You only get one chance to make a first impression – make it a good one!
Basic rules of introductions:
1. Two females or two males, close in age – either name is spoken first
“Brian, I would like you to meet my neighbor, John. John, this is my college roomate, Brian.”
2. Female and male – Female name is spoken first
“Jennifer, this is my cousin Adam. Adam, please meet my best friend Jennifer.”
3. Older person and younger person – Older person’s name is spoken first.
“Mr. Smith, this is my younger sister Emily. Emily this is our new neighbor, Mr. Smith.”
4. Very important person – V.I.P. name is always spoken first
“Dr. Peterson, this is my father, Joshua Jones. Dad, this is the company president, Dr. Peterson.”
Always shake hands when introduced and repeat the person’s name to help you remember.
“Dr. Peterson, it’s nice to meet you.”
It’s helpful to offer some information about a person when making an introduction to help start a conversation. For example, if you were to hear Sally attended college with me, you might start a conversation by asking her what her major was.