Don’t Be Shy: Introduce Yourself

I just talked with a senior PR major who said he saw me at the PRSSA awards dinner in Washington last week.  I asked him why he didn’t introduce himself at that time, and his response surprised me:  “I thought you were busy talking with more important people.”  

Frankly, the reason I attended the PRSSA meeting was to meet future leaders of the profession.  Otherwise, I would have ventured a mile down Connecticut Avenue where the PRSA section parties were under way.  Since my agency workload prevents me from doing many informational interviews, I look forward to the PRSSA conference and periodic campus visits.  The same is the case with other PR professionals. 

So, when you have a chance to meet senior PR pros, don’t be shy.  Don’t interrupt another conversation, but we’ll notice you in the wings and will make a point of saying hello.  It might take a few minutes, but the follow-up impact is far greater if you’re able to say “I met you at PRSSA” rather than “I saw you there. . .but didn’t take the time to introduce myself.”

One thought on “Don’t Be Shy: Introduce Yourself

  1. Social media has made it easier for students to introduce themselves to those in the wider world – but it’s also made it harder for them to break through the barrier between real and virtual connections.

    It’s a question of choice. Which communication channel is appropriate at what time. It’s quite easy really – but surprisingly hard to teach (like ‘commonsense’).

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