As an element of my Transition into Business Program, I take my clients through a really cool exercise I learned from Jack Delosa while at 2014 The Entourage’s Unconvention conference. I don’t know what Jack calls it but I’ve called it, The 3-2-1 Elevator Pitch.
When we introduce ourselves, it’s common to answer the question, ‘So, what do you do?’ with a simple statement, ‘Oh, I’m a … [insert generic job title].’ You might then add a little speel about you or your business. From there the conversation is going to go one of two ways, either the person is going to ask another question to keep the conversation flowing or they’re going to be disengaged.
You want engagement. You want to be engaging. The well-known adage in sales is that emotion sells. It’s true of product and services but what might surprise you is that it’s true of people too.
Introductions are opportunities to sell yourself and your service. Irrespective of whether you’re an executive or running your own business, how you introduce yourself needs to engage the audience to want to know more about you. You need give-a-shit appeal.
The 3-2-1 Elevator Pitch puts emotion into your introduction in a way that makes you compelling and invites irresistible engagement.
Grab a piece of paper and answer these questions. And, just for shits ‘n’ giggles, I’ll play along so you can see how this works.
A side note here, this elevator pitch is audience specific. We have different types of customers, that is people whose attention we want investment from. They might be customers or employees, business partners, suppliers or other people invested in your business. In some instances, you may have different types of customers. I have executive clients for my EQL Coaching and individuals for one-on-one business or consulting sessions.
This pitch will depend on who you’re introducing yourself to and why. In most instances, it’s an opportunity in which you are going to sell yourself, your business and your products/services. Create multiple variations to suit the audience.
Step One
What do you do?
Chances are you’ve written your job title: CEO, administrative assistant, landscape gardener, whatever it is you are known by on your position description is usually what get’s answered here. Do not have a wanker-title that no one but you understands. Just keep it simple.
My example:
I am an Emotional Intelligence Leadership Coach
Step Two
What is the outcome of what you do?
Here’s where it gets a bit heavier on the brain. So let’s break it down – what do you deliver to your clients/ customers/ stakeholders? What you deliver will be different for different people.
What you deliver is what the client gets. It’s what you give them as a result of your job. A landscaper gives her customers beautiful, aesthetic gardens for their homes. An author gives his customer (a reader) an opportunity to live in an alternate reality.
My example (using EQL Coaching as my target audience):
I develop my clients into emotionally intelligent transformational leaders equipped for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Step Three
What is the effect of the outcome of what you do?
By now, you might be thinking, “damn, brain-pain! Make it stop!” Yep this is a challenge because now we’re looking for the emotional experience customer gets from the outcome of what you do.
This isn’t about you it’s about them. And, most importantly, it’s about how you make them feel. Remember, people don’t buy with a logical, analytical process, they buy with their emotions. Every single time.
Our landscaper makes people feel increased pride in their home. A CEO of a multi-national corporation talking to a government representative pitching for the tender on a new national program makes people feel confident.
My example:
My clients feel supported and motivated.
Step 4
Now, reverse engineer the answers: 3-2-1. Emotion; Outcome; Do.
Take answer to Step 3, add it to Step 2, add Step 1 and then end with your name. Refine your pitch so that it flows and reads grammatically correct.
Our lady landscaper would say: “My clients feel increased pride in their home because I create for them beautiful, aesthetic gardens. I am a landscaper. My name is Tina.”
My example for EQL Coaching:
“My clients feel supported and motivated as they develop into emotionally intelligent transformational leaders equipped for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. I am an Emotional Intelligence Leadership Coach. My name is Caz”
It is a crucial element that you state your name at the end. Our memory works in a funny way. It’ll remember the first piece of information, jumble up the middle and remember the last thing you say. Naturally, you want people to remember your name but you want them to remember how you make your clients feel because you want the person you’re introducing yourself to to feel that way too.
Think about it, don’t you want to feel increased pride in your home or supported and motivated?
The point is to not be too descriptive. Do not use adverbs (anything ending with -ly). Maximum two adjectives. A good elevator pitch is less than 15 seconds or takes two breaths to complete.
Step 5
Memorise.
Practice in the mirror. Practice with real people. Practice with a recording device.
Change it up. Play with the words. Speak slowly. Breath. Pace yourself.
Repeat until it rolls off your tongue effortlessly.
It’s going to feel weird the first few times you say it in a real introduction. If you expect that weirdness it’s actually easier to play with it. It’s like anything you do differently. Strange until it’s not anymore. Keep in mind, no one knows that you’re trying a new pitch so if you stumble, do what I do, cough. It breaks the momentum and allows you a moment to clear your thoughts and start again. Everyone forgives a cough. So long as you’re speaking with confidence, no one is going to question what you’re saying.
So, my friends, what do you do?
Your EQL Coach,
