Making Introductions – This is How to Do It!

Mar 2020

There are some types of insurance policies and insurance add-ons that not only make sense but are necessary to protect you. But then there are some that I just shake my head at. Like a couple of months ago, I booked a flight and the airline asked if I wanted flight cancellation insurance?!?! No, I don’t! Not long ago I bought a pair of $15 headphones for the gym and they asked if I wanted replacement insurance on them?!?!? No!

It seems like every time I turn around someone wants to sell me insurance or an insurance add-on.

With that being said, today not only are we going to discuss the proper way of making introductions, but we are also going to add in some add-ons that will help provide you with an insurance policy on their conversation. These add-ons won’t cost you a dime, and they will protect your peace of mind, as well as the nerves of those you are introducing.

Why Making Introductions Correctly is Important

Whether it is in a business situation or a casual setting, being good at making introductions is a skill that should not be ignored. Facilitating a good introduction between people who do not know each other can go a long way to making them both feel comfortable and to help them get to know each other.

Today we will discuss both some steps, as well as some go-to tips, that can be used for making introductions. So, hopefully, by the end of the post and with a little practice you will be able to channel your inner ‘hostess with the mostess’ while making introductions like a pro!

We will get to the go-to tips you can use when making introductions in a little bit, but let’s first review…

Steps for Making Introductions

While you may think these steps seem like a lot to remember, they are common sense and once you learn them they will become second nature after you practice them a few times.

#1 – Look for an opening

This is all situation dependent and timing is everything! You will want to introduce people as soon as possible so things don’t get awkward. That is UNLESS one or both of them are engaged in a serious conversation, in that case, do not interrupt them. While you would think that is common sense – common sense is not always common!

#2 – Determine the order of introductions

Ok, you have found an opening and are ready to pounce and introduce people – great! But WAIT! Before you make that perfect introduction, you are going to need to figure out who you introduce to whom.

This will take some split-second quick thinking on your part! You see, in-order-to make a proper introduction you will need to know which of the people is of higher rank.

You may be familiar with ‘Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally” in your elementary school math classes. In order to evaluate a mathematical expression, you need to perform certain procedures in order – parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition and finally subtraction.

The same thing goes for making introductions – there is a specific etiquette and order of introductions you need to follow.

In other words, when making introductions, you always introduce the lower-ranking person to the higher-ranking person, as if you are ‘honoring’ the higher-ranking person.

How do you know who is the higher-ranking person? Good question!

In a Business Setting:

The person with the higher position trumps everyone.
Next comes gender: women have a higher-ranking than men.
Lastly, comes age – older people have a higher-ranking than younger people.
If everything is equal, the person you know better is the higher rank.
Clients/customers have a higher rank than anyone in your organization (including the CEO).

In a Social Setting:

This all depends on whom you want to honor, typically:

Anyone older has a higher rank than a younger person.
Women have a higher rank than men.
Adults have a higher rank than children.
People with titles have a higher rank than your contemporary (or younger person).
A guest of honor has a higher rank than hosts or other people attending an event.
A guest from out of town has a higher rank than a local guest

If rank is equal, usually the person you know better would be the high rank, but feel free to introduce either person to the other.

#3 – Make the introduction

Once you have determined who has the higher rank it is time to make the introduction!

As I said, proper etiquette calls for presenting the lower-ranked person to the higher-ranked person by:

First, using the higher-ranked person’s name – “Howie,”

Then using a phrase such as – “I would like to introduce you to…”

Then, state the name of the person being introduced – “Bri”

BUT don’t stop there, you can’t make a ‘naked introduction’, this is when you need to…

#4 – Take Out an Insurance Policy on the Conversation!

More specifically, you can ‘add-on’ to the policy by adding some details or background information to help ignite a conversation between the two. There are several ways you can do this, you can mention:

One or both of their jobs.
An interesting hobby, talent or interest that they share.
Or something else they have in common.

You never want to let a conversation die in your presence. So, by padding the introduction with the add-ons you are buying insurance to give the two people who have just met the best chance of hitting it off. Once the conversation has got going you can either stay or bounce on out of there!

Now, that we know the steps to making introductions, let’s review…

A Few More Tips When Making Introductions

Group Introductions – When introducing someone to a group, you will want to present the group to the person. But first, name the people in the group to get their attention. For example, “John, Mary, Steve, and Rex, I’d like you to meet Chris Smith, Chris I’d like you to meet John Doe, Mary Mary, Steve Smith, and Rex Ryan.” Never do the old, “Hey everyone, this is Chris, Chris this is everyone” – that is just rude to everyone and makes it seem like it isn’t worth it for Chris to get to know anyone. However, if for whatever reason you don’t want to overwhelm the person with 10 new people at once, you may wait to introduce them individually – use your discretion.

First Name and Last Name or First Name only? It depends. Usually first and last name and title (if applicable, i.e. Dr.). That is unless it is an informal or casual situation, then the first name only is fine.

Repeating or reversing the introductions is not necessary – At that point, it is obvious to both parties, so you are just making things dull and redundant.

If you forget a name – fake a heart attack! Just kidding, you don’t want someone making a false 911 call. Seriously, if you forget a name, handle it with grace and poise and be honest and say, “I’m so sorry, remind me of your name?” Another trick I have seen people use when stuck is to say something along the lines of “have you two met?” and then let them introduce themselves.

Speak clearly – there is nothing worse than someone mumbling and then one of the people misunderstanding what was said and calling the person by the wrong name or asking you to repeat what you said – introduction killer!

Using These Steps and Tips When Making Introductions…

…will hopefully be some of the best insurance policies and best add-ons you have ever taken out.

The cool thing about these types of insurance add-ons is that you will usually know right away if they have worked and you can collect on them.

Hopefully, this insurance policy works, otherwise like most policies you may look like this by the time your claim goes through!

Until next time, keep making introductions, and as always…PYMFP!
–Rick

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