How to Craft Your Perfect Elevator Speech
Okay, let’s start by saying there should never be an elevator pitch and if that’s what you’ve been doing, trying to sell to someone in an elevator, you’re missing the point, unless you sell elevators for a living.
It’s called an elevator speech because you get to share what you do in a short amount of time and in such a way, that the person you’re talking to can’t help but say… "Tell me more”.
Imagine someone is trapped in an elevator with you for the time it takes to reach their destination and it was the one person you’ve been wanting to talk to forever that could help you.
Then think how you would sound if you were trying to sell to them. A pitch leaves the person in the elevator wishing they could have chosen another day to go to work or wishing they could go home and shower, or possibly call security because you’re harassing them.
So, back to the elevator speech.
Networking is one of the key tools that can make the difference between you having a good business and a great business. A lot of people shy away from networking or fumble around when meeting new people because they’re not sure what to say about themselves. And because of that, they’re missing an opportunity to connect with the very people who need them or could refer them to someone they know!
The secret is in crafting a short and powerful “elevator speech.” And the good news is, you don’t even need an elevator to use it.
The most effective elevator speeches are succinct, carefully crafted messages that immediately tell someone why he or she needs to refer to you, use your products or services, or find out more about you.
At the bottom of this blog, I've shared a link to a one-page template to help you craft your elevator pitch, no sign up needed.
Consider what you do. Then think about how you distinguish yourself from the other people in your niche and what makes you unique and memorable.
This is not your job title. When someone asks you what you do for a living, the last thing you should say is the name of your profession or your job title.
Let’s face it, if you’re a realtor or insurance agent, we know millions of people just like you and will immediately switch off and stop listening. Your goal is to say what you do in a very short sentence that doesn’t mention your profession or title.
Visualize your ideal customer. Find a way to describe that person clearly and quickly. You don’t need to go into a lot of details that you have about them, but it needs to be enough so that the person you’re talking to will be able to think of someone that’s a close match, if not themselves.
In this step, think about what that person is lacking or what problems they have. Think about how you fill the needs of that ideal customer and what skills or talents you have that they need. Your products or services are irrelevant at this point. It’s all about the benefits of your products or services.
In most cases, I tend not to use this part of the elevator speech, which gives the person I’m talking to a chance to say things like “Tell me more” or “That sounds interesting”.
But if you were to include it in your speech, it could help you to take this contact to the next level.
What are you looking for?
A meeting? A name of someone who can help you? A resource?
If you don’t ask, you don’t get, right?
It’s a way I can pre-qualify the person I’m talking to. If they haven’t expressed interest after my elevator speech. Either they aren't interested, don't know someone who is, or they don't want to learn more. I would change the end to asking for a business card so I can follow up with them.
If they express interest, I can ask for a meeting or arrange a follow-up immediately. It gives me choices and the other person may appreciate me not wasting their time.
This type of elevator speech focuses on your target audience: what they lack, or what they need and why you are the absolute best person to solve their problems.
It’s also more likely to encourage your listener to talk to you, find out more about what you do, have another meeting, and eventually do business with you or refer you to someone who could do business with you.
Practice your speech so that you are comfortable with the message, and you feel authentic when saying it. Try it out in front of a mirror and then say it to your family and friends, your pets, and anyone else that will listen and not judge you but be willing to give you some feedback. Practice, practice, practice.
I hope this helps you craft your elevator speech and helps you build your network. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog using the form below and check out my YouTube channel at youtube.com/@letstalkreferrals for more hints and tips on networking and referral marketing.
Have you got a go-to elevator speech ready? Let me know in the comments below.
Click on the button to get the worksheet to help you get you started with creating your elevator speech.
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Steve Black
My passion is to help small businesses get access to the systems, tools and resources to help them get better referrals, better customers and have better businesses.
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