How To Introduce Yourself To Someone (Without Being Awkward)
Tired of feeling shy when talking to someone new? Try these tips!
Getty When you are meeting new people, do your palms get sweaty and you clam up, as you stand there awkwardly unable to think of a single thing to say?
If so, you aren't alone! Many people find it difficult and uncomfortable to introduce themselves, now matter how much they want to meet men or women and find love or make new friends.
You might dread going to big parties, business networking luncheons or mingling at singles' events.
In the past, your solution may have been to cling to the people you know like glue, or to hang back and hide in the corner, avoiding the crowd and hoping no one notices you.
But that shyness won't help you if you want to know how to introduce yourself so you can expand your social or business network or meet the love of your life!
Whatever the reason you feel uncomfortable, it would be amazing if you could just talk to someone with ease and feel like it's not such a big deal.
Here's how to introduce yourself to someone new without feeling awkward at all.
1. Offer a simple introduction.
One thing that never fails is to smile and say, “Hi, I'm Ronnie. What’s your name?”
This works with or without the handshake. You can’t go wrong with this standard introduction.
Next, ask where the person is from and share where you live. “I'm from Milford. Where are you from?”
But then, you might be left starting at each other in awkward silence, not knowing what to say next.
For help, try any of the other four suggestions below to get the conversation rolling and make new friends.
2. Challenge yourself.
One of the best ways to get better at meeting people is to make a game out of it. Challenge yourself to meet three new people at your next outing and don't let yourself wiggle out of it! Get a friend to do this with you and compete to see who can meet more people.
Having to approach three people in a short amount of time will give you the practice you need. Sometimes just repeating the process over and over allows you to feel more comfortable and less awkward.
3. Ask a question.
If you want to meet someone, but aren't sure what to say, ask a question. This is one of the easiest ways to break the ice with anyone because you are making them do the talking!
For example, if you're at a party, ask how the person knows the host.
Any of these other topics are perfect for creating a simple one-liner that opens the conversation:
- Music: Ask if she knows the song or artist, or if she likes the tune.
- Food: Ask what food he has already tried, so you know what is good and what to avoid.
- Sports: If a game is on TV, ask who is playing or winning.
- Drinks: See a drink that looks good, ask about it! Talk about the beer or unusual cocktail.
- Weather: When you're outside, it's so easy to say something like, “Isn't this a beautiful day?”
4. Ask for help with something.
Being on the short side, I always watch for a tall person walking down the grocery aisle I'm in. For some reason, whatever I want is always on the top shelf. No one has ever said “No!” to my request for help.
You can ask anything really. Walking around a museum, you might ask, “Do you know a good restaurant around here?" or, “What time is it?” or, “Do you know where the Monet exhibit is?”
You get the idea.
5. Use humor.
Humor is a fun way to introduce yourself to someone new.
You can memorize a silly pick up line like, “Can I buy you a drink or would you rather have the cash?”
Or, you can talk about something from your environment, wherever you are. At the Natural History Museum, for example, you might say, “Aren't you glad you’ll never be face-to-face with a wooly mammoth? I sure am!"
Last but not least, keep this very important social fact in mind: almost everyone feels a little lost or nervous about meeting new people.
So, you are probably doing them a favor by taking the bold step to start a conversation.
Most people will welcome the opportunity to talk with you and will feel relieved you took the risk to get things started so they didn't have to.
For over 17 years, Ronnie Ann Ryan has been a Love and Dating Coach for Women. Tired of being told you are intimidating? Listen to her free audiobook, 12 First Date Mistakes That Ruin Your Chances For Love.