Don't over-think your introduction

Have you ever asked yourself this question:  How do you take everything that's great about who you are and what you do...and condense it down to ONLY 30-seconds?  You are not alone.  In fact, it's probably the biggest challenge professionals have when creating their elevator pitch/networking commercial, and it's also probably the number ONE reason people AVOID networking functions.
 
What you want to remember here is, it's only a 30-second introduction, so don't spend time worrying about whether or not you are addressing everything that you do.  A 30-second introduction is only a small glimpse of what you have to offer, and the key is to attract people to want to know more about what you can do to help solve a problem they might be struggling with.
 
It's common to concentrate on or "stress" about including everything.  I say, don't waste your energy!  Over-thinking your introduction will only cause more anxiety - and who needs that?
 
Here are some tips on what to concentrate on in your 30-second introduction, so you can stop over-thinking it.
 

    * Who is the audience you'll be addressing?   If you're creating your introduction for a room of people, and delivering it in a "round robin" type situation, who is your audience?  Are they business professionals?  Consumers?  Are a they a "niche" group such as an association, women's group (for instance:  a group interested in a particular market/common interest)?  Concentrate on crafting a introduction that will speak directly to them - instead of a general message of "I help anyone".  If it's not directed specifically to them or they can't relate to who you help, they might just tune you out.  Example:  If I'm at a Chamber of Commerce meeting, I focus on addressing how I help business professionals get the most out of their networking with an effective introduction.

    * What is YOUR immediate need?  Think about what you're doing and focusing on in your business.  Did you just launch a new product or service?  This is a great opportunity to promote just that.  Are you having a special promotion or would you like to invite people to a special event?  Spend your time on just that.  Is there an area of your business that you'd like to build up?  Use that time to educate people on that particular area only. 

Example:  When I first launched my Elevator Pitch Coaching service, I spent months focusing on promoting ONLY my coaching, even though we also do other things like video introductions.  If I'd spent that time promoting BOTH, I'd probably have confused people, while the effort was extremely worthwhile because my coaching service really took off.

    * Get them interested in YOU, and the opportunity to share more will reveal itself.  If you've done an effective job of simply introducing yourself and how you help people, the opportunity to share more will just come naturally.  You're less likely to start the dialogue with someone if they can understand what you do, and not feel overwhelmed or confused by too many services that you offer.  The point to networking is to introduce yourself and build relationships.  You don't want to feed someone an entire pie - just a taste first, and then small pieces at a time.

Example:  While I spent many months solely promoting my coaching service, as I got to know someone (whether it be in a follow-up phone call or IN a coaching session), I would focus on what their immediate need is (an effective elevator pitch!) only.  From there I'd listen for other struggles they might be dealing with and then if I felt I could help them further, would introduce other areas/services of my business and how I could help address them.  Again, starting with one piece of pie before introducing them to the entire pie.

You are great at what you do, and what you have to offer.  Don't worry about trying to list every single product or service you have to offer.  If you focus on just pieces at a time, you'll find that you'll attract better clients who not only understand clearly what you do...but they'll want to know more.  Remember, it's only 30-seconds, so don't spend time worrying about anything beyond that. 
 
 
Would you like to use this fresh tip for your newsletter or website?  You absolutely can, as long as you use this complete blurb along with it:  Barbara Lopez, "The Elevator Pitch Coach" with Brightfarm Introductions, helps business professionals introduce themselves with high impact.   Everything in business starts with an introduction.  If you're ready to learn how to introduce yourself and your business professionally and comfortably, visit Barbara at www.brightfarm.com.

Comments

[Buy Online Rx]

Blah, blah, blah, we moved on and the kids started asking different questions. 3 minutes later, a girl named Molly asked, "I've always heard that we were made in God's image, but sometimes I wonder if that means exactly in God's image. Like, we only have 2 arms, but what if God has 4?" Quick as lightning, a guy across the room yells, "Molly, duh- God transcends arms!".

[mens health]

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