Now that the world is fully reopening itself and that we can go back out to dinner, to catch a show and to dance all night in discotheques, we have to learn again how to present ourselves to others. All the social distancing has certainly changed us, making it more difficult to meet new people. Or maybe it is just time to add new tricks inside our sleeves. Here are a few ideas to make a good first impression.
Introduce Yourself Differently
We are all different. We have different jobs, various interests, unique qualities as well as faults. How can someone really understand who you are in a second, or at least be interested in learning more about you? How about a modernized version of an old-school technique? Introduce yourself with a card. Business cards have gone under the radar, now that people exchange their data by calling each other and keeping the information directly inside their phone. But if you create an introduction card of yourself, that can be funny yet witty, this could become the greatest tool you have, when you someone new, as well as an ice-breaker. You can create your own version on https://wunderlabel.com/.
Make it a Point to listen
Most of us often wonder what we are going to say to introduce ourselves, and to make us sound somewhat interesting. But if you really want to send good vibes to the person in front of you, try being interested in them, instead of showing off. How can you do this? It all depends on the context. But a good question that helps start a conversation, in most locations, will be: “May I ask what brought you here?” Or you can go global by asking: “So, what’s your story?” This will indicate to the person that you are curious to know more about them. Whereas starting by introducing yourself can be seen as a forced intrusion. There will be lots of time for you to talk about yourself, once the conversation gets going. You will be surprised how much people love to have the opportunity to talk about themselves… even to strangers!
Look for Common Interests
If your goal is to meet new people, then you should try to do so in places where you already know that there will be common interests between you and them. Talking about something you enjoy to someone that does so as well, makes the conversation much livelier and interesting for both parties. You can immediately share feelings and ideas, that will be similar. There are many ways to go about this. You can choose to visit a museum, if you are an art lover or go to a trade show or an exhibition on a subject that you like. You can also catch live conferences or group meetings. There are many events happening that will enable you to gather around people with common interests. It is up to you to decide what they are. That way, you may end up learning more about yourself as well, in the process.
