Great Introductions

The Art of a Great Introduction

The other day I wrote a tweet about generosity. A way to be generous without spending a penny. It was all about networking and great introductions.

Here's a way to be generous without costing your a penny: be willing to introduce amazing people to each other. It's powerful, rewarding and free.

— Chris Lema (@chrislema) January 5, 2022

Why are Introductions So Critical?

When you introduce someone, you have a couple of minutes or a few sentences to share what you know about the person to everyone else. It's your moment to give them respect. It's your moment to highlight things others should know.

And it's your moment to help them shine.

See, every one of us has done some great things. Every one of us has some noteworthy attributes. When we highlight those things to others, we immediately boost their self confidence, while also setting up the context for how others will receive them.

If you do it right, people are paying attention. If you do it right, people are anticipating a positive experience and are engaged.

And if you do it wrong, you can kill the vibe really quickly.

You can even make things harder for the person – in effect creating a hole that they'll have to work their way out of.

Doing it Right

So how do you introduce someone right? I think it comes down to three simple things.

First, highlight what makes a person unique. When you introduce someone, don't just state their name and their position. That won't engage anyone, nor will it prep them for anything. Help the person you're introducing by highlighting something special about them that makes them unique. It will help shape how people listen to them.

[Tweet “Help the person you're introducing by highlighting something special about them that makes them unique.”]

Second, showcase their accomplishments. Everyone likes feeling accomplished. It can also help people find connection points – causing the person you're introducing someone to, to feel closer to them before they even start.

Third, articulate the value of meeting this person. When you round out an introduction with what someone can expect if they interact with or listen to this person, you help them focus on what's important.

What To Do When You Meet Someone

Here's my big suggestion. The next time you meet someone, don't walk away from the interaction until you learn something amazing about them. That way, you'll always be ready to make a great introduction of them to someone else.