaged with both parties recently** (within the last 12 months) — a forgotten LinkedIn link from 2014 doesn't count - The connector **has positive standing with the recipient** — a fired ex-employee is worse than a stranger - The connector is **willing to spend social capital** — being a 1st-degree connection is necessary but not sufficient Rank candidates by these three filters, not just by connection-degree. ## What to search Cross-reference the recipient (from `recipient-research`) against the user's profile (from `context/about-me.md`) along nine bridge categories. Highest leverage at top. ### 1. Recent direct collaboration (1st degree) Anyone the user has shipped a project with or worked closely alongside in the last 24 months who also has a current connection to the