So you want to have “The Perfect Elevator Pitch”. Well, achieving the perfect elevator pitch is easier than you thought. First, forget what you’ve heard from everyone else, because it’s important that your elevator pitch is memorable. Therefore, copying other people’s pitches is not going to help you stand out. Second, you need to remember KNOW, KNOW, SHOW.
1. KNOW your product or service
2. KNOW your audience
3. SHOW your personality.
Make sure you Know your product or service and you must be able to communicate your product or service in 1 or 2 sentences. In addition, you should be able to explain your product or service to a novice. Keep it simple. Don’t assume we know your business. Chances are the consumers of your product or service have limited knowledge of your business. So explaining your business as if we sat next to you in graduate school is a bad idea.
Do you Know your audience? Are you at a cocktail party, networking group, or are you meeting someone one on one for lunch? Your objective at these meetings is to build your network, make a solid connection, and contact your potential client in the future. At cocktail parties people are there to meet people and get their drink. People don’t want to feel like they are “stuck” listening to your pitch. Remember your objective! Quickly introduce yourself and facilitate your new friend in getting a drink or snack. Remember to ask for their business card and offer your own. If they are interested in getting to know you at that point they will let you know. Your potential client will actually appreciate that you helped them get a drink and that you didn’t bore them with the standard “elevator pitch”. If you are at a networking group, you need to consider the following:
1. Is this your first time? 2. Are the people at the meeting consumers of your product or resellers? 3. Do you have people from your industry at the event?
If this is your first time meeting a group of people or if there are many new people at the group, don’t make the mistake of assuming that the group knows you, your product or service. However, if you attend a regular networking group and everyone is familiar with your pitch, than it’s time to let people know “what’s new”.
Part of knowing your audience is determining whether or not the people you’re meeting are consumers or resellers of your product or service. Consumers want to know the personal benefits of buying your product or service. However, resellers want to know, “how will I make money?” Consumers need to know how to purchase the product, while resellers need to know how to sell the product. These are two very different pitches.
If there are other people at the networking event that are from your industry, than it’s important that you let people know what differentiates you and your company from your competition. Don’t just say because you’re the best. That’s what they said. This is where you need to demonstrate your personality.
Finally, the perfect elevator pitch occurs when you show your personality. If we decide to do business with you, statistics say that the number one reason will be because we like you. I can’t give you a perfect line, but I can tell you that often laughter will be your key to success. This is why millions of people buy car insurance from a lizard. As stated above, remember your objective. Your elevator pitch must be designed to build your network, make solid connections, and contact your potential client in the future. If you accomplished your objective, than you now have the perfect elevator pitch. If you need assistance with your next networking event you can contact me at marc@imagineyourmarketing.com.