Getting your “elevator pitch” right
You know the scene. You meet someone new , introduce yourself , shake hands and then the “what do you do ” question comes up.
What do you say?
And just as importantly – how do you say it?
Do you use limiting words like “I’m just a…” ( often – I am sorry to say still in this day and age – followed with “housewife” – as if that was an easy job!)
And the converse “I’m a highly qualified, master in the field of…” as an opener can be a little offputting ( hold that for when you get to know each other a bit better)
Do you simply give your profession eg “I’am an accountant/banker/lawyer” as if that says it all and that all accountants/bankers/lawyers were clones of each other
Do you take the opportunity to plough straight in with a sales pitch ” I am with Blah and co…when can I meet with you to talk about our products/services?”…before you have taken any time to find out about the other person.
If you talk about your own company do you list your products instead of using the “first impression” time to highlight one to grab the attention and interest of the person you are speaking to?
If you are introducing yourself to a group do you make eye contact with them all when you are speaking – or do you look at your notes( it’s your own job/business - you must know enough to be able to speak about it without prompts?)
I am being deliberately provocative here.
We all get nervous when meeting people for the first time and trying to build rapport – especially when it is with someone you would love to do business with – piles on the pressure.
How do you get past that – well the number 1 best suggestion is to PRACTICE!
Why not put together something that avoids the pitfalls mentioned above and practice it – on your own or better still with friends who you can trust to give you helpful feedback.
- Start with the content…what you want to say
- Then think about the structure – even for the shortest response it should have a beginning , middle and end
- And then focus on your delivery – eye contact, tone of voice, body language, gestures
You might want to consider joining a speakers club to improve your confidence – take a look at the Toastmasters International website to see what they do. Remember public speaking is not only about being on stage – it equally applies when you are speaking in groups and indeed to introduce yourself.
If you are based in the Central Belt of Scotland and would be interested in a workshop on this specific topic get in touch
And….if you have any general questions – or stories of great elevator pitches – I would love it if you would leave a comment !!!
I like looking them in the eye as I hold their hand and say “Hi I am Peter , I am a ratcatcher” LOL.
LOL – when I was very young I worked for the Inland Revenue…that too was a conversation stopper! Thanks for that Peter:-)