Business English Podcast · Small Talk & Networking · Episode 10

Introducing a Colleague to a Useful Contact

Name, role, one good hook — how to introduce a colleague to a valuable contact in thirty seconds.

B2 · Monologue · 4 Min. · free

▶ Listen to the episode To the comprehension test +49 511 4739339

All episodesPodcast catalog →More gamesSimmonds English Games →

Editorially reviewed by James Simmonds – English teacher since 2004Published 9 October 2026

Introducing a Colleague to a Contact

SceneA client evening: a potential major client is standing across the room — and your new colleague is right next to you. A trainer explains the three-step formula for the perfect introduction: name, role, hook.

0:00 / 4 Min.

Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)

✓ To the comprehension test

Andrew — Business English trainer

You may also like

Next episode: B1 · Introducing Yourself Before a Training Session · 3 Min.B1 · Joining a Group Conversation at a Company Event · 3 Min.B1 · Explaining That "Gift" in German Is Definitely Not a Present · 3 Min.All podcast episodes →

Transcript

The full transcript opens after the comprehension test — so you train real listening instead of reading along.

German support

AndrewAn introduction is a gift. You are giving two people a new connection — and it costs you thirty seconds. Yet most people just say two names and hope for the best. Today I'll show you a simple three-step formula for introducing your colleague to a useful contact — a potential client, perhaps — and doing it really well.

AndrewStep one: start with the client. The most important person in the room hears their name first. So you say: 'Herr König, I'd like you to meet Julia Sommer, our new head of product.' The client's name comes first, then your colleague's name, then her role. That order is a quiet sign of respect.Der wichtigste Name kommt zuerst – das ist ein stilles Zeichen von Respekt.

AndrewIf the situation is more formal, you can upgrade the phrase: 'Herr König, may I introduce Julia Sommer? She leads our product team.' Same formula — name, role — just a little more ceremonial. Use it with senior executives and first-time clients.

AndrewStep two: add one hook — one interesting fact that starts the conversation for them. 'Julia has just joined us from the automotive industry — and Klaus, I know you're expanding into exactly that market.' Now they have something to talk about. You built the bridge; they can walk across it.

AndrewWhy does the hook matter so much? Because a good hook breaks the ice immediately. Your real job in an introduction is to find common ground in thirty seconds: a shared market, a shared problem, a shared hobby. Two names and silence help nobody.

AndrewStep three: step back. Once the conversation starts, your job is done. Don't stand there and manage it. Say: 'I'll leave you two to it' — and actually leave. Get a drink, talk to someone else. The best networkers connect people and then disappear.Ich lasse Sie beide dann mal allein – und gehe wirklich.

AndrewA few details that separate good from great. Speak both names slowly and clearly — names are the hardest words to catch in a noisy room. Keep the whole thing under thirty seconds. Never oversell your colleague, and never share private information as the hook. 'Julia just got divorced' is not a hook.

AndrewNow, a warning about a classic German trap. Last year, a manager at one of my workshops introduced me to a client as 'our actually best consultant'. What he meant was: our current best consultant. Actually means 'in fact' or 'really' — it does not mean 'aktuell'. If you want the German 'aktuell', say 'current' or 'present'.Er meinte ‚aktuell' – aber ‚actually' heißt ‚tatsächlich'. Richtig: ‚current'.

AndrewAnd what if you are the one being introduced? Don't just nod. Show you were listening and pick up the hook: 'Great to meet you, Herr König — Andrew tells me you're expanding into automotive. I'd love to hear what's driving that.' One sentence, and the conversation is yours.

AndrewSo remember the formula: client first, then name and role, one hook, then step back. A good introduction takes thirty seconds — but people remember it for years. Practise it at your next event, and watch what happens.

Key phrases

a useful contact

a person worth knowing for business

At every conference, I try to meet at least one useful contact.

I'd like you to meet

standard phrase to introduce one person to another

Sarah, I'd like you to meet our new sales director.

head of product

the person responsible for the product department

She joined the company as head of product last year.

may I introduce

formal phrase for introducing someone

Mr Fischer, may I introduce our head of engineering?

break the ice

to make a new conversation start easily

A question about football broke the ice at the dinner table.

common ground

a shared interest or topic two people can talk about

They quickly found common ground: both had worked in logistics.

I'll leave you two to it

friendly way to step out of a conversation you started

You two have a lot to discuss — I'll leave you to it.

in fact

used to add the true, more precise information

The project looks simple; in fact, it took six months.

Language notes

In this episode a business English trainer explains the three-step formula for the perfect introduction: client first, then name and role, then a hook — and then disappear discreetly. You learn the phrases "I'd like you to meet …" and "may I introduce …" plus the false friend "actually" ≠ "aktuell" (level B2).

The formula: name, role, hook

The standard formula "I'd like you to meet …" works everywhere; for formal occasions there is the upgraded "may I introduce …?". The hook often follows in the present perfect ("Julia has just joined us from …") because the information is fresh and conversation-worthy. The person being introduced picks the hook up: "Andrew tells me you're expanding into automotive." That is how thirty seconds of politeness become a real conversation.

Titles, hierarchy and disappearing: DE ↔ EN

German introductions stick with "Herr König" and "Frau Sommer" for longer — in English, even client conversations often switch to first names after a minute. Yet both cultures share the same hierarchy rule: the client hears their name first. The bigger difference comes afterwards: Germans like to stay as the "host of the conversation" and keep moderating; British and American networkers deliberately withdraw ("The best networkers connect people and then disappear") — which reads as confident, not rude.

"Actually" is not "aktuell"

Anyone who says "our actually best consultant" is accidentally claiming something quite different: "actually" means "in fact" or "really" — it corrects an assumption, it does not describe the present. Translate the German "aktuell" with "current" or "present": "our current project", "the present situation". Rule of thumb: "actually" answers "Is that really true?"; "current" answers "What is the situation now?"

Keep practising: Learn business English online — with real teachers from Simmonds, since 2004.

Frequently asked questions

What language level is this episode for?

Level B2 (CEFR). The monologue uses upper-intermediate business English with nuances like "ceremonial" and "oversell"; the vocabulary list explains all eight key phrases bilingually.

How do I introduce two people to each other in English?

Say the more senior name first ("Herr König, I'd like you to meet Julia Sommer"), then the role ("our new head of product"), then a hook — one interesting fact that starts the conversation. Then step back: "I'll leave you two to it."

Is there a transcript to read along?

Yes, the full transcript with German support notes is on this page — listen first, then take the test, then read along.

Where can I practise introductions and networking live?

In the online business English courses from Simmonds Language Services: live lessons with real teachers on Zoom, for companies and individuals across Germany — since 2004. Book a free consultation at englisch-lehrer.com/online.

What is the difference between "actually" and "current"?

"Actually" means "in fact" and corrects an assumption ("Actually, the meeting is on Tuesday"). "Current" means "aktuell" in the sense of "present" ("our current supplier"). The German "aktuell" is almost always "current", never "actually".

Want to practise these phrases in a real conversation?

The podcast trains your ear — in our online lessons you practise the conversation yourself, with real teachers. For companies across Germany since 2004.

Online lessons with real teachers Book a free consultation

Call