Are you about to meet an important person who can influence your career? Are you tongue tied and not sure what to do about it? With advance planning and creative thinking you can be confident you will know how to handle this type of situation when it occurs.

We've all had the experience of running into someone we've really wanted to meet. Those who are prepared for the occasion will find themselves a step ahead on the career ladder or at the front of the line for business opportunities. Consider this: all of us are bombarded with information—we're always meeting new people. Ask yourself: who do you remember and why?

Make an Impression in 30 Seconds

The key is to make that impression a lasting one—one that will trigger instant recognition the next time you meet. How do you do that? Practice, practice, practice.

The most important step is developing a pitch and practicing it over, and over, and over. You need to be comfortable with your own words. You are conveying an important message and should sound sincere and convincing. Above all, you need to look the part. If you smirk at your own words then others will too, and no one will be sold on why they should remember you.

Start by Boiling Down Your Core Message

Who are you? What do you do? Why do I need to know you? What will make me remember you? When you have answered these questions, read the results back to yourself. Is your message compelling and memorable, or is it uninteresting and dull?

It’s easy to change your message, so don’t panic. What is it you do best? What is your greatest strength in your current position? Do you make money for people? Do you keep your company's reputation out of the fire? Has one of your suggestions been implemented? Have you developed a new product? The possibilities go on and on. Use words that make people want to ask you a question or request your business card.

Tell People What You Do Best

Here are a few examples:

• My name is X. I'm a top-notch accountant. I save my client companies X dollars every year. When I meet your team, I can improve your bottom line. Let me share some examples of my work. When can we meet?
• My name is X. My new product catapulted my company to #1 in its category. I'm so creative that I can come up with a new invention/product in record time. I would be happy to share some of my secrets with your team. When can we meet?
• My name is X. My marketing skills are superlative. My nickname is "The Marketing Maven." I can brainstorm with your team how to transform your marketing efforts. Who should I speak with?

About the Author

JoAnn Hines is the Chief People Packager of Women in Packaging, Inc. We Package the People, not the Products
For more information, visit us at: www.packagingcoach.com.