Having trouble introducing yourself?

Being able to introduce yourself to a group or another person might seem daunting, but it's a social task that pops up a lot. Here are some steps to make it easier.

STEP
Introducing Yourself to an Audience

1. Speak clearly and confidently. Make sure your voice is loud enough for everyone to hear you. Avoid mumbling by enunciating your consonants crisply.
2. Make eye contact with a few people. Don't stare down or at some aimless point in the corner of the room. Move your gaze around the group to make eye contact with a few people as you speak. If you don't like the thought of looking into that many eyes, look at their eyebrows or noses - they won't be able to tell the difference.
3. Say hello, and state your name. If you're at a formal gathering, say "Hello, my name is [first name] [last name]." If the gathering is informal, tone it down accordingly - you could say something like "Hey, I'm [first name]."
4. Share basic information about yourself. The sort of information you share will depend on the audience you're addressing. If you're introducing yourself on the first day of school, you might say where you're from and what you did over the summer. If you're introducing yourself to a group of business associates, you might tell them what exactly your job is and how long you've been with the company.
5. Close the introduction. If you're going to be interacting more closely with these people in the future, say something like "I look forward to getting to know you all of you better." If you probably won't be talking a lot of these people later, close with something like "It's been a pleasure speaking to you this morning/this afternoon/tonight."

Introducing Yourself to an Individual

1. Make eye contact. Eye contact shows that you're engaged in the interaction, as well as displaying confidence. If you're not comfortable looking straight into someone's eyes, stare at the point between their eyebrows - they won't notice the difference.

2. Smile. It is important to keep a genuine, bright smile (and fresh breath, too). Your smile is your best icebreaker - it draws people in.




3Offer a handshake. A firm handshake, once again, demonstrates your self-confidence. Get the grip just right, though - you don't want break the other person's hand. Try squeezing slightly with your fingers and not your thumb, and release the handshake after two or three seconds.



4Tell the other person your name, and ask for theirs. If the introduction is formal, say "Hello, I'm [first name][last name]." If it's informal, you can say "Hi, I'm [first name]. Immediately after you've stated your name, ask for the other person's name by saying "And you are...?" in a questioning tone. When you learn the other person's name, repeat it by saying "It's a pleasure to meet you, John" or "Nice to meet you, Jane." Repeating the name will help you remember it, and give the introduction a more personal touch.




Giving a nickname is absolutely okay, but always give notice it's a nickname. For instance, say "My name's Mike, but they call me 'The Situation'." Or "my name is Nicole, but they call me "Snooki".


5Reveal a little bit of your background. It depends on the context of the conversation, but start off by telling the other person something about yourself. You might start off with where you're from, what you do for a living, or why you wanted to meet this person. Whatever you use, it should be a springboard for more conversation. You may tell a little bit of your background in order to start your conversation. Telling someone where you work and your title is appropriate and may lead to many conversation topics.





6Close the conversation. After you've met someone for the first time, you should end the conversation by restating that you enjoyed meeting them. If the interaction was formal, say something like "Mrs. Jones, I'm delighted to have met you. I hope we can talk again soon." If your conversation was informal, you could say "It was great meeting you, Jane. Hope to see you around."

TIPS
Focus on the positive. An introductory conversation is no time to say negative things about yourself or someone else.

If your hands tend to get sweaty, wipe them on a napkin before beginning the introduction.
Keep your focus on the person you are meeting - give them the respect you would like to receive.
Avoid eating anything that might stick to your teeth.
Don't speak when your mouth is filled with food.
Don't look away or act distracted - it will make you look bored or uninterested.