Introducing Yourself

How do you introduce yourself, when you meet someone new?

I like to introduce myself?as a technical marketer, an engineer who works in marketing, a yoga teacher, or an active volunteer in the community. There are many nouns we can use to describe ourselves. All of these nouns comprise what makes you, you. However, we may pick one or two to describe ourselves, depending on who we are meeting or where we are.

Standing Out

If you’re attending an industry conference or a networking event, you will likely meet a room full of people. What sets you apart? The better question may be, how do you want people to remember you? Or, what do you want to be known for? Similarly, if you’re job searching, what sets you apart from the several other candidates applying for the same position?

You can stand out by being yourself!?

Business Cards

I still hand out business cards when I meet people. On the front, I have my mini LinkedIn profile. On the back, I have my freelance marketing and yoga offerings. This may stem from participating at several trade shows, where?I collected a large stack of cards. For connections that I made requiring follow-up, I wrote notes to remember the discussion, on the back of the card.?

Portfolio?

A recruiter suggested to me a few years ago, to create a portfolio page for my writing samples. I made a website to house the technical marketing literature I had created. It not only looked more professional, but also? limited the need to send large files through email. I continued to improve my website and also continued to write content, such as this article. I now regularly update my portfolio page.?I write when I have something to say that I feel others can benefit from or to engage a conversation.?

Connector

Lately, I’ve become a connector. Like many of you, I have a vast professional network that I continue to grow.

• Volunteered at Austin Women in Tech networking happy hour, where I welcomed and checked in members and non-members. A few signed up to become members at the event. While I did not have a sales goal, it felt good to support the growth of the group.
• Offered help to a Women in Tech- SEO Slack group member in London, who was looking for help with Meta Ads. We scheduled a virtual meeting and had a 10-15 minute discussion.
• Reached out to a Pragmatic Institute Instructor who was looking to rent a space to record a training video for half a day. I recommended Myo, where I teach yoga. I made an introduction. Pragmatic Institute is working directly with Myo on the studio rental details.

These simple things can bring a smile or sense of appreciation for a task that's well done. In digital marketing and SMART goals, we measure results. Why not include a measurement or success story into our day to day lives? You could set a a goal of doing something like this daily.: being kind to others, showing gratitude.

In business, we often are encouraged to do something to get something in return. Maybe that's necessary for transactions, but I think we should help people just because we want to help people- with no expectation of a reward.

I'm not suggesting that we help people and work for free. I am suggesting that if you're in a position to help, particularly when it doesn't take much time or effort, why not help? I encourage you to try it out and see if it brings you joy!

Conclusion

So, the next time you introduce yourself in a large group, will you share what sets you apart??

• Try out a few different introductions that you can tailor, based on the audience. Engage with friends, family, or coworkers to practice your message.?
• Audio or video record yourself and see what sounds and flows the best. With some practice, you can master your introduction to sound confident and true to yourself ?
• Keep practicing. We all change and grow, so consider updating your introduction over time.