WRITING A 30-SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH -...

WRITING A 30-SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH

Sir Winston Churchill once said, “I’m going to give a long speech today. I haven’t had time to prepare a short one.” An “elevator pitch” is the 30-60 second promotion of what you do and why someone should work with you. Your speech may be the only chance you get to make a good first impression. The secret to writing a captivating elevator speech is to think like your audience.

It’s called an “elevator pitch” because it describes the challenge: Imagine riding in an elevator with the one person who has the power to give you your next job. What would you say to that person during a brief ride that could convince him or her that you’re the right person to hire? This speech is a brief, snappy way of introducing who you are. Present your key skills, what makes you unique, and what you’re looking for. All in 30 seconds or so.

Why is this important? You can use this 30 seconds to get the individual(s) interested in whatever you have to offer and can lead to a more in-depth meeting or conversation down the road.

You have only 30-60 seconds to make a powerful first impression: 15-20 seconds to get someone’s attention and maybe another 30 seconds to make the pitch before the listener decides whether listening to you is worth a few more minutes of his or her time. The attention span of the average person is just 30 seconds before his or her mind starts wandering. The other reason is that people have less time today. You need to grab them quickly or lose them forever.

If you’ll be attending a job fair, learn as much as possible about the potential employers you might be meeting.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS1. concise: Your pitch should take no longer than 30-60 seconds. Get to the heart of the pitch. Develop one point or goal for your speech. This will be its major theme. Tell them who you are, what you offer, and why they need you.

2. clear: Use language that everyone understands. Avoid industry jargon unless you’re sure the person you’re speaking with will understand it, and it will save you time. Don’t use fancy words thinking it will make you sound smarter. Your listener won’t understand you, and you’ll have lost your opportunity to hook that person.

3. powerful: Use words that are powerful and persuasive. Use visually appealing words— descriptive language about colors, textures, and potential results. Speak clearly and put some energy into your voice. Keep it businesslike and don’t try to act too familiar with the person. Use “Mr.” or “Ms.” instead of the person’s first name.

4. tell a short story: A good story is essentially this: someone with a problem either finds a solution or faces tragedy. Either type of story can be used to illuminate what you do.

5. visual: Use words that create a visual image in your listener’s mind. This will make your message memorable.

6. targeted: A great elevator pitch is aimed for a specific audience. Explain how you can help the company do better. If you have target audiences that are vastly different, you might want to have a unique pitch for each.

7. goal-oriented: An effective elevator pitch is designed with a specific outcome in mind. What is your desired outcome? You may have different pitches depending on different objectives. For example, do you want to get a job, enlist support for an idea, or earn a referral?

8. has a hook: This is the element that literally snags your listener’s interest and makes him/her want to know more. This is the phrase or words that strike a chord in your listener. For example, you could describe how in a previous job you saved the day and kept a key client on board.

HOW TO CRAFT AN ELEVATOR SPEECHAvoid the cookie cutter “insert your name here” templates you’ll find on the web. You want your pitch to stand out and be unique, so give it life and personality by allowing your pitch to paint a picture or tell a story.

1. Research the audience. Tailor your speech to a company or industry’s needs, otherwise you might not get another chance for a long time. Focus on the problems that you solve. Ask yourself these questions: If I were an employer, what would be appealing to me about what is being offered? What would entice me to learn more? Then write it all down. Let the ideas flow unedited and get them down on paper as quickly as possible before you lose momentum.

2. Know your subject inside out. The speech isn’t about you, but about the potential employer’s or client’s needs. Don’t fill it with frivolous details or your life story.

3. Prepare your speech. Take stock: Think about what you consider your most impressive accomplishments, what makes you most proud, and what you think makes you stand out in a crowd of peers. Consider what you want to do and why you want a particular job. Examine reasons unique to you and what you’ve done in the past that leads you to this point.

Pull out 2-3 impressive achievements that relate directly to a specific job opening or a particular company. Name those achievements in your speech. Your speech needs to express how you can contribute to the job just as much as what you hope to gain from it.

Put it together in no more than 6-8 short sentences. The speech should encompass who you are, what you can do, and what makes you far and away the best person for a job.

The speech should “wow” listeners. Use action words. Review your draft for clarity, consistency, and conciseness. Ensure that nothing you say contradicts anything else, that it makes sense, and that you sound sincere and knowledgeable. Your potential associate must not only find what you’re saying to be intriguing but must also trust you. Once you’re happy with the clarity and consistency, start cutting out all extraneous words. Your goal is to say what you need to say in 100 words or fewer.

4. Comb through your speech and find the single concept most likely to grab attention. Make the attention-getter your lead statement, said in close conjunction with your name, as part of your introduction.

5. Practice the speech to get a natural, enthusiastic flow. You may find you need to alter wording or sentence structure for the spoken word. You don’t want to sound packaged or rehearsed. Engage the person to whom you are talking by encouraging questions, making eye contact, and using vocal variety. Don’t rush your speech or speak loudly, even if you’re in a crowded conference room. Don’t interrupt anyone on the phone, and turn off all mobile devices when you’re in the middle of a sales or job speech.

5. Conclude your speech with an actionable request. For example, ask for a follow-up interview or if you could send in your resume.

6. Practice your speech on a live audience and refine it based on feedback. Ensure you practice on people who are knowledgeable about the topic and will give you honest feedback.

ELEVATOR SPEECHES

How to Craft an Effective Elevator Speechby Chris King

I know that at this moment, you are wondering what I’m talking about. Who gives a speech in an elevator anyway? What I mean by an “elevator speech” is a short description of what you do, or the point you want to make, presented in the time it takes an elevator to go from the top floor to the first floor or vice versa. In this article you will find out what, why, where, when, to whom, and how to prepare that “elevator speech.”

What exactly is an “elevator speech”? I believe the name was actually coined from the idea that we sometimes meet the important people in our lives in elevators. The odd situation we encounter in most elevators is that nobody speaks to or looks at anyone else, and yet we have a captive audience for that short period of time. Very few people are ready to interact in case someone does speak. The idea of an “elevator speech” is to have a prepared presentation that grabs attention and says a lot in a few words. What are you going to be saying? By telling your core message, you will be marketing yourself and/or your business, but in a way that rather than putting people off will make them want to know more about you and your business.

Why prepare an “elevator speech”? In previous articles I have continually mentioned the importance of preparation, and it is no different for an “elevator speech.” Actually, it is imperative to work on this two to three minute presentation until it is perfectly crafted. This is the one kind of speech that I do suggest memorizing. Make it such a part of you that if someone woke you up from a sound sleep in the middle of the night, and asked you what you do, you would smoothly and without hesitation tell them your “elevator speech.” This speech will serve as your introduction to others, so it has to be good!

Where and when do I use this “elevator speech”? Of course, if you meet someone who shows interest in the elevator, you can be literal and use it there. But usually it comes in handy when you attend an event, a conference, a convention, or some other type of meeting with networking opportunities. You will notice that one of the first questions people ask is, “And, what do you do?” “Oh, I’m a lawyer … or an accountant … or a consultant … or an artist…” It doesn’t matter because they will often say, “Oh, that’s nice,” and immediately label you in their mind with all of the stereotypes they perceive those occupations carry with them. However, if you turn your message around and start with an answer like, “I work with small businesses that are grappling with computer problems,” right away — especially if they own a small business — their ears will perk up and they will want to know more. The reason I suggest working on this speech and memorizing it is that our natural reaction to the question, “What do you do?” is to answer with a label. Then, we continue to describe the process we go through instead of sharing the benefits they will get from working with us. Rather than thinking of ourselves as “solution providers” we picture ourselves as doing our occupation.

To whom do I present my “elevator speech”? The more often you give your short speech, the better it will become. You will have so much fun experiencing the unique reactions to what you are saying, you will easily be able to add enthusiasm and energy to the telling. I suggest taking advantage of a wide variety of gatherings and networking events. And, don’t worry, if your “elevator speech” isn’t smooth, easy, or natural in the beginning. If you stick with it, you will find that it gets better and better, and before long, you will be getting a surprising amount of business — or, at least a number of contacts who want your business card and to stay in touch. You will also be remembered.

How do I develop and deliver an effective “elevator” speech?www.bandwidthonline.org

Most of us find ourselves, at one time or another, in a situation in which we need to explain what we do very briefly. To avoid the tendency to go on at length about yourself, your project, or your research we encourage you to develop and practice a 30-second (or less) “elevator” speech that you could give at a moment’s notice—and in the time it would take to ride from the ground floor to the top floor of an office building or hotel.

“Tell Me a Little About Yourself…”Explaining Your Work in 30 Seconds or Less

This is a good exercise for developing a brief, razor-sharp description of who you are and what you do. This will likely be useful not only at professional gatherings, but at family holiday gatherings as well! Here are a few thoughts on creating this short presentation.

1. Who are you talking to? Consider these questions in crafting your description:

* How familiar are they with your subject matter? * What are their biases/interests? * How can you connect your topic to what they care about?

2. What’s your message?A message is a statement that describes what a person or organization is, does, or most importantly, believes. Hone the 1-2 key messages or take-aways from your poster/research when preparing your presentation. Avoid jargon or acronyms that your listener may not know or understand. This message(s) should answer one or more of the following:

* Why is this research/project important? * What makes your research/project unique? * What are the short- or long-term benefits of this research? * Why should the person/audience care about your work?

3. Can you make it personal?This is a perfect opportunity to show that researchers are people too! It is not just about the science. Relating a relevant biographical note or a crisp anecdote that points to why you were led to this research is an effective way to connect with your audience.

4. Can you tell a story?A short (say 10-15 second) story about a client, friend or person involved in your research can go a long way toward getting your message across. It will shrink the rest of your elevator speech, but you may be surprised by how much information can be carried in a narrative.

5. Practice. Practice with a friend or colleague (preferably someone not too familiar with your work). Consider recording your elevator speech and reviewing it to fine-tune the content as well as your delivery.

Remember: The best descriptions leave the listener wanting more. If you succeed with your 30-second presentation, you’ll likely have three or four more minutes to elaborate on your work.

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The Perfect (Elevator) PitchIt's a skill every businessperson needs. How to create it, rehearse it, and tailor it for aspecific audience

By Aileen Pincus

One of the most important things a businessperson can do—especially an owner or someone who is involved insales—is learn how to speak about their business to others. Being able to sum up unique aspects of your serviceor product in a way that excites others should be a fundamental skill. Yet many executives pay little attention tothe continuing development of "the elevator pitch"—the quick, succinct summation of what your company makesor does.

