Introducing Yourself in Any Social Situation:
1: Make eye contact. Eye contact shows that you're engaged in the interaction. Eye contact is one way to connect with another human and show that the other person has your attention. When you make eye contact, it shows that you are open and engaged.
- If you're not comfortable looking straight into someone's eyes, stare at the point between the eyebrows; she won't notice the difference.
- If you’re in a group setting, make periodic eye contact with those around you.
2: Smile. It is important to keep a genuine, bright smile when you meet a new person. Be genuinely happy to meet someone new and to share a positive experience and it will help create a genuine smile. Including the upper part of your face in your smile creates a more genuine and less fabricated smile.
3: Use appropriate body language. Your body language should communicate that you are confident and at ease. Stand with your head high and your back straight, being careful not to slouch. Mirror the body language of people around you. Also mirror the pace of speech and tone of speech of those near you to built rapport.
Introducing Yourself to an Individual:
1: Exchange names. If the introduction is formal, say "Hello, I'm [first name][last name]." If it's informal, say "Hi, I'm [first name]. Immediately after you've stated your name, ask for the other person's name by saying "What’s your name?" in a pleasant tone. When you learn the other person's name, repeat it by saying "It's a pleasure to meet you, Pedro" or "Nice to meet you, Caroline."
- Repeating the person’s name will help you remember it, and give the introduction a more personal touch.
2: Offer a handshake or other culturally appropriate greeting. Most cultures have a form of physical contact to accompany a greeting. In the United States, it is often a handshake. Be sure to keep the handshake brief and not to loose (floppy) or firm (bone-breaking).
- Be aware of cultural differences. For instance, it is considered rude to firmly shake hands in China.
- It is often appropriate to greet with a hug, especially if you’re meeting a friend of a friend or an in-law. Hugs show more openness than a handshake. Women more often than men may prefer a hug to a handshake.-
- In many cultures, it is culturally appropriate to greet with a kiss. In South America, for instance, all women are greeted with one kiss, and in France, women are greeted with one kiss on each cheek. If you are unsure of the appropriate greeting, follow the other person’s lead or watch how other people greet around you.
3: Ask questions. It’s important to show interest in the other person. Ask where she is from, what she does for a living, or ask about any common bonds you may have. Ask about what she loves to do and the passions she has in life. Show that you are engaged and interested in what she has to say.
- You may tell a little bit of your background in order to engage conversation and share about yourself. Telling someone where you work or that you love rock climbing is appropriate and may lead to more conversation topics.
- Don’t take the opportunity to talk only about yourself. You will come across as selfish or uninteresting .
4: Close the conversation. After you've met someone for the first time, you should end the conversation by restating that you enjoyed meeting. If the interaction was formal, say something like "Mrs. Castro, I'm delighted to have met you. I hope we can talk again soon." If your conversation was informal, you can say "It was great meeting you, Harold. Hope to see you around."
Introducing Yourself Before Giving a Speech:
1: Greet the audience and state your name. If you're giving a speech, it's important to state your first and last name. As you say hello and give your name, remember to speak clearly and confidently.
- Say, "Good morning, I’m Chelle Arnold" or "How is everyone doing today? My name is Lisa Carroll".
2: Share some relevant information about yourself. After you provide your name, share why you and the speech are relevant, making sure you provide your credibility. The sort of information you share will depend on the audience and the subject you'll be talking about. If you're giving a speech about the importance of eating organic foods, tell people that you're a scientist, chef, or environmental professional. If you’re giving a speech about child development, be sure to include that you are a child psychologist.
- Provide any other relevant information. For instance, you can provide a brief background of your credible experience. “My name is Erica Lafaurie and I am a professor of environmental science at Berkeley. After I conducted my research in the Amazon rainforest, I realized how important it is to share ways to protect this land.”
3: Communicate effectively. From the very start, make sure your voice is loud enough for everyone to hear you. Avoid mumbling by enunciating your consonants crisply. You can even ask the audience if you are speaking loudly enough for all to hear. People will not be able to understand you or respect what you are sharing if they cannot hear you.
4: Move your body. Stand with good posture, and move freely while you speak. Stand up tall, move your shoulders back instead of slouching, and keep your hands free, using them to gesture when necessary. If you don't have to stand behind a podium, then walk around to show the crowd how comfortable you are and to make yourself look less stiff.