Meeting 20 or more people at a speed networking event means you want to hit the highlights with your elevator pitch. This is no time for verbal diarrhea to tell everything about you, your company, your dog, your family. It’s fine if you like to, go with the flow or shoot from the hip as long as you know you are sharing the short amount of time to do so. Here’s how to focus and engage that enthusiasm with clarity:
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1. For your introduction, after you and your company name, and if appropriate, how many years in business or geographical boundaries you serve?
2. Describe your perfect customer referral. Write it out if needed. Remember that in a typical 60 seconds we might be able to get about 175 words in – this statistic comes from my online friend, Barbara Lopez, the Elevator Pitch Coach.
3. If you have a business resource you can offer the other person – space in a newsletter, meeting room space, a Top Ten Tips report – let them know what this is and how they can get it.
4. As you get ready to move into your next conversation, don’t let the current one end without stating your next intention. If you feel you want to connect further, say so. If you aren’t sure, say something like, “Maybe we can talk a bit further to see if there is some mutual interest.”
Even if you know the person you are opposite, offer something they may not know about you with use of the 30 Day Rule, either something that has happened to you in the past 30 days, or will happen in the next 30 days. Or, to find out more about them, either ask, what has happened in their life in the past 30 days, or what are they looking forward to in the next 30 days. As you focus on building the relationship and deepening the connection, people will appreciate your interest in making the conversation a win-win.
What tweaks have you made to your pitch to slow the flow of verbal diarrhea?
I think practicing your pitch is key. The reason people mess up and jumble it all, is that they aren’t sure what to say.
Here’s my advice:
Write out the pitch.
Edit it until you are happy with it.
Read it out loud until you have it down.
Next practice it by yourself without the cheat sheet. In the shower, car or cooking dinner. Practice it over and over until you have it down. You’ll know when that happens because you’re not thinking about the words – at all.
Next find a friend to pitch it to. Let them know you need to practice it. It is harder when you need to deliver it live to a person. Don’t use the crutch of the phone. Face to face is best.
Keep finding friends to practice it to until you don’t think about it, it just spills from your mouth. Don’t worry if it isn’t verbatim. If you’re happy with it you’ll know it.
Then, if you’re brave, try it out on people you don’t know well. Ask them what they do for a living (while you’re waiting on line, etc.) They will tell you and then ask you what you do. You can launch into it. It is also a good way to know how it comes across. Does it sound real or canned?
It’s all practice. Before you know it, you’re ready!
I love the tip on discussing something that happened in the last 30 days. What a great way to begin a conversation with someone already in your network.
Julia the 30 day tip can work for ANYONE – introverts and shy for a jump point, extroverts to keep them focused.
Planned presentations and pitches make for perfect performance don’t they Laura? (smile)
What I do at huge events is say or do something they will remember. For instance if there is a question & answer session I try to be the first one asking a question + naturally make sure it is an intelligent question. They will remember you then.
Catarina, I have to believe you MIGHT be an extrovert? LOL. Here’s my introvert take on your terrific idea for those huge events – I’m an introvert and I feel I’m remembered just asking an intelligent question rather making a string of statements – timing could be middle or the end and it will still make me stand out. That’s my experience with your great idea! Thanks.
Also like the 30 day approach and I have used it to find out more about the person. It opens up the person and for some reasons relaxes them.
People LOVE talking about themselves don’t they Susan? And so using a strategy that allows for this – questions, listening, a focused time frame – all of that does relax people to open up.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t say, a strategy perfect for the introvert!
Thanks Susan.