Are you interested in employment? Do you want to discuss issues with others?
2008
What’s an Elevator Speech?
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Hmm, good question.
An elevator speech is a short blurb you memorise about yourself so that when you meet someone in an elevator, you can deliver it. Of course, you can also deliver it at other times. The key elements are that it’s short, concise and succinct and you have it ready.
It’s also handy when you are sipping chardonnay at some seminar, business event or party and someone says, “So, what do you do?”
Example
Questioner: “So, what line of business are you in Robin?”
Answer: “I’m a business support consultant. I help businesses improve their profits by providing business automation software, winning communication practices and timely information. Here’s my business card. Why not visit us sometime soon?”
How long did that take? A few minutes. That’s the short version. It may then be followed by another question from the questioner eg, “What do you mean by winning communication practices?” in which case you can continue describing what you do until the end of the conversation and then provide your business card. It’s also a sound idea to ask the questioner what they do. You may then be able to discuss some type of service you provide. For example:
Questioner: “Does your business automation software include email marketing software?”
Answer: “Yes, it does. I use and recommend an excellent program called Group Mail Pro that is inexpensive, easy to use and very efficient. Would you like me to send some information to you or come and give you a demonstration?”
This is obviously different from an elevator speech you would have if you were unemployed and looking. Tomorrow I’ll provide an example of what I would say if I was between jobs.
Action
Get a sheet of paper and write an elevator speech for yourself. Check it again tomorrow to see how it compares with mine.
Robin
“Think success - Achieve success”
