Referral networking works

2019-12-20 11:22:15 • Denise Pitot

"How to write an elevator pitch Writing a good elevator pitch will take some time, but it is a great investment in your business. Perhaps having a few on hand is a good idea, as through your workings, you will have written a few with focus on different angles. The challenge is that we do not know off hand which aspect of our elevator pitch will grab the attention of the listener, and we cannot be prepared for everyone! I have been doing “elevator pitches” for years at networking functions and it is incredible to see the varied responses. You can write what you think is an incredible 30-45 second pitch and have no one respond to you, and yet by adding a word that happens to resonate with someone in the room, the response is very different. We can't know those trigger words, but if you interact with a similar group on a regular basis, keep adding different facets of your business into your pitch to keep it fresh, keep the audience interested and hopefully pique someone's interest where they have previously not been. So, how should we do this? Start with your name and your company, always. And finish with that too, just reminding the listener. The body of the pitch is where it should be exciting. Now write down what you do and how you help people. Remember people are more interested in themselves than you, actually. So if it relates to them, you will hold their interest better. Once you have written a few examples, I have seen recommendations that you should write up to 20, you can then start refining them. Your aim is for between 70 and 105 words which will give you 30-45 seconds of talk time (140 for 1 minute). When refining, make sure the pitch is; Punchy – short, grabs and holds attention Visual – people like stories as it paints a picture for them Memorable – you want people to want to connect with you Goal driven – what is the reason you are giving your elevator pitch? Is there something you would like from your audience? Have you asked for that in your pitch? A tag line or a memory hook are good ways to have people remember you. Add this at the end and make it your standard finish. Keep a few elevator pitches on hand to use at different networking events, but also rehearse one to perfection. You want to be able to say it almost without thinking. This relieves a lot of pressure especially if you are not a natural speaker. Have fun writing and rehearsing your pitch."