When it comes to industry-related business conferences, first impressions truly do matter. The events are all about getting your name and your brand’s name out there. While it’s very daunting and downright intimidating to introduce yourself at any of these business-related events, it needs to be done in order to get your brand out there, but your influence as a professional will be measured as well. The extraordinary opportunity to attend these events in your professional sphere has the ability to expand your knowledge, learn about future trends and technology, plus it allows others to take you more seriously. All of this can happen and more, but it first begins with a good introduction.
Bring value to the conversation
When introducing yourself, your first initial thoughts should be “how can I sell to them” but should instead be “how can I bring more value to this individual”. This can be something as simple as contributing to a conversation a party is having, or even if someone comes up to you.
Be genuine
Being an authentic person is so important, while yes, you should be very professional at these events. But by no means do you want to come off as a robot. The goal is to approach people and have people approach you so they can learn more about you and your brand. You’ll want to ask questions during these conversations because it shows you’re interested. A good example would be “What is something that you’re hoping to get out of this conference?”. Be prepared to give authentic answers as well. Just keep in mind that you must stay professional as you’re the face of your brand and company. Wearing a good suit is one of the first steps in looking professional too.
Start strong
Weak impressions won’t get you anywhere. You need to be strong with your impression. This includes having visually appealing shop trade show exhibits, dressing your best, and making eye contact. You don’t want to give any half-hearted greetings when it comes to these events. You want to engage people, so look professional, have a booth that stands out, and be prepared to begin engaging in conversations.
Figure out where you want to stand
Getting a general idea of how the industry sees you may help out. But if you’re brand new to the industry that you’re in, then you’ll need to think about your personality and appearance instead. How do you think people perceive you? Are you someone who can influence others? How about impressing them? You can ask around or even take a personality test to figure out where you stand. Then from there, you can think about better ways to communicate so you can stand out and leave an impression on people in the industry. Capturing attention can truly be done in a frugal way.
Practice
While it may sound crazy, it helps. Go over some scenarios in your head about how you’d like to capture attention and make an impact. You could write a small script about what you would like to say, how you would like to introduce yourself, and how you would like to engage with people. This can include practicing with someone like a partner or co-worker or even practicing in the mirror.
