Small Business Marketing Kit For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Making Introductions

To build a network and launch positive interactions, you need to be ready to make three kinds of introductions: your personal introduction, your business introduction, and your introduction of two colleagues to each other. Each introduction gives you a moment in the limelight. Use it well.

Introducing yourself

People engage with people they find interesting, connected, and able to make unique contributions. When they ask, “What do you do?” they want to learn how your capabilities and interests align with their own wants and needs.

In person, you have about 20 seconds to answer, inspire, and make others want to continue the conversation. Online, you have about 20 words. (See Chapter 11 for tips on compressing your introduction to fit the length limitations of most social media sites.) In presentations, you have about 50 words. After that, minds wander, which is the effect you want to avoid.

When introducing yourself, take these steps:

Begin with names. “Hi, Mike. I’m Jane. Jane Smith.” By stating the name of the person (“Hi, Mike”) or people (“Good morning, everyone”) you’re addressing, you gain attention and establish a conversational tone. By stating and repeating your name (along with your business, if you’re in a business setting), you help build name awareness ...