That's too bad, because the elevator pitch—so named because it should last no longer than the average elevatorride—is far too important to take casually. It's one of the most effective methods available to reach new buyersand clients with a winning message. True, you may not actually be doing the pitching in an elevator, but even ifyour meeting is a planned, sit-down event, you should still be prepared to capture your audience's attentionquickly.

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Every business grows and changes, and your pitch needs to grow and change with it. You can have the mostcreative logo, the slickest slogan, the most dazzling brochures, and the most cutting-edge Web site, but if yourelevator pitch is out of date, you're missing one of your most important opportunities to "brand."

You know your business better than anyone. How are you keeping abreast of the latest ideas? What continues toset you apart from your competition? How can you speak about your record of quality goods and services andmake it relevant to your future plans?

As your audience's needs and expectations change, make sure you change the way you speak about yourbusiness. Your language, your approach, and what you choose to highlight for a particular audience has got tochange over time.

For instance, what has worked in years past with print and broadcast audiences could bore an online audienceto tears. You wouldn't think of not updating your other sales and marketing materials, so why would you let yourelevator pitch grow stale?

Knowing your business, product, service, or issue well is one thing, but how do you convey excitement and sparkinterest to those outside your organization? What do you highlight? What do you leave out? And how do thosechoices change with your audience?

ALWAYS BE PREPAREDIn the early days of my executive coaching firm, I'd worked out an elevator speech with three quick points aboutwhat set our training services apart. It was working well, and I'd gotten comfortable, perhaps too comfortable,with using it.

One day, I won a brief introduction to a client in an industry we hadn't trained in before. After my standardelevator speech (in a hallway this time), this decision-maker smiled and said: "Frankly, lowest cost isn'tnecessarily our highest priority. I'd need to know a lot more about how you might add value to our existing effortsat training, not just your cost—and you'd need to convince me your firm could handle something we don't alreadyoffer our type of demanding professional."

He disappeared before I could recover. I didn't have another chance with him for almost a full year. When thattime came, I'd made sure to learn all I could about the training his company already had in place and the precisevalue we could add to existing efforts.

I'd already taken the lesson to heart: Adjust the pitch to the person who is listening, and refine it as you and yourbusiness continue to grow and change. It worked, and we've since been able to win that valuable account andmany others in the same industry.

I've been on the other side of the less-than-perfect pitch, too. At a conference, a young businesswomanapproached me to introduce herself and her Web-building services. She was eager and confident, but after a fewminutes of hearing about her competitive pricing, her creativity, and a few of her clients, I said: "Well I hear froma lot of design services, and it's hard to tell the real differences between you. What do you think really sets yourwork apart for someone like me in a services industry?"

The question obviously caught her off-guard, and she admitted she didn't have an answer. An honest answer,but not a first impression that achieved her goal of getting a second meeting.

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By Guy R. Powell

HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?

You're in an elevator. The CEO of your hottest prospect is also in the elevator

and realizes that he recognizes you. He says, "I was curious, tell me what

you do again. I can't remember." What do you say?

You're at a party. You just happen to run into the VP of the company you

want to work for. You mention that you're looking for a job, and then the VP

says, "Glad to meet you. Tell me more about yourself!" How do you respond?

The elevator pitch is the most powerful and concise description of you, your

company, or your products boiled down to 25 to 35 words. It answers five basic

questions, and it encourages the listener to request, "Tell me more."

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE ELEVATOR PITCH?

Elevator pitches are developed to relay just enough information to cause your

interlocutor to ask, "Tell me more." If you're lucky, the CEO will remain on the

elevator and say, "If you have a few minutes, I want to hear more." If you're even

luckier, your prospective VP will ask you to set up an appointment the next day to

meet with him. All of that from the development, memorization, and tweaking of a

few simple yet incredibly powerful words.

HOW DO YOU GET READY TO STEP ON THE ELEVATOR?

Building an elevator pitch consists of three steps:

Step 1: The five W's

Step 2: Iterating

Step 3: Adjusting to your audience

Step 1: The five W's

The first step is to develop answers to the following questions:

What does your company do? (For example, begin your answer with "We

provide.")

1.

Whom does your company do it for? (For example, begin your answer with

"For small and midsized healthcare providers.")

2.

Why do they care? Or, What's in it for them? (For example, include in your

answer "so that they can," "who can no longer afford," or "who are tired of.")

3.

Why is your company different? (For example, begin your answer with "As

opposed to" or "Unlike.")

4.

What is your company? (For example, begin your answer with "My company

is an insurance.")

5.

OPTIONAL W'S

In some cases, it may be important to develop answers to questions about other

aspects of you, your company, or your products that can help lead to that

all-important "tell me more" request:

What environment is your company operating in? (For example, begin your

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Quintessential Careers:Fantastic Formulas for Composing Elevator Speeches

by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

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Be sure to read our articles The Elevator Speech is the SwissArmy Knife of Job-Search Tools and Elevator Speech Do's andDon'ts.

While many Elevator Speeches are written by sales reps topitch products and services, the formulas from which thespeeches derive can be easily adapted to situations in whichthe product is you, the job-seeker. This roundup of formulassuggested by experts should provide food for thought for themethod that works best for you in planning and outlining yourElevator Speech.

For example, Certified Professional Virtual Assistant JeanHanson suggests this formula:

Who am I? (introduce yourself)1.What business am I in?2.What group of people do I service? (be specific -- do you have a niche?)3.What is my USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? What makes me different from the competition?4.What benefits do my customers derive from my services?5.

Here's how it could be adapted for a job-seeker:

Who am I? (introduce yourself) -- No change1.What business am I in? -- What field or industry am I in?2.What group of people do I service? (be specific -- do you have a niche?) -- What position am I in? In whatcapacity do I serve?

3.

What is my USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? What makes me different from the competition? -- No change4.What benefits do my customers derive from my services? -- What benefits can employers derive fromskills, based on my proven accomplishments?

5.

Hanson says that in a selling situation, the listener's unspoken question is "Why should I do business with you?" --Similarly, in a job-hunting situation, the listener's tacit question may be "Why should I (or any employer) hireyou?"

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Next is a variation on Hanson's formula adapted from Randy W. Dipner Meeting the Challenge, Inc., along with ourillustration (in boldface)of how it can be adapted for a job-seeker:

List target customers. Group them and ultimately define THE customer. -- List target employers.Group them and ultimately define THE employer.

Define the need or opportunity. That is, what critical issue does the customer face? -- What need orissue does the employer face?

Name the product or service or concept. -- Introduce yourself.

Place the product, service, or concept into a generally understood category. -- Identify yourself interms of a job function or contribution. What do you do?

List the benefits -- not the features -- of the product, service, or concept provides to the customer.Group or prioritize the benefits to identify the single benefit that is the most compelling reason for thecustomer to buy the product, service, or concept. To the maximum extent possible, the benefit shouldbe quantified. -- List the benefits -- not the features -- that you provide to the employer. Group orprioritize the benefits to identify the single benefit that is the most compelling reason for theemployer to hire you. To the maximum extent possible, the benefit should be quantified.

Develop a statement of the primary differentiation of the product, service, or concept. Thedifferentiation is the single most important thing that sets your product, service, or concept apart fromthe competition or state of the art. -- Develop a statement of the primary differentiation of yourself.The differentiation is the single most important thing that sets you apart from the competition.

Tony Jeary, author of Life Is A Series Of Presentations, offers this Elevator Speech formula:

Define your audience universe.Define your content or subject matter.Define your objective.Define your desired image or style.Define your key message.

A formula that probably has more components than the average job-seeker will want to use is offered by theUK-based Adding Value Masterclass and adapted here:

Pain -- Paint a graphic picture of the "pain" or problems that the employer is experiencing.Credibility -- Your qualifications for solving the problem.Solution -- Specifically hint at how you can provide a solution (but don't give away the farm before you havethe job).Gain -- Explain the benefits the employer will experience.Impact -- illustrate the difference those benefits will make in the organization.Emotion -- Describe how the benefits will make the employer feel.Prove -- Provide evidence that support your claims through examples or stories.Money -- Job-seekers should probably skip this step.Risk -- Remove any remaining doubts they may have by removing the risk.Close -- Reiterate the key points and ask for an interview or other appropriate next step.

Author, speaker, and consultant Marisa D'Vari suggests starting the Elevator Speech process by writing down threekey points about your product (you, in this case) and discussing how these points will benefit the listener.

The business school at Pepperdine University suggests knowing your audience and knowing yourself, including keystrengths, adjectives that describe you, a description of what you are trying to let others know about you, and a


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statement of your interest in the company or industry the person represents. Armed with that knowledge, thejob-seeker can then outline the Elevator Speech using these questions:

Who am I?1.What do I offer?2.What problem is solved?3.What are the main contributions I can make?4.What should the listener do as a result of hearing this?5.

The School of Management at George Mason University offers some particularly good Elevator Speech examples forcollege students. The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin provides an elevator speechformula, adapted from career author Donald Asher, that's especially good for college students in networkingsituations.

You'll notice that one thing nearly all the experts have in common is their espousal of the importance of stressingyour benefit to the listener and touching on how you're better than the competition. This principle encompasses manynames -- Unique Selling Proposition, value proposition, benefit statement, competitive advantage, deliverables,differentiation -- but the bottom line is the same. What can you bring to the employer, and how can you do it betterthan anyone else?

Finally, the most unusual Elevator Speech formula we came across was from a blogger who calls herself "Qureus"and suggests integrating astrology into one's elevator speech.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on keycollege, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., creative director and associate publisher of Quintessential Careers, isan educator, author, and blogger who provides content for Quintessential Careers, editsQuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and blogs about storytelling in the job searchat A Storied Career. Katharine, who earned her PhD in organizational behavior from UnionInstitute & University, Cincinnati, OH, is author of Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates andA Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market (both published by TenSpeed Press), as well as Top Notch Executive Resumes (Career Press); and with Randall S.Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters, Write Your Way to a Higher GPA (Ten Speed), and TheComplete Idiot's Guide to Study Skills (Alpha). Visit her personal Website or reach her by e-mailat kathy(at)quintcareers.com.

