How To Introduce Yourself

#1 Who you are: I don't think we've met (before). I think we've already met. My name is ... I'm ... Nice to meet you; I'm ... Pleased to meet you; I'm ... Let me introduce myself; I'm ... I'd like to introduce myself; I'm ... My name is Melanie, but you can call me Mel.

#2 What you do: I am a [job title] at [company]. Officially, my job is to... But really, I... It’s all about... Which is a fancy way of saying… To Begin with: I’m a [job] at [company]. I’m currently working as a [job]. I’ve been with [company] since [time] / for [period]. I work for [company]. I work in [field/industry]. I work with [department/person]. I’m self-employed. / I'm working as a freelancer. / I own my own company. My role is... My responsibilities include... I’m responsible for… I make sure that... / I ensure... I oversee… / I supervise... I handle... I deal with...

3 What others need to know: Today, I’d like to walk you through… I’m going to explain… I’d like us to… and decide on a follow-up for [these other tasks] My purpose today is to share inside information about... I'll let you take the lead, but let me know if you'd like me to jump in at some point.

TIP 1: Hi, how are you today? My name is Paola and I have a question for you. How is it possible that one of the most basic aspects of business communication is also one of the most awkward ones? I'm talking about how to introduce yourself in a professional context, like at a meeting or before a presentation or meeting new clients... We're all able to say 'Hi, my name is Paola and I'm the Marketing Director at hILOKAL. But who are you beyond that? In this episode, you'll learn an effective way to introduce yourself professionally in three easy steps. You can later find the transcript and more examples on our blog. So HILOKAL.com blog, and you'll see everything there.

TIP 2: Now, introductions are extremely important for your professional life. They're like your business card. And we don't use business cards anymore. So it's important you get it right. The first interaction you have with someone will truly impact how others perceive you. And also the relationship you will later have with them. The very first step is - have it prepared, don't improvise, have it ready for any professional situation. You can't hesitate when you introduce yourself. You cannot say: 'Well... My name is Paola... I have two kids...' That's not professional. So follow the steps that I'm going to give you today. Write down your introduction, practice, practice a little bit more and make sure it's ready and fresh for when you need it.

TIP 3: So when it comes to introductions, every case is different, of course, and you will need to understand the room. When networking for example, introductions tend to be shorter. But in the negotiation, you'll usually spend more time introducing yourself and bonding with the other party. But in general, a professional introduction should include three parts or steps. Number one, who you are number two, what you do number three, a detail that others need to know. Once you have those three, wrap it up, don't go on and on until the end of time. Now, let's look at each step individually. I'll explain them in-depth and provide some examples.

TIP 4: Starting by number one, who you are. Alright, the very first step is to mention your name. This is easy. And you can use us use the phrases that I'm going to give you now. Oh, I don't think we've met before. My name is Anna. Or if you have met them. I think we've already met. Again, remember, I'm Mel or Nice to meet you. Pleased to meet you. Let me introduce myself. I'd like to introduce myself. Or if you have a nickname, you can say my name is Melanie, or you can call me, Mel. Good. We have the first part. Easy, right?

TIP 5: Second one, what do you do? The second step might sound simple, but it's actually the most important and perhaps even tricky part. Usually, people say their name and their job title. But what else is there to say about you? What is it exactly that you do? The tricky part is to find the right balance or length of your elevator pitch. You need to provide some key points your audience can hang on to without having to write an essay. So yes, you should still mention your job title, your company, perhaps even your department. But you also need to add what you really do in plain English. Forget about jargon and fancy words. It should be short, so skip the details, sentences enough. What's important is that people immediately understand what you do and want to work with you.

TIP 6: When explaining what you do, don't focus on tasks, don't say, Oh, I do this and that and that. Focus on results. Talk about how you help people and be very specific. If you can craft an introduction that's focused on the results, and the other person is looking for you have, you would think about the problems, they may have an offer a solution. And most importantly, adjust this message, according to your audience. So you can actually just memorize the sentences I'm going to give you or phrases I am at easy. I'm a software developer at Globex Corporation, you can describe what you do in two ways you can see well, officially, my job is to, or you can just say the nice result that you get out of your job. So but really, I what it's all about, or, which is is a fancy way of saying, and here are some examples.

TIP 7: So we have the name, we have what you do. And now we go to the very last part, what do others need to know about you? So the last bit of a professional introduction usually consists of adding other nice facts that are relevant to the people and the context. And here, you can show your contribution, what do you bring to the table in this very specific moment. And you can also use it to set the expectations for the meaning or the presentation going on. Some of the phrases you can use are today, I'd like to walk you through, or for the next one minute, I'm going to explain. Or I'd like us to do this now and decide on a follow-up for these other tasks.

TIP 8: And that's it. You've learned how to craft a personal introduction that's engaging, and professional in three easy steps. Now, it's your turn, prepare your own introduction. And remember to include all the steps equipment, we just mentioned. Number one, your name. Number two, what you do. And here you should include here your job title, but also how you help people. And number three, a detail that the others need to know, like what you bring to the table in that specific situation. And once you've included all three, end here. As the Alice in Wonderland quote goes, "Begin at the beginning, and go on till you come to the end, and then stop." And that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna stop here. Craft your message, drop it in the comments, and we'll let you know how you did. I hope you enjoyed today's episode, and I hope to talk to you soon.

Example 1: Introducing yourself in an interview: Example: “My name is ____, and I enjoy promoting small companies to help them increase their profits. I’m excited for the opportunity to be part of a team that increases awareness of the businesses in Richmond. I have a strong background in public relations and would love to tell you about the strengths I could bring to this position.”

Example 2: Reaching out to a new client: Example: “My name is ______, and I am reaching out from Bags Unlimited to inform you of the services we provide. Our company sends out automatic shipments of a variety of takeout bags to restaurants each month so you will always have enough for your customers. We offer different packages based on your needs, so I would love to set up a time to speak with you and give you more information.”

Example 3: Introducing yourself to a new coworker: Example: “My name is _____, and I work in the marketing department as the social media manager. Our teams hold weekly meetings, and I look forward to working together in the future. Please let me know if I can help with anything as you orient yourself with the office.”