When you first get the chance to have a conversation with someone in anything that might turn out to be a business context, there are several important things you must establish extremely quickly. You need to start building credibility and rapport; you need to start allowing the other party to decide whether a 'relationship' with you might be of value to them. You need to be 'interesting' and 'interested'!
You need to start building credibility and rapport.
You need to be 'interesting' and 'interested' for this.
Train your sales team
When this rapport has got off the ground, you may need to start 'training' this possible member of your 'surrogate sales team' to spot others who may find knowing you of value. The ability to do this part clearly and succinctly is often referred to as an Elevator Pitch.
"An elevator pitch is an overview of an idea for a product, service, or project. The name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride (for example, thirty seconds and 100-150 words)." - Wikipedia
Start training your 'surrogate sales team' to spot others who may find you of value
Where to start?
Before you can start constructing and refining your elevator pitch you must have the following information available to you about your business.
- Who is your ideal customer?
- What problem do most of them have?
- What pain(s) does having that problem cause?
- What good does your customer get out of what are you selling?
i.e. How does no longer having the pain make them feel? All the ways! - Why do your customers choose you, and not one of your rivals?
All the ways!
Note which of these are singular and which are plural!
Just one ideal customer type should be defined purely by information in the public domain. For example, there isn't an SIC code for companies with cash-flow problems! We all know you can work with other types but you have to pick one at a time.
Their biggest problem is unlikely to be voiced at first, but finding and fixing this will remove their pains far more effectively than merely relieving one 'symptom'. Understanding their symptoms will lead you to your diagnosis of the underlying 'disease'. It will take a conversation with an individual to discover whether or not they display these symptoms.
Define your ideal customer by public domain information.
It will take a conversation to discover their symptoms.
Size matters!
Now you can start to construct your 'Elevator Pitch'. In fact I believe you need several elevator pitches: 60 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 breath, 1 word or phrase - all have their place.
Practically you'll have to start long, then distil and refine. You just won't get it right starting short and trying to expand. You'll need to test and measure to see if your messages are coming across, and being received and understood. Get a friend to ask someone what you do!
If you are a regular networker, you may feel the need to vary your pitch so you don't seem repetitive, but this risks confusing your listeners. Getting the one-phrase version right, and then using this every time as an 'Anchor', you become known for that phrase, people aren't confused, and you can safely ring the changes.
You need several elevator pitches: 60 seconds, 30 seconds,
1 breath, and 1 word or phrase
A helping hand
One possible template for a longer elevator pitch is:
"I work with (ideal customers) who (widely held problem) which means that (widely suffered pain). I help them (pain relief) so that they (life without pain)."
An alternative opening might be:
"You know how (ideal customers) are always (widely held problem) which means that ......"
Go on! Give it a try. Confidence come from practise, not further study! Use the one-breath version as your intro on cold calls too, for instance.
Both of these ideas steer miles away from:
"I am (what it says on the second line of my business card). I can do (a list of all the things you ever have or ever might have done)." Followed by the unspoken, "What do you think?" Or more likely, "No, please don't walk away from me. Surely you can't go and find someone more interesting!"
I work with (ideal customers) who ...
I help them (pain relief) ...
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