Have you ever heard of the term rope-a-dope? I hadn’t until my husband explained it to me recently, but rope-a-dope is a boxing fighting style that was used by Muhammad Ali (who coined the term). He used to hang on the ropes and let boxers hit him thus tiring themselves out. When his opponents began to get tired and sloppy, Ali would emerge from the ropes and mount a strong counterattack to win the fight. Today the term can be used to describe any situation where someone appears to be in a disadvantaged situation, usually intentionally, only to come out ahead in the end.
In today’s world, the rope-a-dope is not a good strategy, especially in the situation of introducing yourself. As competition for customers is fierce, there is no longer time for resting while someone else wears themselves out. Instead, if we want to make an impact right away upon meeting someone, we have to take that first punch (not literally!) right in that first 30-seconds. Especially if we want to stand out and be remembered.
Do I mean that you need to push yourself on someone super aggressively? Absolutely not. I just mean you need to be powerful enough in your first 30-seconds of an introduction, or when giving your networking commercial in a round-robin situation, that you gain interest immediately in who you are and what you have to offer.Gone are the days when you can sit back timidly, and hope people understood what you do and what makes you unique. Nowadays, you have to TELL them and SHOW them within that 30-seconds, or your chances of losing their interest or becoming a distant memory are even stronger.
Need to pack some punch in your own 30-second elevator pitch? Try a few of these tips:
Be prepared. Put some thought into what you want to say and do within your 30-second elevator pitch and prepare yourself. Practice it until it becomes second nature. The number one cause for networking jitters is usually lack of preparation.
Look around at what others are doing, and make yours better. Whether or not it’s your direct competition, pay attention to what other professionals are doing in their 30-second elevator pitches (especially at networking functions where people are introducing themselves in a round robin fashion). Where are they missing the mark, and how can you make yourself distinctive?
Show your strengths. Be sure to include the problem you solve for others, how you solve it, and what makes you different from your competition.
Make sure they “get it”. Be very clear in what you’re saying, and avoid technical jargon. If they look confused by your message, it’s because they are confused, so be sure they understand you the first time.
Be confident. You’re in the business you’re in because you’re good at what you do. No one else will believe that unless you instill confidence in your 30-second elevator pitch.
Don’t let your competition get the first punch. Create an elevator pitch and introduction that draws people in and encourages them to get to know you better. And before you know it, you’ll be knocking them out – which means you WILL be noticed and remembered.
Need some guidance? Take a look at my new 4-week Telecourse “Rock Your Pitch!”. In a series of four 75-minute calls I’ll help you take your elevator pitch from “yawn” to “Wow!” I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about standing out and being remembered. Plus, it’ll be fun!Would you like to use this "Fresh Tip" for your newsletter or website? You absolutely can as long as you use this complete blurb 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.
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