# How to Introduce Yourself in a Meeting or at an Event

Introduce yourself in about 10 seconds using three parts: your name, your role or connection to the room, and a hook, meaning one detail that's relevant here and easy to remember. For example: 'I'm Maya, I run payroll in the Leeds office, and I'm here because the new system lands on my desk in March.'

By the Speaking Coach team at Sodhera Intelligence. Updated 2026-10-22. Source: https://www.orecci.com/speaking-coach/guides/how-to-introduce-yourself/

## The 10-second formula: name, role, hook

When a meeting goes round the table or a host says "let's all introduce ourselves", you have one job: help people remember who you are and why you're here. Ten seconds, about 25 words, is enough.

| Part | What to say | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Name** | First name, or full name if formal | "I'm Daniel." |
| **Role** | What you do, or your link to this group | "I look after the mobile app." |
| **Hook** | One detail that's relevant here or easy to remember | "So if anything here breaks on a phone, I'm your person." |

The hook is what most people skip, and it's the part people remember. A good hook is either useful (why you're relevant to this group) or memorable (a small detail people can mention back to you later).

This is shorter than an elevator pitch. A pitch adds proof and an ask and takes 30–60 seconds. If someone wants more, they'll ask, and then you can use your [elevator pitch](/speaking-coach/guides/elevator-pitch/).

## Examples by setting

These are made-up examples. Change the details, keep the shape.

### A work meeting with people from other teams

> "Hi, I'm Kofi, I'm a data analyst in marketing. I built the dashboard you'll see on slide four, so blame me for the colours."

> "I'm Ana, I lead customer support. I'm here because every change you discuss today turns into questions my team gets."

### The first meeting in a new job

> "Hi everyone, I'm Lena. I've just joined as a project coordinator, coming from a construction firm. I'm still learning everyone's names, so please tell me twice."

See [what to say on your first day at work](/speaking-coach/small-talk/first-day-at-work/) for the rest of day one.

### A video call

On a call, say your name slowly and add where you are, since people can't read a name badge.

> "Hi, I'm Raj, calling in from the Singapore office. I handle the supplier contracts, so I'll mostly be listening for anything that touches those."

### A class, course or workshop

> "I'm Sophie, second-year nursing student. I'm taking this because I freeze when I present case notes, which is a bit of a problem."

> "I'm Tom, I work in a bakery and I'm here because I want to start doing wholesale orders and have no idea how to pitch to cafés."

### A networking event

> "Hi, I'm Grace, I'm a freelance translator, mostly Spanish legal documents. What brings you here?"

End with a question at networking events. It hands the conversation back.

### A community or volunteer group

> "I'm Ben, I live on Elm Street, and I'm mainly here because I have a van and I'm happy to move things."

### A large group introduction where everyone speaks

When thirty people introduce themselves in a row, shorter is kinder. Drop to name and one detail.

> "Mia, product design, and I have a dog called Biscuit who may appear on camera."

## How to say it well

1. **Know it before your turn.** Decide your three parts while others are speaking. Don't wait until it's your turn to compose.
2. **Say your name slowly and clearly.** It's the part people most often miss. Leave a tiny pause after it.
3. **Look at the group, not the table.** Glance at two or three faces as you speak.
4. **Stop after the hook.** Don't add "…and yeah, that's me, I guess." A clean stop sounds confident.
5. **Match the length of others.** If everyone else is doing ten seconds, a two-minute life story stands out for the wrong reason.

## Mistakes to avoid

| Mistake | Example | Better |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Job title only | "I'm a senior associate." | Say what you actually do |
| Your whole CV | "I started in retail, then moved to…" | One role, one hook |
| Apologising | "Sorry, I'm not very interesting…" | Pick one small, true detail |
| Mumbling your name | "Hi, I'm Mmm-ah, from…" | Name first, slowly, then pause |
| A joke that needs explaining | An in-joke from your old team | Something anyone in the room gets |
| Ending on "um, yeah" | Trailing off | Stop after the hook, or ask a question |

## Have three versions ready

- **5 seconds:** name and role. For big groups.
- **10 seconds:** name, role, hook. For most meetings and classes.
- **30 seconds:** add one example and what you're looking for. For networking and one-to-one chats.

Say all three out loud a few times before the event. The first time you say your intro shouldn't be in front of the group. Speaking Coach has an "Introduce yourself" scene where an AI partner asks a follow-up afterwards, which is good practice for the "oh, what does that involve?" that often comes next.

## Questions people ask

### What should I say when introducing myself in a meeting?

Your name, your role or why you're in the meeting, and one relevant detail. Keep it to about 10 seconds unless the host asks for more.

### How do I introduce myself without sounding boring?

Add a hook: a specific, true detail that's relevant to the group or easy to remember. "I'm the one who reads every customer complaint" beats "I work in customer service."

### Should I say my last name?

In formal or professional settings, yes, especially if others do. In casual groups and classes, first name is usually enough.

### How do I introduce myself on a Zoom call?

Say your name slowly, then where you're calling from or your role, then one line on why you're there. Unmute, wait a beat, then speak, so your first word isn't cut off.

### What's the difference between introducing yourself and an elevator pitch?

An introduction is about 10 seconds and helps people place you. An elevator pitch is 30–60 seconds and adds evidence and something you want.

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