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. 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.
   
   
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   Offer 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.
   
   
4. 4
   Tell 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".
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   Reveal 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.
   
   
6. 6
   Close 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."