The Thirty-Second Elevator Pitch

It starts with such a simple question: “So, what do you do?”

Right there is the opening that everyone, from entrepreneur to professional, must be fully - even unconsciously - ready to pounce upon.  It’s truly the first fork in the road faced by professionals, separating leaders from followers, entrepreneurs from order-takers.

The question comes up so often, and provides such an outstanding opportunity to present yourself and your business.  The problem is, most people fail to take advantage of the opening and shrug it off with a quick, bland response.  I’m a banker, a realtor, an attorney, an X for X company.  Worse yet, some people respond with “oh, I work at X company.”

Nobody is going to follow up on that with a question about what services you provide, how you help your customers solve some need, how you are better than your competitors, why you think you have been successful.

To really get the conversation rolling, you need to be ready for this inevitable question.  Trust me, it’s coming.  In virtually every conversation you have with someone you meet at a networking event, convention, party, meeting, you are going to get it.  Wait for it.  Listen.  Here it comes.  Pow.  Now, you have thirty seconds.  How are you going to respond?

In my experience, most people that miss this opportunity to introduce themselves and their business in the best possible light, fail to engage the person with whom they are speaking.  They fail to convey enthusiasm and energy, or even an interest in what they do for a living, in fact, for what they are doing with their lives!

Let me ask one question.  Who would you rather hire?  A person who tells you they work for an insurance broker, or someone who tells you they are an insurance broker who loves their job and loves to help their clients solve their financial challenges, find and retain the best possible employees, and keep their clients lives as simple as possible?  Two people, same job, different responses.  Big difference.

Now, that person you are speaking with at the cocktail party walks away from you at the end of your four minute conversation.  Did you know that you are now labeled forever in that persons mind - if they remember you at all?  Are you happy with the impression that you left in their mind?

Do you wish you had responded better – more enthusiastically, more fully – to that simple little question that you knew was coming, “So, what do you do?”?

Please visit: www.YourMarketingLab.com

Comments

[Amy]

I recently made a huge change in my career and stopped telling people I was a mortgage consultant. It didn't inspire me so I couldn't inspire confidence. Now I get to tell people that I own a fruit delivery service. We help companies appreciate and care for their employees by supplying a weekly basket of fresh organic fruit for the staff to enjoy a constant supply of healthful snacks. It feels so good to put that message out to the world. I believe that the elevator pitch is driven by a person truly believing in their service or product.