Quintessential Careers, a subsidiary ofEmpoweringSites.com -- DeLand, FL 32720Home Page: http://www.quintcareers.com/

Email: [email protected] © Quintessential Careers. All Rights Reserved


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Quintessential Careers:The Elevator Speech is the Swiss Army Knife of Job-SearchTools

by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

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By now the Elevator Speech is a fairly well-known tool, notonly for job-seekers but for organizations and individuals withproducts and services to sell. Authors of numerous Internetarticles on the Elevator Speech offer speculations on the originof the term -- ranging from the notion that we often run intoimportant people in elevators to the more common explanationthat the Elevator Speech is a clear, concise bit ofcommunication that can be delivered in the time it takes folksto ride from the top to the bottom of a building in an elevator.

Whatever the exact origin, the Elevator Speech is anexceptionally useful and versatile tool in numerous situations:

Events designed specifically for networking.The casual networking opportunities we encounternearly every day -- the kids' soccer games, planeflights, waiting in line to buy tickets, and on and on.Career or job fairs.Cold calls to employers.Cold calls to absent employers: Rita Fisher of Career Change Resumes suggests that leaving your ElevatorSpeech in the form of a voicemail message virtually guarantees that the employer will call back. Hint:Assuming your speech is sufficiently compelling, call after hours when you know for sure you will get theemployer's voicemail.Opportunities within your own company to talk with higher-up honchos, let them know you're doing a greatjob, and position you for promotion.Job interviews, where the Elevator Speech can provide the answer to at least two common interview queries:"Tell me about yourself" and "Why should I hire you?"

Wide variation exists among experts as to the ideal length of an Elevator Speech. Some authors say as few as 15seconds; others say up to three minutes. There's no reason, however, that you can't employ both short and longversions. Different situations, after all, may well call for diverse approaches.

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In my book, A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market, I describe the Sound Bite and theCommercial. The Sound Bite is equivalent to, let's say, an Elevator Speech for a low-rise building or a building with avery fast elevator.

It's is a very short introduction of yourself used in situations where you are meeting a lot of people and probably notspending a great deal of time with any one of them. Events specifically designed for networking were made for theSound Bite, which lasts about 15-30 seconds and may or may not be the prelude to a lengthier conversation. Thetrick is to make your Sound Bite so intriguing that people will want to spend more time talking with you. The SoundBite also might be incorporated into an initial phone conversation with a prospective new member of your network.

At its most basic level, the Sound Bite's structure is:

Hi, my name is ___________. I'm in the _______________ field, and I'm lookingto_____________________.

The last blank would be filled in with your current career aspiration, whether it is to stay within your field and move upor move into a different career.

A college student or new graduate might add the following to the basic structure.

Hi, my name is ___________. I will be graduating/I just graduated from ____________________with adegree in _____________________. I'm looking to_____________________.

You can stick with the Sound Bite's basic structure and see where it takes you. It may not take you far, however,because it lacks two things: a "hook" and a request for action.

Beware of a Sound Bite/Elevator Speech that inspires the thought "so what?" in the listener, as the above examplesmight.

If, however, you add an element of intrigue -- a "hook" -- by incorporating your Unique Selling Proposition, theensuing conversation now has considerable potential. Let's look, for example, at how a conversation might go thatstarts with an intriguing Sound Bite:

Networker #1: Hi, my name is Carmen Southwick. I make dreams come true.Networker #2: How do you do that?Networker #1: I'm a wedding planner. I plan dream weddings for couples. I've been working for myself,but I'd like to get in with one of the big resorts that hosts weddings.

Let's look at another example:

Networker #1: Hi, my name is Ned Peters. I'm a warm-and-fuzzy man.Networker #2: How so?Networker #1: I manage a pet store and love to watch children's eyes light up when I put a little animalin their hands. I'm training to use pet therapy in hospitals and nursing homes and hope to break intothat field.

And one more:

Networker #1: Hi, my name is Betty Joiner. I'm responsible for this country's future.Networker #2: This I've got to hear about.Networker #1: I'm a teacher! I love shaping the minds of the next generation, but I'm also interested ingetting into corporate training.

The concern, of course, with the intriguing sound bite is that you'll sound corny or hokey. And, in fact, chances are


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you will. I'll admit that when I first researched these sound bites/elevator speeches, I found them very corny. But theywork by hooking your conversation partner into finding out more about you.

You just have to decide whether or not you're comfortable with incorporating an intriguing line into your Sound Bite. Ifnot, go for a more basic Sound Bite/Elevator Speech. One way to test the effect is to try both approaches out onmembers of your inner circle.

Even the intriguing Sound Bites/Elevator Speeches above lack an important element -- a request for action. Here aresome action items that can be appended in various situations:

At a career fair: "I'd like to take your business card, as well as leave my networking card and resume. Would it bepossible for me to get a spot on your company's interview schedule?

In a networking situation: "What advice do you have for me? Can you suggest any employers I should becontacting?"

Cold-calling an employer: "When can we set up a meeting to discuss how I can help your company?"

Telephone or e-mail situations: "May I send you my resume?" (For in-person situations, you should always haveresumes handy.)

The Commercial, a.k.a, Elevator Speech for a high-rise building or slow elevator, is a longer version of the SoundBite and can be used in networking situations in which you have more time to talk about yourself, such as when youare visiting in the office of a prospective member of your network or having lunch with a contact. It can be a greatjob-interview response to "Tell me about yourself" or "Why should I hire you?"

It's also an effective response when you're conducting an informational interview and the interviewee turns the tablesand starts asking questions about you. The Commercial can piggyback on top of the Sound Bite; you start out withthe Sound Bite, and your conversation partner asks you to tell more about yourself, so you segue into theCommercial. This introduction is typically one to three minutes long and contains more about your background,qualifications, and skills than the Sound Bite does.

Obviously, you don't want your Commercial to sound memorized. But you are, after all, talking about yourself, so thematerial is not hard to remember. It helps to write it out first -- outline form is fine; then read it over a few times, andpractice saying it without reading or memorizing it. Practice saying it in front of friends and members of your network,too. It's not a big deal if you forget a detail, as long as you remember the main points you want to get across. Hereare a couple of samples, which range from about 200-300 words:

Hi, my name is Michaela Shaw. I've had many years of experience in the electronics industry. Duringthis time, I was drawn to the field of information systems. I enjoyed the challenge and new technologiesthat I learned while working with the company systems administrator in my job as a databasecontroller. I loved receiving and implementing the system-management training I gained while workingwith the Hewlett Packard board test system. The spark ignited, and I began to focus my efforts onobtaining additional training in computer information systems. I am achievement and detail oriented. Iwork extremely well in a team environment and have been a team leader on several of my projects. Ifurther developed my communications skills, which were extremely important in my past workexperience, throughout my academic career. I have worked with the latest technologies in my classes.For example, I helped design a database interface application in Visual Basic for one of my school'sprograms. When assigned a project, I possess the skills to see it through to top-notch completion. I amprepared to make a significant contribution in the next step in my career.

Hi, my name is Mateo Santiago. My background to date has centered around preparing myself to bethe most well-rounded marketing professional possible. I have specifically prepared myself for a careerin marketing by taking competitive undergraduate classes and by gaining invaluable real-world


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experience. To improve my written communication skills, I completed four upper-division Englishclasses in addition to the two core classes required of business majors. Since many Texas businessestoday work with people of Hispanic origin, I chose to enhance my desirability and versatility as apotential employee by acquiring a Spanish minor. I have also prepared myself to transition into thework force through real-world experience involving travel abroad, internships, and entrepreneurialopportunities. While interning with a private organization in Ecuador this past summer, I developed a15-page marketing plan composed in Spanish that recommended more effective ways in which thiscompany could promote its services. I also traveled abroad on two other occasions in which Iresearched the indigenous culture of the Mayan Indians in Todos Santos, Guatemala, and participatedin a total language immersion program in San Jose, Costa Rica. In addition to my travel and internshipexperience, I also obtained considerable professional sales training as a result of my ownentrepreneurial pursuits. During this past summer, I telemarketed for Riella Tire Supply of West Texas,a work experience that prompted me to develop conflict-resolution and personal-selling skills.Furthermore, I have established and maintained two businesses -- Santiago Lawn Service and FullThrottle Auto Detailing, which exposed me to valuable real-world experience with cold door-to-doorsales calls and relationship selling. As you can see from my academic and extracurricularbackgrounds, I have unconditionally committed myself to succeed as a marketing professional.

Want to learn much more? See Fantastic Formulas for Composing Elevator Speeches and Elevator Speech Do'sand Don'ts.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on keycollege, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., creative director and associate publisher of Quintessential Careers, isan educator, author, and blogger who provides content for Quintessential Careers, editsQuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and blogs about storytelling in the job searchat A Storied Career. Katharine, who earned her PhD in organizational behavior from UnionInstitute & University, Cincinnati, OH, is author of Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates andA Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market (both published by TenSpeed Press), as well as Top Notch Executive Resumes (Career Press); and with Randall S.Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters, Write Your Way to a Higher GPA (Ten Speed), and TheComplete Idiot's Guide to Study Skills (Alpha). Visit her personal Website or reach her by e-mailat kathy(at)quintcareers.com.

Quintessential Careers, a subsidiary ofEmpoweringSites.com -- Kettle Falls, WA 99141

Home Page: http://www.quintcareers.com/Email: randall(at)quintcareers.com

Copyright © Quintessential Careers. All Rights Reserved


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Preparing Your Elevator Speech An ʹelevator speechʹ is a term taken from the early days of the internet explosion when web development companies needed venture capital. Finance firms were swamped with applications for money and the companies that won the cash were often those with a simple pitch. The best were those that could explain a business proposition to the occupants of an elevator in the time it took them to ride to their floor. In other words, an elevator speech that worked was able to describe and sell an idea in 30 seconds or less. Today, an ʹelevator speech can be any kind of short speech that sells an idea, promotes your business or markets you as an individual. An elevator speech is as essential as a business card. You need to be able to say who you are, what you do, what you are interested in doing and how you can be a resource to your listeners. If you donʹt have an elevator speech, people wonʹt know what you really do. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE- Before writing any part of your elevator speech, research your audience. You will be much more likely to succeed if your elevator speech is clearly targeted at the individuals you are speaking to. Having a ʹgenericʹ elevator pitch is almost certain to fail. KNOW YOURSELF - Before you can convince anyone of your proposition you need to know exactly what it is. You need to define precisely what you are offering, what problems you can solve and what benefits you bring to a prospective contact or employers Answer the following questions:

1. What are your key strengths? 2. What adjectives come to mind to describe you? 3. What is it you are trying to ʹsellʹ or let others know about you? 4. Why are you interested in the company or industry the person represents?

