The elevator pitch. It’s a phrase we often hear in the business world, and unfortunately it’s something that we all do in our own businesses. Is giving the elevator pitch always the right thing to for us to do? How’s that working for us? And what the hell does it really mean, anyway?
Wikipedia says an elevator pitch is a short description of an idea, product, or company that explains the concept in such a way that any listener can understand it span of an elevator ride, or approximately one minutes. It generally explains one’s skills and goals, and why those traits would benefit the person listening to your pitch.
The purpose of our pitch is to convey a sense of who we are and what we do, explaining it to someone we’d like to do business with.
The biggest problem with the elevator pitch is that people don’t buy things from others they ride with on an elevator. That sounds like a lousy business model. But it seems like we’re doing it just about every day, almost as if we can’t help ourselves.
Whenever we’re in position to launch into an elevator pitch, when we meet a potential client, we’re tempted get right to it. Obviously, if they knew how great we really are, there’s no way they would ever hire anyone else. So, I must let them know, immediately!
It’s something that we all do, all the time, when we’re marketing.
But it rarely works.
So, if the elevator pitch turns out to be a waste of time, what are our other options? What should we do to develop some trust with our future customers?
Instead of jumping right in and talking about our favorite subject, ourselves, why don’t we try something else. Why not lead with a topic that’s more near and dear to the other person’s heart?
Themselves.
It’s just about everyone’s favorite topic of conversation, and it’s the one thing that people are always glad to talk about, just about any time.
Instead of expounding on how great we are, we should try to find out about them. We should use our time wisely, trying to find out what it is that would make this business relationship work. Make the conversation about them. Try to find out who they are and what you can help them with.
If we’re ultimately trying to connect with our clients, doesn’t it make sense to look for something to connect to?
Just as it’s impossible to tie up a boat if we can’t reach the dock, we won’t make a personal (and ultimately, professional) connection with someone if we don’t know whether they need our help. The best business relationships are built on mutually aligning goals. We work better and longer with people who share our outlook and our values.
But we’ll never learn that potential client’s values are if we never stop talking about ourselves.
When we first start out in business, it feels like we’re being rejected at every turn. Although we’re sometimes dismissed out of hand, rejection often happens when our goals don’t line up with that of a potential customer. If they’re looking for “X” and we’re offering “Y”, it’s probably best that we know that information before something happens. Unrealistic expectations are a poor footing on which to build a business relationship.
Instead of jumping right into our prepared speech, taking for granted that every potential client we meet can’t wait to use our services, why not take a different approach? Why not try to understand what their needs are before we go in for the kill?
We may find that potential clients are more receptive when we simply ask them a few questions about themselves and the reasons why they might benefit from our services. Learn a little bit about their situation, instead of just being interested in the revenue they represent.
The simple process of being genuinely interested in someone else leaves a lasting impression. It doesn’t happen that often, so we tend to remember people who are nice to us. By simply being nice and taking an interest in someone else, we can often make a personal connection that’s better than any other marketing we could ever do.
Most people appreciate it when we try to engage them in conversation instead of jumping right into our elevator pitch. Think about it. We’re all getting getting hustled every minute of the day. Online, in social media, on billboards, in print, on television, the radio, and at the movie theater, 24/7.
We’re always being bombarded with someone or something’s elevator pitch.
Don’t we want to be an exception to that rule?
If we do, one day, we may rule our industry.
One new-found friend at a time.
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou
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Thanks, Joe
