Writing Your Elevator Speech
Last week, I talked about cocktail pitches to use while networking: 8 to 15 word hooks designed to get the person you’re talking to to say “I’d love to hear more.”
Assuming you’ve figured out your 15 words, you’ve now got a captive audience. How do you continue to educate them?
An elevator pitch shouldn’t be any longer than 30 seconds—and guess what? We’re really good at 30 second commercials here in Chapter 62. But in a networking environment, you should probably avoid giving a full-on commercial—unless you are specifically asked.
- Instead, have your first sentence define your business—but in a provocative way. I am a ____________.
- The next sentence should immediately differentiate you from a throng of competitors. What sets me apart is _____________.
- Follow up by going deeper—in a way that showcases the benefits of working with you. This results in ___________, ______________, and __________.
- Make your call to action light but memorable. I like meeting _____________.
David Lelong and I work together often, and I took a shot at writing his:
“My name is David Lelong. I own a company called Accelerated Online, and we provide uncommon marketing solutions for small businesses. What sets me apart is my focus on compelling offers and call to action buttons. As a result, my campaigns have converted as many as 99% of prospects into customers (“Wow, David!!”). I’m always looking to meet the owners of new e-Commerce businesses.”
I hope this has been enlightening for you, and I can’t wait to hear your elevator pitches. Go forth and conquer!
