Breaking the ice with someone is as simple as saying hello, but what do you say afterward? How do you introduce yourself to anyone? Your name? Job? City? How do you respond to that questioning gaze of the person trying to understand who this new person they are dealing with is?
Introducing Yourself
Hi! My name is Aseem Gupta, and I am a digital marketer by profession.
This introduction is usually followed by a polite nod from the other person and an awkward silence while we struggle to further conversation. Sometimes, they asked where I was from and I replied that I was from Delhi. Again, the awkward silence resumed.
What you do for a living and where you are from are two essential parts of your introduction. Most of our answers to these questions are as dry as a desert, completely deride of any conversational nectar.
Suppose your introduction to a person is just your job title, like a digital marketer, data scientist, or engineer. How do you expect the other person to become interested in what you do and converse with you? I would go so far as to say that even if you played a professional sport or performed with a band, you would still have trouble.
It’s the same with just saying that you are from New York or New Delhi. Where can the conversation go if the other person meets an engineer from New Delhi?
I came across a term for this, “Naked Introductions,” from a book I read about communication techniques titled How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes.
The problem is relatively straightforward. People don’t want to make much effort in carrying on a conversation if it is not interesting. You have to give them some conversational fodder that they can use to move the conversation forward.
Since learning about “Naked Introductions,” I have changed how I introduce myself. Here’s how I go about it now.
Hi, my name is Aseem Gupta and I am a digital marketer by profession. I am based out of Delhi, where I have lived all my life. I work at an influencer marketing agency where I write content for the company’s website and social media channels.
The above introduction is better than the one-liner I used before because the other person has many things he can pick to decide where to take the conversation, such as digital marketer, influencer marketing, working in an agency, content writing, blogs and social media. This introduction also tells the person that I have lived in Delhi for a long time and have roots there.
Knowing “Naked Introductions,” you can take it a step further by keeping in mind the context and occasion you are interacting with people. I am a member of Toastmasters, a communication skills and leadership skills development platform based out of the United States (See how I introduced Toastmasters to you here. I gave you some information about the organization and not leave you wondering what it is I am talking about.)
When I am at a Toastmasters event, I tell people about my club, how long I have been associated with it, when the club meets, and how my journey has been so far. Hearing all this, the other person always takes an interest in talking to me and I have always succeeded in making meaningful conversations.
Naked Introductions for Others
The other aspect of introductions in social situations is when you are making introductions between two unknown people. You are stepping into the role of a mutual friend. It may be hard to believe, but your ability to introduce two people can affect how well their conversation and relationship develop.
The same principles I discussed above apply to this situation as well. You are responsible for introducing the two strangers so they can strike up a conversation without difficulty. When making introductions, tell both parties things about the other that they might find interesting. It could be something you know interests them both. Any common thread can do the trick of connecting to people if you know how to work it. This is an introduction I made recently.
Hi Raj. Meet Neha. She is a friend of mine from school. She works as a digital marketer, too and is a fantastic artist.
Neha, I met Raj at Toastmasters three years ago. He is an entrepreneur based out of Delhi. He is a friend who always gives me great advice. His hobbies are reading books and hiking.
Here, Raj and Neha have plenty of directions. I knew that Raj appreciates creativity and Neha likes intellectual people. I knew Neha likes intellectual people. As a ten-year age gap between them they got together splendidly that evening. I felt good having played a part in connecting them.
Similar to how we wear the right outfit for every occasion to look awesome, ensure that your introduction does justice to your awesomeness. Avoid “Naked Introductions” that are dry. Give the people you meet a fighting chance to discover the awesome person they have the opportunity to meet.