How to Deliver an Elevator Pitch that Compels People to Ask for More
By Tim Smith, New Paradigm Marketing
 |
| Tim Smith – Founder & Senior Consultant, New Paradigm Marketing |
Visualize this. You step into an elevator. A person you don't know also steps in, and you prepare to share the ride for what may be as little as 15-30 seconds. What you also don't know is that this person is your ideal prospect – someone struggling with exactly the kind of problem you solve for your clients.
He (or she) spots your name tag, thrusts out a hand and says in a friendly voice, "Hi, looks like we'll be at the same conference today. What do you do?"
OK, this is it. Here's your chance to make a good impression and get a warm lead – which is the very reason you came here today.
"I am a mortgage lender with 16 years experience and I specialize in residential," you say proudly (or whatever YOU say when someone asks YOU that question), "Here's my card. Call if I can ever be of service."
You watch as he/she politely accepts the card and stows it. Then, seconds later, the elevator doors open and you go your separate ways. Forever.
Your gut tells you this was a missed opportunity. Your gut was right! Let's look at what happened and how it might have happened differently. More importantly, let's look at how you can create a powerhouse elevator pitch that compels people to ask you for more information.
What Went Wrong with Your Elevator Pitch
A good salesperson might argue that we didn't engage the person on the elevator and ask about his/her business. True. And we didn't ask for his/her card so we could follow up at a later time. Also true.
But the real problem is that we led with a bland, generic statement about what we do. Boring! Nobody really cares what you do. What they care about is what you can do FOR THEM.
Perhaps you've heard the advice to "sell the sizzle, not the steak." The point is to focus on what you do that benefits prospects. The bland, undifferentiated label we put upon our self positioned us as nothing more than a commodity. No wonder the prospect vanished without so much as a sniff!
We all listen and read through the "WIFM filter" (what's in it for me), and weak messages get weak results. Your elevator pitch must quickly get to the bottom line. Otherwise, better get used to the glazed look, lack of interest and shortage of good leads.
How Your Elevator Pitch Could Have Gone Instead
Suppose we had instead answered, "I offer 28 ways for people to finance their dream home at the lowest possible rates with options for high leverage and maximum tax advantage."
Yes, I know, it requires you to step out of your comfort zone a wee bit. But which response do YOU think would have gotten more attention and stood a better chance of keeping that conversation going a little longer? Remember, the first step in effective marketing is getting attention. The second step is making them want to hear more.
6 Tips to Develop Your Own Powerhouse Elevator Pitch
Use an elevator pitch when time is or may be short. The objective of your pitch is to spark interest, engage in further conversation and get contact information. An elevator pitch can also be a great way to open when there's more time, too, since it should be a good conversation starter.
- Have FUN with your elevator pitch! The world is a little short on fun, and people respond to anything that makes them smile.
- Keep it SHORT. The shorter it is (ideally around 15 – 20 seconds), the easier to deliver it when you only have a few seconds. You can always add to it if time permits. But even then, you're better off compelling someone to ASK you for more.
- Avoid LABELING yourself. Labels don't imply benefits. People can go to the yellow pages and just pick anyone with a label.
- Get right to the BENEFITS. What do you do that people want, and what can you say that makes people want to hear more? You'll know an elevator pitch is effective when people say, "Interesting! Tell me more about that."
- Develop VARIATIONS. If you frequent a networking group, you may want to create different versions of your elevator pitch. You may also need variations for different types of customers. Consider what words they use and what gets their attention.
- PRACTICE it. The more natural your pitch sounds to you, the better your delivery will be. There's nothing worse than stumbling when you're trying to make a good impression.
Tim Smith is a certified marketing executive (CME) who helps entrepreneurs with elevator pitches and other compelling marketing that makes the phone ring, doors open and e-mail inboxes fill up. He can be reached at New Paradigm Marketing (707) 888-9700, or visit the Web site www.NewParadigmMarketing.com.