OUTLINE YOUR TALK - start an outline of your material using bullet points. You donʹt need to add any detail at this stage; simply write a few notes to help remind you of what you really want to say. They don’t need to be complete sentences. You can use the following questions to start your outline:

1. Who am I? 2. What do I offer? 3. What problem is solved? 4. What are the main contributions I can make? 5. What should the listener do as a result of hearing this?

FINALIZE YOUR SPEECH - Now that you have your outline of your material, you can finalize the speech. The key to doing this is to expand on the notes you made by writing out each section in full. To help you do this, follow these guidelines:

1. Take each note you made and write a sentence about it. 2. Take each of the sentences and connect them together with additional phrases to make

them flow. 3. Go through what you have written and change any long words or jargon into everyday

language. 4. Go back through the re-written material and cut out unnecessary words. 5. Finalize your speech by making sure it is no more than 90 words long.

Elevator Speech

2nd Edition

Eric Albertson

.

© 2010 Albertson Performance Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.albertsonperformancegroup.com

About the Publisher

Albertson Performance Group and their APG7 growth

recipe helps service and software firms achieve their

growth objectives.

Please learn more about Albertson Performance Group

and the APG7 growth recipe by visiting www.apg7.com.

About the Author

Eric Albertson has been a marketing and sales executive for companies of all sizes for more than 30 years. Eric’s greatest joy comes from helping individuals and organizations make dramatically more sales than they had ever dreamed possible.

While companies like Dell, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Toshiba and American Express have enjoyed financial and performance rewards as a result of working with Eric. Smaller companies also realize similar profit boast, if not equal name recognition as multinational corporations, from interacting with Eric as a coach, trainer, facilitator, and consultant.

Table of Contents

i

About the Author ..................................................................................................................................... i

About the Publisher ................................................................................................................................ i

Section 1: What Is An Elevator Speech .............................................................................. 1

Seize the Moment ............................................................................................................................... 1

Buy Time To Keep Talking .............................................................................................................. 2

Avoid Bad Introductory Statements ........................................................................................... 2

Does It Pass the “So What?” Test .................................................................................................. 3

Tell Me More, Baby ............................................................................................................................ 3

Keep the Conversation Going ......................................................................................................... 4

Don’t Talk About Yourself ............................................................................................................... 4

Demonstrate Your Understanding ............................................................................................... 4

Section Review .................................................................................................................................... 5

Section 2: Where, When, and How to Use An Elevator Speech ................................. 6

Prospect with the Telephone ......................................................................................................... 6

Use the Telephone To Get A “Tell Me More” ............................................................................ 6

Use Your Elevator Speech at Networking Events .................................................................. 9

Ask Questions .................................................................................................................................. 9

Follow Up ....................................................................................................................................... 10

Use Your Elevator Speech in the Elevator.............................................................................. 10

Use Your Elevator Speech When You Leave Voice Mail Messages ............................... 11

Incorporate Your Elevator Speech into Your Collateral Materials ............................... 12

Use Your Elevator Speech Every Day ....................................................................................... 12

Look Aggressively for Other Opportunities .......................................................................... 12

Section Review ................................................................................................................................. 13

Section 3: Examples of Good Elevator Speech Openings .......................................... 14

Use Great Introductory Statements .......................................................................................... 14

Table of Contents Continued

ii

Section Review ................................................................................................................................. 15

Section 4: What Attributes Should Your Elevator Speech Have? .......................... 16

Connect With Your Prospect ....................................................................................................... 16

Ask the Right Question .................................................................................................................. 16

Keep It Short ...................................................................................................................................... 17

Develop Multiple Elevator Speeches ........................................................................................ 17

Review Industry-Targeted Statements ................................................................................... 18

Speak Directly to a Problem ........................................................................................................ 18

State the Problem, Aspiration or Goal ..................................................................................... 18

Section Review ................................................................................................................................. 19

Section 5: How To Write Your Elevator Speech .......................................................... 20

Focus on Your Prospect ................................................................................................................ 20

Start by Making Lists ...................................................................................................................... 20

List Your Customers ................................................................................................................... 20

List Your Customers’ Problems ............................................................................................. 21

List The Outcomes You Can Deliver ..................................................................................... 21

List Why People Work with You ........................................................................................... 21

Review Examples ............................................................................................................................. 21

Check Your Elevator Speech ........................................................................................................ 22

Focus on Problems ..................................................................................................................... 22

Verify Focus ................................................................................................................................... 23

Use-Three Step Confirmation Process to Refine ............................................................. 23

Section Review ................................................................................................................................. 23

Section 6: How to Use An Elevator Speech to Achieve an Outcome ..................... 25

Speak to Outcomes .......................................................................................................................... 25

Don’t Talk About You ..................................................................................................................... 25

Use Measurements .......................................................................................................................... 25

Review Good Outcome Statements........................................................................................... 26


iii

Insurance ........................................................................................................................................ 26

Financial Planning ...................................................................................................................... 26

Real Estate ..................................................................................................................................... 26

Attorney .......................................................................................................................................... 26

Recruitment .................................................................................................................................. 26

Stock Broker .................................................................................................................................. 27

Consultant ...................................................................................................................................... 27

Trainer ............................................................................................................................................. 27

Include A Story ................................................................................................................................. 27

Make your Elevator Speech Easy to Remember .................................................................. 28

Make it Real ....................................................................................................................................... 28

Review Real-World Examples .................................................................................................... 29

Insurance ........................................................................................................................................ 29

Financial Planning ...................................................................................................................... 29

Real Estate ..................................................................................................................................... 30

Attorney .......................................................................................................................................... 30

Recruitment .................................................................................................................................. 31

Stock Broker .................................................................................................................................. 31

Consultant ...................................................................................................................................... 31

Trainer ............................................................................................................................................. 32

Section Review ................................................................................................................................. 32

Section 7: Create Your Elevator Speech ......................................................................... 33

Review These Writing Tips .......................................................................................................... 34

Don’t Use Labels .......................................................................................................................... 34

Stick With People, Problems, and Outcomes .................................................................... 34

Create More Than One Elevator Speech ............................................................................. 34


iv

What Happens Next ............................................................................................................... 33

Learn to Ask Better Questions ................................................................................................... 34

Learn to Attract More Clients .................................................................................................... 34

1

Section 1: What Is An Elevator

Speech

An elevator speech is a brief statement of who you

serve, the problems you address, and the outcomes

you deliver. It’s not a laundry list of everything you

do. Most important, it describes the value and

benefit you offer to your customer. It generates a

“Tell me more” response from your prospect.

And, most important, you phrase your elevator

speech so that your prospect can’t say anything like

•••• “That’s nice, but I’m already doing business

with . . . .”

•••• “We already have someone in the office who

does that.”

•••• “Thank you, but we don’t need any.”

Seize the Moment

So here’s an example when that elevator speech is

your ticket to success.

You get into an elevator, and just as the door is

about to close, Mr. Big, the person you have been

trying to meet for the past six months, walks into

the elevator. He pushes three. You have about 12

seconds before the door opens. How do you seize

the moment?

If you are like most of us, you fail to capitalize on

these wonderful opportunities because you do not

have a great elevator speech that reliably motivates

the other person to stop, turn to look at you, and

say, “Tell me more.”

In this section, you will:

Learn what an elevator speech is.

Become aware of the importance of seizing the moment with prospects.

Realize the importance of articulating the benefits and values of your products and services to your prospects.

Focus on strategies to extend your conversation with your prospect.

Examine bad examples of introductory statements for elevator speeches.

Master the “So what?” test and learn what to include in an elevator speech and what to leave out.

Become aware of the dangers of speaking about yourself in your elevator speech.

Embrace the absolute necessity of establishing that you understand your prospect’s problem.

Review key points in Section 1.

Brilliant Elevator Speech 2

Section 1: What Is a Brilliant Elevator Speech

Buy Time To Keep Talking

Your elevator speech buys you time so you can keep the conversation going.

Here are some examples of introductory statements that are not elevator speeches:

•••• “My name is Sharon. I sell life insurance and am a financial planner.”

•••• “My name is Dave. I’m a consultant.”

•••• “My name is Phil. I work for the Acme Printing Company.”

•••• “My name is Kelly. I’m in sales.”

•••• “My name is Tom. I’m a lawyer (banker, accountant, doctor).”

Avoid Bad Introductory Statements

Yes, these statements may say what you do, but they don’t say who the service or

product is for; they don’t say what problems you solve, and they don’t describe the

outcomes you achieve. And, most importantly, they don’t get people to say, “Tell me more.”

Here are some more examples of bad introductory statements. What kinds of

responses do you think these generate?

•••• “My company is in electronics.”

•••• “My company sells medical equipment.”

•••• “We’re a manufacturing company.”

The prospect rolls her eyes, yawns, and says to herself, “So what?” And then the

salesperson continues:

•••• “We’re the best at. . . “

•••• “We’ve been in business for 25+ years.”

•••• “We do business with X number of companies in Y number of states.”

The prospect rolls her eyes, yawns and says to herself, “So what?” This is only the

third person who has said that to her this morning, and it’s only 10:30 a.m.



Does it pass the “So what” test?

Here’s a good way to determine if you’ve got a great, good, or poor elevator speech. I

call it the So what? test.

Look back at the previous examples. Can you say “So what?” after each one? Yep. Is

it any wonder those folks who used those elevator speeches (real-world examples)

were getting blown out of the water every time they spoke with someone new?

If the prospect can say, “So what?” after the elevator speech, you may not be making

a benefit clear to her. On the other hand, if you can get someone to say, “Tell me more,” you probably have a good elevator speech.

Tell Me More, Baby

Craft a better elevator speech, and you’ll be on your way to opening doors that have

been either stuck shut or closing on you. You are far more likely to get people to say

those magical three words: “Tell me more.”

The purpose of the elevator speech isn’t to tell the other person everything that you

do, especially during the first 10 to 15 seconds of a conversation. It’s to prevent

them from saying things like:

•••• “We’ve already got someone who does that.”

