Let’s call a spade a spade. Everyone knows exactly what you are up to when you spout off a practiced and rehearsed elevator speech. But more than what people know, is what they feel from this practiced pitch; dull, boring and “here we go again.”
Instead of thinking of this moment as an elevator pitch or 60-second commercial, why not try thinking of this as an energetic introduction?
This is your moment to speak with heart, soul and passion about who you are, how you serve, and why you do it all. And when it is scripted, polished and what you think is perfected, you have actually stripped away the pieces that will make you memorable.
Here are the 3 most common mistakes I have seen over the course of 20 years in business, networking and social interactions where an elevator pitch is expected.
Mistake #1 – You only have one introduction:
You only have one way that you know how to say who you are and what kind of business you own or career you are in when really you should have multiple ways that you can introduce yourself based off of what your main objective is.
For example – if you are at a networking event and you are there to meet new people to connect and collaborate with, your introduction should be a little different, you might emphasize the on the words connection, community, highlighting why you are truly there, vs. if you are the keynote speaker at the event, your introduction would be more powerful, showcasing you as an expert and authority in the topic you are about to speak on.
Solution – Set an intention before any type of event where you will be introducing yourself. Knowing who your audience is going to be is an integral piece to your success! When you can pinpoint exactly what you want to receive and give from your introduction, you will get the results you want. Do you want to be remembered? Do you want them to instantly ask you more questions? Referrals? Be clear, confident and flexible with how you say it and who you say it to.
Mistake #2 – You underestimate the power of 60 seconds:
60 seconds doesn’t sound like much, but it is plenty of time to make the impression that you want! In fact, experts suggest that it takes us just 7 seconds to develop an opinion and get an impression for who someone is and whether we trust them or not. Pay particular attention to the words that you are using. Words evoke images, jog memories, ultimately leaving people feeling emotions and emotions are what will evoke the action your audience will take with you.
Solution – Record and time yourself giving your introduction. What do you see about your body language, the expressions and emotions that you display, and when do you seem the most confident and fluent? Are there any particular words that you use often? Do they bring on a positive or resistant energy? Practice being in the right energy you want people to feel from you, that is going to take you much farther with them and earn their trust in the first 7 seconds.
Mistake #3 – You think that your introduction is your message:
Don’t mix the two up.
Your message has everything to do with your ideal clients and customers, what will captivate them and have them leaning in. This is what you share in your content for email and social media marketing. This is what makes people click, call and ultimately say yes to a purchase from you.
Your introduction has everything to do with you and your business and is what starts the spark of your ideal clients getting to know you, like you, and want to learn more about you!
Solution – Make a list of all of the key pain and struggle points that your ideal clients are experiencing. Create content from these to use in your marketing strategy.
When preparing your elevator pitch take a moment and think about if what you are saying would be under the category of Bio or Marketing Messages. Being clear in the category will keep you on track in your pitch!
Above all, when you show up in your elevator pitch with truth, integrity and a powerful determination to give value and serve, that energy is what people will remember.
How you made them feel, not the words that you said.
To learn more about how I can help you get the results that you desire in your business, click here for a Soulfire Strategy Session – And let’s bring your message to the world!
