A heat transfer member is prepared by applying a silicone composition onto a substrate to form an uncured silicone coating, and heat curing the coating to form a silicone heat conductor including a cured skin layer on the outer surface side and a low hardness layer on the inner surface side. The silicone composition comprises (a) an organopolysiloxane having alkenyl groups, (b) a heat conductive filler, (c) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane having Si--H groups, (d) an addition reaction catalyst, and (e) a volatile compound having one alkenyl group allowing for addition of an Si--H group thereto.