•••• “We’re all taken care of.”

•••• “Goodbye.”

Now what if Sharon, the life insurance agent and financial planner, said something

like this:

“I help middle-income families who struggle to save money reach the point

where they can send their kids to college and also be prepared for a great

retirement.”

Or, Dave, the consultant, said:

“I help aerospace aluminum fabricators find ways to improve their

manufacturing processes so they can reduce their overhead and improve their

profit margins.”

Or Phil, the sales rep from Acme Printing, said:

“At Acme Printing, we help companies who have been struggling to get more

customers by showing them how to print in ways that reliably get a high

percentage of prospects to respond and become customers.”

Or Kelly, the sales rep for Specialty Products, said:



“My company, Specialty Products, helps local courier businesses improve the

way they market and promote themselves so they can find more customers and

close more sales.”

In each of the examples above, prospects have a clear idea of what you actually

do for existing clients and can begin to project themselves into your world. If you

can help others, they wonder, what can you do for them?

Keep the Conversation Going

The elevator speech buys you time by getting the prospect to say, “Tell me more.”

You want to keep the person talking because once your prospect says, "Thanks for

calling, but we’re not interested," the conversation is over. You’re roadkill.

Think about it. When was the last time someone ended a conversation when he (not

you) was the person talking and asking questions?

It doesn't happen.

Don’t Talk About Yourself

When you're talking about yourself, people are often bored to tears. On the other

hand, if you are able to instantly get the prospect’s attention and keep the

conversation going by having them say, “Tell me more,” you may discover that the

prospect needs what you have to sell, and you may be on your way to a new

customer.

Talk about yourself, and you risk being a terrible bore. Encourage the other person

to speak, and you’re a brilliant conversationalist. Your goal is to keep the other

person interested and involved by addressing an issue or problem they have been

struggling to solve or a goal they are committed to achieving.

When your prospect states, “Tell me more,” you have an open door to keep the

conversation going. You’re buying time and attention in 10 to 20-second increments

by asking the right questions. Once you can get the other person talking, the elevator

speech has served its purpose.

Demonstrate Your Understanding

A good elevator speech demonstrates that you understand your prospects’

problems and that you probably can help them, as you have helped others, in similar

situations. Draw the connection, and allow the prospect to form her conclusions.



Section Review

• If you can get someone to say, “Tell me more,” you know you have a good

elevator speech.

• Your goal is to keep the other person interested and involved by addressing

an issue or problem they have been struggling to solve.

• You’re buying time in 10- to 20-second increments by asking the right

questions.

6

Section 2: Where, When, and How to

Use An Elevator Speech

A good elevator speech can be used in a variety of

situations to open doors, create memorable

impressions and set you apart from other providers. In

the example above, the customer won’t listen to you

because you haven’t given her anything specific enough

to interest her. If more often than not you get a "Thanks,

but we're not in the market,” response from a customer,

you might need a better elevator speech to help you get

more sales in less time.

Prospect with the Telephone

Let's look at the dynamics of these ten-second

phone calls. Six calls each minute equals 360 calls an

hour. At this rate, you can go through a year’s worth

of leads in less than a day.

Most people hate using the telephone because they

expect rejection. They don't make any calls so they

don't make any money. Then they wonder why

business is so tough.

A well-written elevator speech can increase your

sales and dramatically increase your self-

confidence, and it most certainly is not limited to the

elevator.

Use the Telephone To Get A “Tell Me More”

One of the most important uses for your elevator

speech is on the telephone. That’s because you can’t

see the other person. You can’t tell from the other

person’s facial expressions or body language

whether they’re interested or bored. All you can do

is to try to get them to say, “Tell me more,” and

engage them in conversation.

In this section, you will

Learn the power of delivering an elevator speech with a telephone.

Examine other mediums well-suited for conveying your elevator speech.



Section 2: Where and How to Use an Elevator Speech

This is the telephone technique that I’ve been recommending to my clients for years.

Dave, the consultant, could do it this way:

Customer: “Hello. This is Shirley Johnson.”

Dave: “Hi Shirley. My name is Dave McGill. Do you have a moment?”

The phrase, “Do you have a moment?” is very important.

You want to find out if the person is available to speak. Because you’ve stated your

name only, the person on the other end doesn’t know why you're calling. He can’t

blow you off by saying, "I don't need any," because he doesn’t know what who you

are or what you do.

If the person doesn’t answer the call, but someone else does and tells you, “No. She’s

in a meeting,” or something similar, say, “Thank you. I’ll call back later.” Then end

the call and schedule another time to call the prospect.

If you get involved in a conversation with the person answering for Shirley, nine

times out of 10 the person will say, “We’re not interested,” and blow you off.

If Shirley does come on the line and there’s a long pause in response to your “Do you

have a moment?” question, it might simply be because she isn’t sure who you are

and doesn’t know why you’re calling. Try saying, “Do you have half a moment?” If

this elicits a chuckle, you might have a live one. If the response is somber, well, who

knows?

But, if the person says, “Sure Dave, I have a moment. Why are you calling?” or, “What

can I do for you?” you go into your elevator speech.

Dave: “I help small software companies struggling to find a profitable niche for their solutions in crowded markets.”

If Shirley doesn’t hang up on you or interrupt you, you’ve probably got time to add

your outcome.

“We use a proprietary process to analyze their offers and their markets and we identify a market where they can quickly find acceptance and growing sales. How are you planning to find your next profitable niche for your software?”

The way this is worded is very important. You must use this phrase, or something

similar:

“How are you planning to find the next profitable niche for your software?”

Posing this kind of question moves the whole idea to a different part of her brain:

the part that works on solving problems, not on telling a sales professional to take a

hike.



Notice what you’re not doing during this conversation:

• You are not asking her to buy anything

• You are not asking for an appointment

• You are not asking if they use your product or a competing one

• You are not asking who they do business with

As a result, she can’t respond by saying something like:

• “We’re already doing business with . . .”

• “We are well taken care of.”

• “We don’t need any.”

If Shirley reacts negatively, you may not have much of a prospect, but you found that

out very quickly.

Most likely she will say something like, “Good question,” or “I guess I hadn’t been

thinking about that.”

Now you say: “If I may, let me tell you a very brief story.

“XJK Software had a software solution that was unique, but looked on the surface like several other better-funded and better-known products. Differentiating the XJK solution was a nightmare, and sales were just crawling along.

“We used our process to analyze and test their market for niches that XJK could be both highly profitable and sufficiently differentiated in to assure a reasonably short sales cycle.

“We found a market that was underserved by the big players and that needed certain unique attributes of the XJK solution. Sales cycles went from 18 months to 90 days, and volume quadrupled within six months.”

Now say

“Is that something you would be willing to take a few minutes to discuss with me?”

If the person says, “Yes,” you continue by asking a turn-around question. You get the

person to talk about herself. She’s opened the front door for you, but don’t talk

about yourself or your company. Ask questions like:

•••• “Can you tell me a little bit about your situation?”

•••• “How long have you worked there?”



•••• “What’s your position or title?”

•••• “How long has the company been in business?”

Trust me. This works.

Now that you have gotten her to tell you a little about herself, it might be time to do

two more critical things that dramatically improve your odds of a sale.

1. Begin to ask the right questions, and then, according to her answers, offer to

send her some educational information related to the problem she told you

about.

2. Invite them to join your newsletter list.

Initial contact by calling, knocking on a door, direct mail, or any means other than a

referral may yield less than a 1 percent close rate.

If you can get the addresses of the people you talk to and begin to send letters, cards,

or electronic newsletters, you can often improve your close rate to 15 percent.

Either way, the elevator speech is how it all starts.

Use Your Elevator Speech at Networking Events

Another place where you’ll use your elevator speech is when you’re at a networking

event. This could be a business luncheon, a breakfast meeting, a cocktail party, a

conference or convention, or standing in line at the grocery store.

Imagine you’re attending a business luncheon. You find yourself standing next to

someone and you begin a conversation.

Sooner or later one of you is going to ask the other, “What do you do?” This is your

chance to use your elevator speech.

Ask Questions

Once again, you don’t want to be the one who is doing the talking. You want to

control the conversation by asking the right questions. Listen closely to your

prospect’s response. Follow up with a logical question that enables her to elaborate

on the point she seeks to make. People love to talk and share their pain almost as

much as they like to have you make that pain go away.

It is not necessary for you to tell this person all about yourself. Your goal is to find

out who he is and what he does. You want to discover if he is a prospect for any of

the products or services that you offer.



You would be amazed at how much you can learn in three to five minutes, if you’re

the one asking the questions. If you are asking the questions, you are in control of

the conversation.

Ask the right questions and not only will you never be a stranger again, you might

earn the most coveted thing aside from an actual sale: a referral.

Follow Up

And, of course, whenever possible, get the business cards of the people you talk to,

so you can follow up immediately. After a person walks away, write down some

notes about him, what he does, and why you should follow up with him.

When you get back into your office, enter his name in a database (Outlook, your

Blackberry, or whatever contact management program you use), and schedule a

follow-up call.

One of the great advantages of having a good elevator speech and solid follow up

skills is that you may end up finding prospects where you least expect them. For

example, Shelley was on vacation with her family and had stopped for the night in a

little town in Wisconsin, on the Lake Michigan shoreline, on her way up to Door

County. The following morning she was pouring herself a cup of coffee in the motel’s

lobby and saw a well-dressed woman wearing a business outfit. She started a

conversation by saying, “Guess you’re up here on business. It doesn’t look like you’re

on vacation.”

The two of them ended up talking for almost 30 minutes. Shelley learned that Anne

owns a company that processes medical insurance claims for many companies in the

neighboring communities. Anne's company has been very successful and is growing

by leaps and bounds.

Shelley used her elevator speech when Anne asked what it is that she did. But she

changed the subject back to Anne's favorite topic: herself and her business. They

then exchanged business cards and Shelley had herself a new prospect.

Use Your Elevator Speech in the Elevator

You get into an elevator, and as the door is about to close, in walks Mr. Big. You’ve been

waiting your whole life to meet him because you have this fabulous idea.

You clear your throat, take a deep breath, gather your courage, and say,

“Hi, Mr. Big. My name is . . ., and I [insert elevator speech without the story].

