Are You Getting The Reaction You Want
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Are You Getting The Reaction You Want
After attending more than 100 networking events over the last 5 years, I have only met a few business people with introductions that resonated with me. If you could put a price on all this activity, millions of marketing dollars have been wasted!
By: Steve Smith
After attending more than 100 networking events over the last 5 years, I have only met a few business people with introductions that resonated with me. If you could put a price on all this activity, millions of marketing dollars have been wasted!
By: Steve Smith
The typical elevator pitch (how you would introduce yourself to someone new if you only had enough time to ride from the 10th floor to the ground floor of an office building- about 30 seconds uninterrupted) attempts to cram in as much detail about a person and their occupation before the elevator door opens. The reality is, most people have an attention span of less than 10 seconds and if they don't get what you're talking about in the first few seconds, they can zone out before you get through your last name.
Creating an impactful and memorable pitch is not as easy as you may think. Go ahead, try one on someone you know causally. Give them your pitch and then ask them what they think you do for a living. The responses will shock you most of the time. But shock is good because if they don't get it, real prospects aren't getting it either. The big mistake most business people make is assuming that what they have to say is important to the recipient. Now you might have important things to tell people but if your delivery blows the opportunity, you've just bought the equivalent of TV time at 2:00 AM!
Keep in mind that people tend to focus on what is important to them. Does your pitch convey a benefit or a possible issue right from the start? If you are a Chiropractor and someone asks what you do, what sounds better; “Hi, I'm a Chiropractor" or "Do you know how it feels to have to sit on the sideline because your back is out of whack? I help people get the most out of their leisure time". At the very least, your new contact is probably going to say; "really, how do you do that?” Your follow up should be something like; "I identify alignment issues before they become major physical problems". The point is, you may be in a networking sessions with 5 other Chiropractors. What makes you stand out is how you introduce yourself from the start.
So before you attend your next networking event, give serious thought to your pitch. And once you fine-tune it and have a trusted friend review it, practice the heck out of it. It should come out reflecting your style and at a conversational level. After all, the real reason people go to networking events is to attract clients. Don't leave a prospective client wondering what you do for a living.
Creating an impactful and memorable pitch is not as easy as you may think. Go ahead, try one on someone you know causally. Give them your pitch and then ask them what they think you do for a living. The responses will shock you most of the time. But shock is good because if they don't get it, real prospects aren't getting it either. The big mistake most business people make is assuming that what they have to say is important to the recipient. Now you might have important things to tell people but if your delivery blows the opportunity, you've just bought the equivalent of TV time at 2:00 AM!
Keep in mind that people tend to focus on what is important to them. Does your pitch convey a benefit or a possible issue right from the start? If you are a Chiropractor and someone asks what you do, what sounds better; “Hi, I'm a Chiropractor" or "Do you know how it feels to have to sit on the sideline because your back is out of whack? I help people get the most out of their leisure time". At the very least, your new contact is probably going to say; "really, how do you do that?” Your follow up should be something like; "I identify alignment issues before they become major physical problems". The point is, you may be in a networking sessions with 5 other Chiropractors. What makes you stand out is how you introduce yourself from the start.
So before you attend your next networking event, give serious thought to your pitch. And once you fine-tune it and have a trusted friend review it, practice the heck out of it. It should come out reflecting your style and at a conversational level. After all, the real reason people go to networking events is to attract clients. Don't leave a prospective client wondering what you do for a living.
Steve Smith is the OneCoach Business Partner for Saddleback Valley-CA, where he now coaches and mentors small-business owners and entrepreneurs, helping them get the answers they need to grow the businesses they want.
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