Start-up gurus always talk about having a successful elevator pitch to sell your company or your product. But have you ever wondered if the same elevator pitch could be created to tell the world who you are as a professional, and make your introduction memorable?

Here are some unique ways to draw people in with a memorable introduction:

Ask a question related to a problem you can solve
This is a favorite of marketer and writer Rebecca Rapple, who suggests that each of us think of ourselves as a superhero who can solve a problem. Start by asking your listener a question about the problem, such as, “Have you ever wished more people would come to your website?” When your listener responds with something along the lines of “I do, I could never figure out how to step it up”, pick up from there to say, “My job is to optimize websites like yours so that it ranks better, and more people visit it.”

Use a reference beyond work, but keep it relevant
Even though you may be introducing yourself in a professional setting, you can consider approaching it with a reference beyond work. For example, if you’re at a networking event outside of your city, you can introduce yourself by mentioning that you’re new here, but are a regular at such events back home. A wine-tasting might be a great place to introduce yourself as a Francophile. Or shaking hands over a cup of tea or coffee could be the apt time to talk about your interest in tea tasting.

Present what you do, using a creative analogy
Instead of mentioning your job title or your position, talk about what you do with the help of an analogy. For example, “My job is to get my team to touchdown. I’m a project manager.” Or, “My work here is to look for gold. Nuggets of information that can transform a project. I’m a data-miner.”

Creating a memorable first impression is easy when you invest time in building your personal introduction. These easy yet creative ideas should get you started!

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