“I’ve always wanted to meet you and was wondering if I could take a quick moment to tell you a little bit about what we have done for others in your industry. May I have one of your business cards so I can call you when I return to my office? Would it work for me to call you tomorrow?”



The entire exchange probably takes 15 seconds. Your goal is to get a business card

and the person’s permission to give him a call.

Use Your Elevator Speech When You Leave Voice Mail Messages

When you’re leaving a voice mail message, don’t leave just your name, company and

telephone number. Include your elevator speech. Sharon, a life insurance agent and

financial planner, could leave a voice mail message that goes something like this:

“Hi Robert. This is Sharon Jones from ABC Insurance. My phone is 333-555-1212.

“I was calling to follow-up on our conversation about helping you create a college savings plan so you’ll have enough money set aside for your children’s education.

“I would like to get together with you early next week. Do you have time on Monday or Tuesday?

“Again, my phone is 333-555-1212. I'll be in the office for the rest of the day and all day tomorrow. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

When you record your own outgoing voice mail message, include your elevator

speech in the message. Think of it as another opportunity to advertise what it is that

you do.

Dave, the consultant, could leave a message like this:

“Hi, This is Dave McGill. I help companies find ways to improve their manufacturing processes so they can reduce their overhead and improve their profit margins.

“I’m not in at the moment, but please leave a message; I’ll call you when I return.”

Here are five tips on leaving better voice mail messages:

•••• Speak slowly so that the other person can fully understand what you're saying.

•••• Leave your telephone number twice. Once at the beginning of the message

and again at the end. This makes it easy for them to write down your number

so that the prospect can easily return your cal.

•••• State the purpose or nature of your call — your elevator speech without the

story part — so they know why you're calling.

•••• Ask them to call you back so that you can share more information and

answer questions they may have.

•••• Leave a time when you'll be available to receive a return call.



Incorporate Your Elevator Speech into Your Collateral Materials

When you are creating your marketing and promotional pieces, include your

elevator speech in the first paragraph that describes what you do.

Here you can go into more detail about how you add value and benefit to your

clients’ businesses and lives.

Always include quotes or endorsements from satisfied customers.

For example, if you have a list of five things that you do very well, the customer will

read it and say to herself, "So what?"

But if you're able to get five clients to say the same things about you, the problem

you solved and the outcome they got, you have a wonderful — and powerful —

endorsement.

Use Your Elevator Speech Every Day

Tell everybody you meet who you are and how you help improve peoples’ lives and

businesses.

With a good elevator speech, you’ll create more opportunities because people will

frequently say, “Tell me more,” and will be open to keeping the conversation going.

That, of course, enables you to close more sales and make more money.

Look Aggressively for Other Opportunities

Use your elevator speech in the following ways:

•••• When you introduce yourself to people, give them your three to five-second

elevator speech.

•••• When you’re speaking on the phone, introduce yourself, and then ask some

questions to discover if you have a business prospect.

•••• On your outgoing voice mail message, record your elevator speech as an

opportunity to advertise and promote yourself. State who you are and what

you do. Sell yourself to the caller.

•••• On your business card, letterhead, resume or bio, shorten your elevator

speech to fewer than ten words and put it on any printed materials you produce.

•••• On your Web site, use the same wording that is on your business card.

•••• In your e-mail signature to advertise who you are and what you do.



•••• In your cover letters, marketing pieces, brochures and catalogs to create

instant recognition among prospects. You become your elevator speech and it

is you. Use it on everything you send out.

You can use your elevator speech whenever you meet or talk to someone, whether

on the phone, in an email or in a voice message. A good elevator speech lets people

know how you can meet their needs even before they know they need your help.

Section Review

•••• A good elevator speech can be used in a variety of situations to open doors,

create memorable impressions, and set you apart from other providers.

•••• The telephone is a powerful tool for delivering your elevator speech.

•••• Networking events, elevators, and virtually all public interactions afford you

the opportunity to use your elevator speech.

•••• Use your elevator speech in voice messages, in all electronic communication,

and on all printed materials.

14

Section 3: Examples of Good Elevator

Speech Openings

The opening of each effective elevator speech has

three key parts:

1. A statement of who you serve

2. The prospect’s high probability problem or

aspiration

3. An outcome desired by the prospect

Use Great Introductory Statements

Let’s look at examples of great introductory

statements that set the stage for further discussion.

We will return to these examples later in the book to

build on these openings.

Paul, a banker, helps auto body repair businesses

get better returns on their money, offers cash

management services to automate the process of

paying employees, and provides money for business

expansion and equipment purchases. Paul’s elevator

speech could be

“I help auto body repair businesses become more successful by showing them how to get their money to work for them.”

Marcie, a real estate agent, helps single mothers quit

renting, buy homes, and accumulate equity for their

futures. Her elevator speech to a recently-divorced

single mother who wants to quit renting and get

back into a place her children can call home could be

something like:

“I help single mothers, who thought they could only rent, buy homes of their own.”

Steve, a consultant who helps hospitals improve

throughput in operating rooms, could use an

elevator speech that said:

“I help hospital administrators who are struggling to achieve their financial objectives get 1.5 more surgeries on average per day out of their operating


Learn the three parts of an elevator speech opening.

Review samples of great introductory statements.

Gain the ability to identify who is served, the problem he or she faces, and the solution offered from a well-written introductory statement.



Section 3: Examples of Good Elevator Speeches

room investment while improving patient care and reducing legal exposure.”

Cheryl, who owns a medical sales employment agency, uses this elevator speech:

“I help sales managers in the medical equipment and services industry who are struggling to hire quota-achieving sales representatives find the people they need, and get them into production.”

Section Review

Good elevator speeches mention who you serve, a high probability problem or

aspiration, and an outcome or solution you provide.

16

Section 4: What Attributes Should

Your Elevator Speech Have?

An elevator speech is short and concise. It comes out

so naturally that you can repeat it in your sleep. You

are your elevator speech and your elevator speech is

you. However, your elevator speech is not about

you. It is about you how you serve your clients. They

care only about What Is In It For Them.

Connect With Your Prospect

Your goal is to let prospects know you serve similar

clients who face the same kinds of issues they face,

goals they aspire to, and that you provide the

desired outcome.

You need to have a great elevator speech that

connects with prospects’ specific businesses,

articulates their issues or problems, and specifies

the type of outcome you provide. If you have that,

you will have another ten seconds of the person's

time.

Ask the Right Question

Tom's been in sales for 15 years. He was trained to

sit down with his clients and show them everything

in his catalog one page at a time. He always hoped

that they would see something they liked, and say,

“I'll take that one." But more often than not, it didn't

happen.

Then he started using his elevator speech to open

the conversation, and he kept the conversation

going by asking the right questions and trying to

find out what customers wanted and needed instead

of telling them what he had to sell. In less than a

year, he doubled his business. The next year, he

doubled again.

To ask the right questions, you really need to tune

into your prospect’s concerns. Don’t get so caught

up in your speech that you forget to learn about

problems that you can solve for the prospect. There

may be no magic formula for learning to ask the


Connect with your prospect so you can get the outcome you seek.

Learn how to ask the right questions to qualify your prospect and learn how to tailor your elevator speech to her unique situation.

Understand the importance of simple, short elevator speeches.

Observe the flexibility and benefit derived from having a number of elevators speeches developed in advance for each target prospect group.

Review well-written, industry targeted elevator speeches.

Become aware of the dangers of speaking about yourself in your elevator speech

Embrace the absolute necessity of establishing that you understand your prospect’s problem.



Section 4: What Attributes Should Your Elevator Speech Have

right questions other than paying attention to what people say and asking the

question that naturally come to mind.

Keep It Short

Some people suggest your elevator speech should be between 30 and 45 seconds in

length. Others say 20 seconds is OK. I disagree.

My recommendation is simple: the shorter the better. Your goal is to connect with

your prospects by addressing their industry or role, the problems or aspirations

they are likely to have, and an outcome they desire. You need to do all of that in less

than ten seconds. All you really want is a “Tell me more” response.

Then, you want to ask the right questions to get your prospects to talk so you can

find out more about who they are, what they do, and what they need. When you

know that, you can determine whether or not you can provide them with an

optimum solution.

When I mentioned a short elevator speech to Shirley, a real estate broker with

whom I have worked, she gave me that “What! Are you crazy?” look. She

commented: "My elevator speech is so long that I need to go to the 40th floor to

complete it!”

Keep in mind that your elevator speech isn’t really about you. It is about how you

meet others’ needs. Nothing more and nothing less.

Develop Multiple Elevator Speeches

You can — and should — have a different elevator speech for each prospect you

pursue

You probably work with many prospects in different industries. If you want to cut

through the noise well enough to be heard and start a sales cycle, you need to

address the industry, role or situation of your prospect.

People want to work with others who understand their specific situations. If you

needed brain surgery, you would want a specialist, not a general practitioner. The

same is true of your clients. Getting specific about who you serve will increase how

often you hear Tell me more.

Our brains constantly scan for things that are relevant to our situation. We

automatically filter out everything else. When someone uses our name in a crowded,

noisy room it gets our attention. It cuts through the noise. We listen attentively

because someone has specifically singled us out. The same is true when someone

refers to a top-of-mind problem or goal for us; our brain wakes up, focuses our

attention and our mouth says “did I hear you right, please tell me more”.



Review Industry-Targeted Statements

Making your elevator speech specific to the person, industry or situation you are

targeting will cut through the noise and help your prospect really hear what you

have to say.

• Insurance: “I work with school districts.”

• Financial Planning: “I work with professional athletes.”

• Real Estate: “I work with strip mall retailers.”

• Attorney: “I work with import/export companies.”

• Recruitment: “I work with optometrists.”

• Stock Broker: “I work with public school teachers.”

• Consultant: “I work small software companies.”

• Trainer: “We work with large multi-national companies.”

As soon as a prospect hears you mention her industry, you have her attention for the

next ten seconds.

Speak Directly to a Problem

Human beings survive by resolving their problems and by achieving their goals or

aspirations.

Imagine that people have a type of scanning radar that listens 24/7. When this

scanning radar picks up something related to a problem, concern or goal that they

have, it wakes their brain up and says, “Pay attention. There might be a solution for

you if you listen to what this person is saying.”

By contrast, if you don’t speak to the problem, but instead talk about yourself, your

industry, or use general labels, you won’t even show up as a blip on the screen. The

person you’re speaking to is certainly not going to say, “Tell me more.” She might

say, “Go away,” something you want to avoid at all costs.

