Can you pitch yourself or your business in 30-60 seconds?
A personal “elevator pitch” is a quick summary of yourself. It’s named for the time it should take to deliver it, which is usually the duration of a short elevator ride (roughly 30 to 60 seconds or 75 words). Elevator pitches are sometimes thought to be specific to an idea or a product, but you can also use them to sell yourself as a professional.
Here are some tips we share with our clients:
1. Tell a Story – You could start with, “Let me tell you the story of one of our clients, who achieved their 12-month revenue goal in 6 months by following their personalized strategic marketing action plan.”
2. Start with a question – “When was the last time you updated your website?” If you’re addressing a group, and want to get everyone’s attention, you could start with a question that immediately engages the audience because it speaks to what’s on most people’s minds and relates to what you can do to help them resolve the issue your question raises.
3. Share an Analogy – “Strategic marketing is like setting the table for a dinner party.” Use “is like” to provide an image to easily grasp the concept. That’s what I did in this newsletter.
4. Be Dramatic
Example 1: “Our client doubled their projected annual revenue goal by investing in and following their strategic marketing action plan.”
Example 2: “Our investment advisor client brought in $18M in new assets under management in their first year after investing in a custom strategic marketing plan.”
Example 3: “Our client has been using the same strategic marketing plan for 10 years because it continues to bring in new right-fit clients and it’s easy to share with their growing sales team and referral sources.”
5. Wow, How, Now – This is powerful, fast and direct.
Wow = State a remarkable achievement or statistic, e.g., “86% of businesses do not have a stated value proposition. This means the team, clients, stakeholders, or ambassadors don’t know what makes you special or different in the market.”
How = Share what you do to fix a problem, e.g. “Our 6-step Impact Formula™ private client program equips your whole team and all your business champions to share what’s unique about your business.”
Now = Provide a current example, e.g. “This results in ongoing right-fit introductions. Our clients rave at how their marketing strategy supports their referral partners who easily share their success story for them.”
6. Pain – Agitation – Solution (PAS) – Kim Kiel, expert Sales Copy Coach, shares this formula in her podcast.
Share with your audience “one small action can turn into a massive life change” and provide an example from your own business or that of a client you have helped through the pain and agitation to find a solution. Let them know that you’re here to help them make the change they have decided they need to make.
7. Peek Behind the Curtain – Share a behind the scenes story. Example: “Every year we celebrate our connection to our clients and team with a remarkable holiday greeting. These holiday campaigns won design and marketing effectiveness awards. We like to track results – that’s what makes us marketers! These greetings attracted requests for custom holiday promotions from our clients. Client appreciation is important, and we love supporting our clients in celebrating their best relationships.”
8. Case study – Challenge, Solution, Result
Everyone loves to hear a great story. Choose the success story that resonates with your listener or audience, one that truly represents your brand.
“The challenge: Our client was time starved and struggled to respond to opportunities to promote their business.
“The solution: We helped our client to find time to grow the business by creating a made-for-them, proactive marketing action plan.
“The result: Our client now always knows what to say, who to say it to, and can save time pre-qualifying their prospects ahead of the time-consuming task of creating and presenting a proposal. Instead of needing 5 hours to prepare for a prospect meeting, they are ready in 5 minutes. They attribute their success to having a strategic marketing action plan in place.”
9. Rant or Rave – Share things that bug you or delight you in your work or industry. Example: “Client testimonials are tremendously effective as social proof in your marketing (), and raving fans are typically willing to share their positive experience. On the other hand, I cringe when my shared comments are used without my permission. Blindsiding clients by not asking permission, repels. By asking permission, you give your clients an easy way to support you, and you deepen your connection.”
Pitch creation isn’t a case of one-size-fits-all.
Let us help you tailor your pitch perfect pitch.
