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Your at the biggest networking event of the year and found yourself looking your ideal client in the eye. The small talk is going well when he asks, “what do you do?” You simply reply, “I’m in (insert industry here).” The conversation ends, and you move on without as much as a business card. It’s time to rethink an answer to that question.
A few minutes later you happen upon another potential customer. She asks what you do for a living and you launch into a three-minute speech on your company and its technical advances. Again, no business card. What you need is an elevator speech.
The elevator speech is something everyone wants and needs, but few actually have prepared. Its part science (describing the product or service), and part entertainment (making it memorable).
An effective speech must:
1. Entertain the listener
2. Describe your product
3. Appeal to the listener’s needs
And it all has to be done in one, brief moment.
A good speech usually begins with an attention grabber. They often center on well known movies, books or moments in history. Of course, the story needs to be relevant, and delivered in less than eight seconds. That translates to two short sentences.
Why eight seconds? Studies have shown eight seconds to be the length of time the average American has until they begin focusing on something else.
If you have used your time wisely, and grabbed their attention, you now have 60 seconds to tell them why they need you. Not who you are; but why they need you. In today’s world, everyone is driven by one simple question. What’s in it for me? Over that next minute, take the time to describe the benefits of your product, or point of difference with your competition. Stay high level and away from the details. If they want more information, they will ask questions.
Once you have the idea for your elevator speech figured out. Write a script. This moment of organization will serve you well before you go to your next networking event.
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