State the Problem, Aspiration or Goal

Look carefully at the examples and pay attention to the words in italics.

• Insurance: “I work with school districts under pressure to get the reporting they need to keep school boards and taxpayers happy.”



• Financial Planning: I work with recent medical school graduates with

specializations who face the burden of paying off large school loans while simultaneously building financial security

• Real Estate: “I work with strip mall retailers who must attract attention from passing shoppers.”

• Attorney: “I work with import/export companies who struggle with high international tariffs and other taxes.”

• Recruitment: “I work with optometrists who must recruit and retain high-end optical sales staff.”

• Stock Broker: “I work with recent medical school graduates with

specializations who face the burden of paying off large school loans while trying to build financial security.”

• Consultant: “I work with small software companies striving to find a profitable niche for their solutions.”

• Trainer: “We work with large multi-national companies whose employees

wrestle with ineffective cross-cultural communications.”

Section Review

Your elevator speech should enable you to

• Connect with your prospect

• Ask the right question to qualify your prospect

• Allow you to quickly present your products and services in terms your

prospect understands

• Address a specific problem that is important to your prospect

20

Section 5: How To Write Your

Elevator Speech

When you create your elevator speech it won’t be

perfect at first. It’s going to take some time, but once

you’ve got it right, the payoff is huge because you’ll

use it every day to get more sales.

Focus on Your Prospect

Let’s begin by writing down the types of customers

you serve, the problems you solve and the outcomes

you deliver. You can also print out the next page and

write it on the blank lines. Don’t think in terms of

the products, services, or labels that describe what

you offer, but in terms of the problems your

customers faced and the outcomes you delivered for

them.

Start by Making Lists

As you make this list, start with the problems you

have solved for your customers. Let your mind

wander. Don’t be in a hurry or worry about

repeating yourself or prioritizing your list. Just get

them down on paper.

List Your Customers

The kinds of customers I have (target groups like

consulting companies, forest products, real estate

agents, etc.):

1.

2.

3.

4.


Learn how to create a first draft of your elevator speech that focuses on your prospect’s problems.

Develop lists that will enable you to define your prospect’s problems and priorities.

Examine examples of good elevator speeches.

Master a three-step process to determine that you have successfully addressed your prospect’s problems in your elevator speech



Section 5: How to Write an Elevator Speech

List Your Customers’ Problems

The problems I solve (use words the client would be likely to use):

1.

2.

3.

4.

List The Outcomes You Can Deliver

The outcomes I deliver (use words the client would be likely to use):

1.

2.

3.

4.

List Why People Work with You

Think of why people do business with you. Think of how your products or services

help your customers save time, cut costs, improve productivity, increase revenues,

or give peace of mind.

Reasons why people do business with me:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Review Examples

Now that you know exactly what goes in to an elevator speech and have begun to

write your own, let’s review some examples from earlier. This time, see if you can

clearly identify who is being worked with, the problem they face, and the solution

offered.



Paul, a banker, helps auto body repair businesses get better returns on their money;

provides money so they can purchase equipment; provides money so they can

expand their businesses; and offers cash management services that help automate

the process of paying employees.

So, Paul’s elevator speech could be:

“I help auto body repair businesses become more successful by showing them how to get their money to work better for them.”

Marcie, a real estate agent, helps single mothers quit renting, buy homes, and begin

to accumulate equity for their futures. Her elevator speech to a recently-divorced

single mother (who wants to quit renting and get back into a place her children can

call home) could be something like:

“I help single mothers, who thought they could only rent, buy a home of their own.”

Steve, a consultant who helps hospitals improve throughput in operating rooms,

could use an elevator speech that said:

“I help hospital administrators who are struggling to achieve their financial objectives get 1.5 more surgeries on average per day out of their operating room investment while improving patient care and reducing legal exposure.”

Cheryl, who owns a medical sales employment agency, uses this elevator speech:

“I help sales managers in the medical equipment and services industry who are struggling to hire quota-achieving salespeople find the people they need and get them into production.”

Check Your Elevator Speech

After you write your elevator speech, record it and listen to it. Evaluate the

following key areas:

Focus on Problems

I usually recommend that people initially focus on the problems their target market

is struggling with. Depending on the research you read, psychologists suggest that

problems get and hold people’s attention between two and three times more

powerfully than goals or aspirations.

In general, addressing specific problems is the easiest way for most people to

connect with their targets. But, using a goal or aspiration is best for target markets

that are, for whatever reason, unlikely to want to admit to anyone that they have a

problem.

A doctor, for example, might not want to admit that she is struggling to deliver

quality care to her patients. In this situation, you might want to say something like,



“We help pediatric physicians who want to improve outcomes for children suffering from XYZ affliction.”

Verify Focus

Psychologists also have said that people can keep only from five to eleven issues at

the top of their minds at any time. Your job is to sort through the problems and

goals that you address; then do your best to identify a problem or goal that the

people in your target market are focused on (one of the top five to eleven problems

or goals that are in the top of their minds).

Use a Three-Step Confirmation Process to Refine

You can use a simple, three-step process to better understand your target market’s

problems, goals, and aspirations. It goes like this:

1. Create a list of the problems and goals that you address. Try to look at those

problems and goals from the perspective of your target market, and use

language your target market is likely to use.

2. Take your list of problems and goals to people in the target market and ask them

to read your list. Ask them to suggest anything that might be missing from your

list.

3. Next, ask them to help you prioritize the list. I like to work them through the list

by asking them questions like, “Is number one a bigger problem or goal than

number two? Is number two a bigger problem or goal than number three?” And

so on, until we have worked out a priority. You will probably be surprised. Your

view of the priorities and theirs will often be very different. Working from their

view of the priorities will help you connect with your market much faster than

working from your view.

Section Review

In this section, you learned to

• Focus on your prospect and tailor your elevator speech to a specific

problem your prospect finds compelling.

• Start writing your elevator speech by making lists about your

customers, their problems, the outcomes your can provide, and why

people like to do business with you.



• Use the three-step confirmation process to confirm your

understanding of your prospects’ situations, and to determine that you

have the right content for your elevator speech

25

Section 6: How to Use An Elevator

Speech to Achieve an Outcome

When you know (and show that you understand) the

prospect’s problems and goals, you instantly gain

credibility and rapport. You have earned the

prospect’s attention and have separated yourself

from the crowd.

Speak to Outcomes

The next step is to connect with an outcome that’s

appropriate to the problem and that anyone in this

target market who has this problem or goal would

probably want. Now, you can connect with the all-

powerful “What’s in it for me (WIIFM).”

Don’t Talk About You

This is the spot where most sales people and

marketers shoot themselves in the foot. They talk

about what they do. Don’t be tempted to fall into

that trap. The prospect doesn’t care. If you talk

about what you do at this point, you will instantly

become the number-one threat to your success in

this encounter.

Use Measurements

Now is the time to share a concise, specific,

preferably-measurable outcome. This is what the

prospect wants. You now have a direct connection

to her brain and you are being heard, assuming he

has the problem, goal or aspiration — or something

similar to it — that you’re talking about.

In this section, you will learn to:

Speak to outcomes while creating your elevator speech.

Avoid talking about yourself.

Use measurements to quantify. benefits for your prospect

Review good outcome statements.

Make your elevator speech easy to remember by using a story.

Review real-world examples from various industries.

Review key points in Section 6


Section 6: How to Use an Elevator Speech to Achieve an Outcome

Review Good Outcome Statements

In the following examples, we’ve re-stated the problems (as they are in the previous

section), to give you perspective. Please pay particular attention to the outcomes

that appear in italics:

Insurance

The problem: “I work with school districts under pressure to get the reporting

they need to keep school boards and taxpayers happy.

The outcome: “We help school districts communicate with, and justify to, school boards and taxpayers how the district is making the most responsible monetary decisions possible, while providing the level of coverage required by teachers unions.”

Financial Planning

The problem: “I work with professional athletes transitioning out of

professional sports.

The outcome: “We help injured professional athletes get everything due to them, and we provide them with innovative plans for long-term financial security no matter how severe their injuries.”

Real Estate

The problem: “I work with strip mall retailers who must attract attention from

passing shoppers.

The outcome: “Our unique approach lets retailers know if the current lease is worth retaining, and if not, where to move and how to negotiate a profitable deal for their unique business and location needs.”

Attorney

The problem: “I work with import/export companies who struggle with high

international tariffs and other taxes.

The outcome: “We walk our clients through the maze of rules, regulations and laws in most major trading countries to show them adjustments that can be made to comply with local requirements, while drastically limiting their tariff and tax obligations.”

Recruitment

The problem: “I work with optometrists who must recruit and retain high-end

optical sales staff.



The outcome: “Our process finds an experienced, high-end sales person who your customers will love, who will enhance your brand, and who will generate strong revenue.”

Stock Broker

The problem: “I work with recent medical school graduates with specializations

who face the burden of paying off large school loans while simultaneously

building financial security.

The outcome: “We show them how to restructure their loans, and how to begin to save systematically, so that they can get out of debt quickly and begin to reap the financial security they deserve from their advanced medical education.”

Consultant

The problem: “I work with small software companies striving to find a

profitable niche for their solutions.

The outcome: “We use a proprietary process to analyze their offers and their markets, and we point them to a market where they can quickly find acceptance and growing sales.”

Trainer

The problem: “We work with large multi-national companies whose employees

wrestle with ineffective cross-cultural communications.

The outcome: “We provide a reliable way for today’s and tomorrow’s employees to get consistent cross-cultural results while avoiding most cross-cultural communications traps.”

Include A Story

Every story has a beginning, middle and an end, and your elevator speech stories

are no exception. Your three parts are

• Client Problem —Mention a client and a specific problem that client faced.

• Action Taken —Describe what your client did to address her problem and

how your products or services were used.

• Outcomes —Lists the benefits realized by the client by using your products

or services.

Your stories prove to your prospects that you helped clients just like them and even

delivered a “Happily-ever-after” ending.



Now is the time for a story that illustrates what you’ve said. At this point nothing

else is more important if you want a “Tell me more” response from this target.

Don’t worry, the story you want to tell will be a snap for you to create and use. It

goes like this:

“Let me tell you a brief story (everyone likes stories). Recently I worked with

another person in ___________________ business that had __________________ problem or

goal. We gave them _________________ outcome.”

