How to Create a Memorable Elevator Pitch
If you like most of your competitors and freeze up when says to you:
– “So, what do you do?”
– “Please tell us about yourself”
– Why don't you introduce yourself to the group”
It is amazing how many people are ill-prepared to introduce themselves to others.
Think about this: A first impression flips back and fourth 11 times in the first five seconds and your first impression is more important then the next five combined. You can see just how critical it is that you are in charge in those first few seconds when meeting someone new. How you conduct yourself will greatly influence the rest of your interaction with those you are with in that moment and quite possibly determine the fate of the relationship going forward.
A good elevator pitch could be the difference between, “This person is sharp and I want to get to know him/her” and “This person is a dud and I gotta get out of here ASAP!”
So, here is my question to you, “How good is your elevator pitch?”
If the answer is, Not so good” I have good news. Below is a proven formula for delivering a lights out elevator.
Step One-Introduction
This is your name, rank and serial number (i.e. Who you are? Who you are with? What is your title?)
Example: “Hi, my name is Tim O’Brien. I am a partner with law firm of Johnson and Smith. We are a twenty person firm in downtown Los Angeles. ”
Step Two-Specialization
This is where you tell your audience what it is you do. Be specific and concise. If you sell insurance, say I sell insurance. I find so many people who try to be all things to all people. Be direct. And be proud of what you do. If you are not, why should they be?
Example: We specialize in life insurance. There are three things I can help you do with life insurance: A, B and C.
Step Three -Clients
There are two types of buyers in the world: Those who have the guts to make decisions based upon their own instincts and those who are followers. Some need validation from someone else before deciding.
This section is used to give credentials to yourself. When you share your client list you are effectively saying, “Look who trusts me. Therefore, you should too.”
Avoid broad generalizations such as, “We represent everyone from mom and pops to Fortune 500 companies.” Be specific and give the most recognized companies. But avoid long string responses. You do not need to list 10 companies, three is enough. If you don’t have clients, sell the company’s/team’s.
Example: We represent many companies in the tech space such as Google, Twitter, and Spotify.
Step Four-Benefit
This is where you provide an example of just how talented you are. Don’t get bogged down in trying to be too original. Being authentic is good enough.
Think monetization and third-party validation. Your example should illustrate how you made or saved someone or some company money. Make sure your evidence can be objectively verified by a third-party. If your prospect called him/them would they respond without hesitation exactly as you represented? Do not misrepresent what you have done. That is a surefire way to lose all trust.
Example: We recently had a client come to us who had a judgment entered against him. We filed a post-judgment motion based upon some new case law and we were able to get the judgment overturned.
Step Five-Action Steps
This is the number one reason most people’s 15 second elevator pitch is weak. There is no follow through. There are only four action steps you can take:
– Ask for the business
– Connect them to someone else
– Invite the person to coffee to explore further how you might be able to help each other
– Intentional inaction- which means you run through all three possible steps and none apply or work so you intentionally do nothing with the connection you have made. Nonetheless, it was networking and good practice.
Most people are guilty of Unintentional inaction. To borrow a phrase from my mom, “Most people in these situations are dead from the neck up.” They do nothing and that is why they get nothing from the exchange. Do you want results? Drive the results you want. You must take charge of the interaction in order to get what you want out of it.
Example: Wow! Sounds like you could have an issue with income taxes. If you’d like, I could look over your policies and see where there might be some gaps. Would you be interested?
If you follow this easy five-step formula, you will be able to make a lasting impression on everyone you meet.
The only difference between you being a superstar at delivering your elevator pitch and being a dud is your commitment to:
– Sitting down and writing out your elevator pitch
– Memorizing it
– Practicing it over and over again until it flows naturally
Click here to learn more about our high impact Creating Million-Dollar Messages program!
