Who is introduced first

Business etiquette rules for introducing people in a business setting are not much different from the accepted customs of personal introductions in a social setting. Unfortunately, the rules of introduction are not so straightforward and simple as one might think, and who you introduce first does matter. For example, in most social settings in the U. But as women achieve more equality, this rule is changing, particularly in the U.

In both business and social situations, you should always introduce:. In other words, as a show of respect introduce those of a lower status to those of a higher status whether that means a social or professional status. As antiquated and unfair as this may sound, this protocol for introducing people is still considered socially acceptable and often expected in the U.

It is important to note that under no circumstances should you use introduction rules to socially define people of another race, color, religion, or sexual preference as someone of a lower status. To do so would be purely inappropriate and discriminatory. The purpose of "designed" introductions is to show respect for the presumed social order based on position or accomplishment, and not to demean or "classify" other people as being inferior.

In a business setting, always introduce people by saying their title and full name first, and then follow with a brief, interesting, or relevant piece of information about the people you are introducing. For example, when introducing Sally Rider, one of your advertising and marketing managers, to Dr. Jennifer Wilkins, a business client, introduce Sally a subordinate employee to the senior professional in this case, the client :. If the person you are introducing has no title, you do not know their title, or it would seem too formal for a particular setting, you can offer their name first but still follow with information about what they do.

When someone has just been introduced to you, your response should be genuine, short, and simple. Lee is joining our organization as an administrative assistant.

Catherine, Mr. Roberts has been with our organization since its founding eight years ago. He started in an entry-level position and is now our sales director. Lewis, my name is Peter Mendoza. I am interning as an account executive in the recruiting department. It is a pleasure to meet you. Introducing a business colleague or yourself to a customer or client. Morgado, Miss Nelson has just signed a one-year contract with our organization for social media management and content creation for the local restaurant she owns, Trendy Meals and Treats.

Gomez, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Ms. Taylor King. King is the certified personal trainer you will work with to achieve your goals. King, this is Mr. His goal is to create a healthy meal plan and find a safe and effective exercise plan to help him lose excess weight and build his muscles. Introducing people in casual and social settings. We met in our after-school Junior Chemists Club and have become good friends since.

Heather, this is my grandfather, Mr. Ward Adams. He has been a Chemist for 40 years and is the person who inspired my passion for Chemistry. I met them at a recent football game. Victoria is a cheerleader and Arthur is a linebacker for my school's team. Victoria and Arthur, Douglas has been my best friend for seven years.

Football is his favorite sport and I'm sure he would enjoy talking to you both about the game. I've heard a lot of good things about you from our mutual friend, Tiffany. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.

Introducing one person to a group of people. Rachel Malloy. Joan O'Malley. Introduction tips. Know who you're introducing and to whom you're introducing them. Make eye contact with both parties. However, there are right and wrong ways to go about it. If you are not up to date with the best practices, it's not only you who's at risk of looking bad. You can easily put one or both of your connections in a compromising position if you connect them via email in a way that's not thought-out.

That's why we wrote this blog post. Whenever you introduce two people over email, make sure to ask the permission of both before doing it. This approach is known as a double opt-in intro. Asking for both parties' permission is common sense. Still, people cut corners all too often by not asking permission from one or both of the people they are introducing. Why double opt-in intro is the way to go, you might ask?

First of all, not asking for permission is lazy as it'll take only take you minutes. Secondly, you can't be sure whether the intro is valuable to both parties or if it's a productive use of time for your connection to expand their network. Last but not least, you'll make people feel obligated to spend their precious time on something they don't necessarily want to be involved with.

You see, they have to answer, even if it's just to decline in order save your face and not appear rude. If you recognize yourself from above, don't worry.

Next, you'll learn the ins-and-outs for making double opt-in introductions. Before making the introduction, start by getting permission from the person your connection has asked to meet.

Write them a professional email that reflects the nature of your relationships. In the email, provide context for the possible introduction by telling them why they should meet the person who asked for the introduction. If you initiate the introduction, you should naturally remember to ask both people for permission in separate emails.

In this case, tell them why you think they should meet in a similar fashion to the previous example. To make your life easier and provide accurate context for the intro, you can ask the person looking for the connection to write a short blurb. In this case, a blurb is a short pitch on why the recipient should meet them.

Once you have it, go ahead and copy-paste it to the email, add your endorsement, and you are good to go. When you have received a green light for the introduction, you can write the actual email that brings the people together.

If it doesn't work out, don't be discouraged. You'll have plenty of chances to prove yourself as a valuable connection for people in your professional network. Introducing someone you know to another person in your network is not exactly rocket science. However, if you receive a lot of intros to your inbox, you've likely encountered the wide variety of shapes and forms they tend to take.

No matter if you are a beginner or someone who connects people on an everyday basis, you can't go wrong with these step-by-step instructions. In the subject line, indicate the intent of your email. The best way to do it is to start with "Introduction:" or "Intro:".

It's self-explanatory and catches the eye quickly. Next, include the first names of people you are introducing. The last names are not crucial except in case they both go by the same first name. Your connections can always double-check each other's last names from the recipient fields.

Often it's a good idea to include also the names of their companies. For example, when you are introducing a startup founder to a potential investor.