Make your Elevator Speech Easy to Remember

It is critical that this type of story makes your previous points dramatically easier to

understand, remember, and repeat.

Most people have to justify their expenditures and investments to others. If they

can’t easily explain why they want to invest in you and your offering, you have

dramatically reduced the probability that they will do so.

If they can remember the story and repeat it easily, you are much more likely to get

this sale (and valuable referrals, as well).

Make it Real

A story makes everything real; concrete. A story differentiates you and it makes

your offering easy to understand. Above all, a story delivers proof that you can do

what you say. It gives you instant credibility.



Review Real-World Examples

In the following examples, we’ve re-stated the problems and the outcomes (as they

are in the previous sections), to give you perspective. The stories appear in italics.

Insurance

The problem: “I work with school districts under pressure to get the reporting

they need to keep school boards and taxpayers happy.

The outcome:“We help the school district justify to, and communicate with, the

school board and taxpayers how they are making the most responsible decision

possible with the taxpayer’s money, while providing the level of coverage

required by the teachers union.

The story: “The Happy Valley School District had tried for years to get their insurance broker to help them assemble the information they needed to report to the school board, teachers’ union and taxpayers.

“We gave them a private website that was periodically updated with everything they wanted and more. All of their stakeholders could access everything they needed at any time on this password-protected website. We also named one experienced staff member to respond to questions and appear at various meetings to explain details whenever there were questions.

“Now everyone is happy at the Happy Valley School District. The teachers’ union feels appreciated by the school board, school board members feel they are doing their job for the community, and the taxpayers are certain that the school district is being a good steward of the taxes they pay.”

Financial Planning

The problem: “I work with professional athletes transitioning out of professional sports.

The outcome: “We help injured professional athletes get everything due to

them, and we provide them with innovative plans for long-term financial

security no matter how severe their injuries.

The story: “Rocko was a fullback with the Green Bay Packers. After six outstanding seasons and two MVP awards, he was injured in a freak accident on the field.

“While the accident ended Rocko’s career in the NFL, it didn’t end his exciting life. We put Rocko into a blend of investments that suited his personality. It also gave him the monthly income and financial security that enabled him to use his on-field stardom to start a successful business.



“Now Rocko is making more money as a businessman than he ever made in the NFL, and he’s well-known for being a success in life, not just yesterday’s success on the football field.”

Real Estate

The problem: “I work with strip mall retailers who must attract attention from

busy shoppers.

The outcome: “Our unique approach lets retailers know if the current lease is

worth retaining and if not, where to move, and how to negotiate a profitable deal

for their unique business and location needs.

The story: “The Bread Basket had some locations that made great money and some locations that chronically lost money. Nobody could seem to find the recipe to make every location a winner.

“Bread Basket didn’t have a deep research budget or team like a Starbuck’s or other large, national retailers. They just had 12 locations.

“We analyzed their situation location-by-location, and showed them how to pick winning locations every time. We moved them out of losing locations or negotiated leases for positions in strip malls that would work.

Today, 11 of their 12 locations are profitable, and they are about to kick off a growth program with the confidence they got from their experience with us.”

Attorney

The problem: “I work with import/export companies who struggle with high

international tariffs and other taxes.

The outcome: “We walk our clients through the maze of rules, regulations and

laws in most major trading countries, to show them adjustments that can be

made to comply with local requirements, while drastically limiting their tariff

and tax obligations.

The story: “Balistok Boots was proud that its products were made in the USA. While its pricing and reputation afforded them a very nice market price premium, tariffs and taxes were killing their profitability.

“We showed Balistok how to work with local conditions in each of their target markets and, in the process, legally reduce their tariff and tax obligation by 30 percent. These savings showed up directly in the bottom line and enabled the company to keep growing with products made in the USA and sold in the international market.”



Recruitment

The problem: “I work with optometrists who recruit and retain high-end optical

sales staff.

The outcome: “Our process finds an experienced, high-end sales person who

your customers will love, who will enhance your brand, and who will generate

strong revenue.

The story: “Johnson Creek Optometry (JCO) had a great office in a high-income market. Despite these two advantages, JCO did not enjoy strong dispensary sales profits.

“We helped JCO specify and hire a sales professional who knew the brands and the mindsets of the target market. Sales immediately took off. Profits began to climb along with revenues. Equally important, people began to come in from referrals just to buy second and third pairs of prescription glasses.”

Stock Broker

The problem: “I work with recent medical school graduates with specializations

who face the burden of paying off large school loans while simultaneously

building financial security.

The outcome: “We show them how to restructure their loans and how to begin

to save systematically so that they can get out of debt quickly and begin to reap

the financial security they deserve from their advanced medical education.

The story: “Ten years ago, Robin came to us fresh from her residency. She had more than $200,000 in medical school debt and was just beginning to realize her earning power. She hated the hand-to-mouth existence she was living, and she hated not saving anything.

We worked out a way for her to drop her monthly payments, save, and even have some fun. Robin got into the habit of monthly investing early, and now believes that she will be able to retire at least 5 years earlier than she had thought, while being able to afford an exciting lifestyle today.”

Consultant

The problem: “I work with small software companies striving to find a

profitable niche for their solution.

The outcome: “We use a proprietary process to analyze their offer and their

market, and we point them to a market where they can quickly find acceptance

and growing sales.

The story: “XJK Software had a software solution that was unique, but on the surface looked like several other better-funded and better-known products.



Differentiating the XJK solution was a nightmare and sales were just crawling along.

“We used our process to analyze and test their market for niches that XJK could be both highly profitable in and could be sufficiently differentiated to assure a reasonably short sales cycle.

“We found a market that was underserved by the big players and that needed certain unique attributes of the XJK solution. Sales cycles went from 18 months to 90 days and volume quadrupled within six months.”

Trainer

The problem: “We work with large multi-national companies whose employees

wrestle with ineffective cross-cultural communications.

The outcome: “We provide a reliable way for today’s and tomorrow’s

employees to get consistent cross-cultural results while avoiding most cross-

cultural communications traps.

The story: ”A certain well-known financial services company was struggling to get cross-boundary and cross-border cooperation from its people. Everybody pointed fingers, while nobody met performance targets.

“We brought all of the key leaders together for a series of workshops to equip them with the leadership tools and distinctions to help their people learn to perform better together.

“Almost immediately after the program ended, we started to see changes in peoples’ behavior. Within six months, we seemed to be investing less time in dealing with conflict. Instead, the teams were collaborating to innovate and find new ways to achieve goals. Within a year, the business units that had taken the training were exceeding their projections on a routine basis.”

Section Review

• Outcome statements need to state how you helped a client solve a

problem.

• Stories make your claims real and easy to remember.

• Stories have three parts: client problem, actions taken, and outcome.

• Provide measureable data in your stories to support you claims.

33

Section 7: Create Your Elevator

Speech

A good elevator speech has three parts, as we’ve

discussed above. We summarize them here:

Part 1: You state, as specifically as you can, the

problem, aspiration or goal that people in your

target market have.

Part 2: You state a specific outcome. This part

describes a business problem or goal that this target

market often has, that has some kind of return-on-

investment when solved or addressed successfully.

Part 3: You tell a story that makes everything real;

concrete. A story differentiates you, and it makes

your offering easy to understand. Above all, a story

delivers proof that you can do what you say. It gives

you instant credibility.

Now use the examples and guides presented in this

book and create your own elevator speech. Play

with it. Read it aloud. Move the words around. See

how the rhythm flows. Find words and phrases that

you’re comfortable with and that are meaningful to

the prospect. Keep your sentences short and direct.

Most important: practice, practice, practice.

There are two acid tests for a good elevator speech:

1. Ask the question, “Does it get a “Tell me more” response when you give it to someone

in the target market a reasonable (10 percent

to 30 percent) number of times?

2. Do you find that it is easy enough to repeat

that you begin getting more referrals who

already know your elevator speech?


Review the parts of an elevator speech.

Learn to avoid labels, jargon, and other language that will make your prospect lose interest quickly.

Commit to using target, problems, and outcomes while drafting your elevator speech.

Create several elevator speeches and refine them, using the techniques and tools presented in this book.

.


Section 7: Create Your Own Elevator Speech

Review These Writing Tips

When you’ve crafted your elevator speech, use it every day. A good elevator speech

is best when used without hesitation and in a natural manner.

Go out of your way to have conversations with strangers just to see how they react

to your elevator speech.

Pay attention to the other person’s responses when you explain who you are and

what you do. Do they seem interested? Are they nodding and making eye contact or

smiling? If so, you know you may be on your way to a”Tell me more” response.

Are you able to engage people in conversation? Do they show an interest in you? Are

you able to talk with them for more than 30 seconds? Sixty seconds? Two minutes?

Five minutes?

Don’t Use Labels

A word about labels: Don’t use them if you can possibly avoid it.

When I say labels, I mean things like consultant, CPA, realtor, business broker,

manufacturer’s rep, life insurance agent, stock broker, financial planner, lawyer,

rocket scientist.

When people hear labels, they associate past personal experiences with them. Then,

instead of listening to you, their minds drift back to those past experiences, and they

are reminded of what those labels have come to mean to them.

When people begin listening to internal conversations about the meaning of labels,

you’ve lost them. Their brain says the equivalent of, “False alarm folks. Go back to

sleep.” Rarely will their internal conversations produce results that are positive for

you.

Stick With People, Problems, and Outcomes

Instead of using labels, focus on the people you serve, the problems you solve, the

outcomes you can produce, and nothing else. When you have carved these into the

minds of your audience, and have etched them deeper with a good story, labels

won’t be such a distraction for your prospect... Until then, stay away from labels if

you possibly can.

Just a quick note: be careful to use just one problem and one related outcome in

your elevator speech. To do otherwise will likely confuse the client and diffuse your

message.

Create More Than One Elevator Speech

It’s a very good idea to have multiple elevator speeches: one for each problem you

provide an outcome; each product line; each service and target market. Begin by


Section 7: Create Your Own Elevator Speech

actually writing a different elevator speech for each of them. But, you won’t have to

do that for very long.

You’ll soon be able to “write” them on the fly. You’ll become so familiar with the

process, with relevant information, with differentiation, that you’ll be able to craft a

good elevator speech (including a relevant story) that suits whomever you’re

speaking with at the time as you go.

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