by Martin Perelmuter, President and Co-Founder of Speakers’ Spotlight
One of the first things you’re told as an entrepreneur or a sales professional is that you need an “elevator speech”. You know the drill. If you happen to get onto an elevator with a big potential client, and have 30-60 seconds to tell them about your product, service or business, what would you say?
In theory, it’s a great exercise, as it forces you to condense your pitch down to it’s essence and communicate your value proposition in the simplest way possible. But do they really work? I must admit that over the course of the past 15 years in business, I’ve never really had a great elevator speech, and perhaps more importantly I’ve never really used one. Of course, maybe if I had one, I’d be more inclined to use it, but I’ve always felt that it seemed a bit contrived.
I decided to do a bit of research, and asked a number of friends and colleagues if they have an elevator speech, and if so, how often they use it. Despite the fact that each of these people were successful entrepreneurs, it turns out that most of them did not have one, and those that did rarely used it. Why is this? And more importantly, what’s the solution?
The answer to why is simple. They’re not natural ways of communicating a message. If you’re at a networking event or out socially with friends, and someone asks you what you do, delivering the standard elevator speech is a sure way to drive the other person away from you as fast as possible. They don’t feel authentic. They don’t communicate who you are or why you do what you do. So what’s the solution?
I recently heard marketing expert Mitch Joel speak on the topic of “Personal Branding”. He recommended trying a different approach, which I believe works much better. Next time someone asks what you do, answer using the following framework: “You know when… [insert problem here]. What I do is… [insert solution here]”.
I’ve tried this out a few times over the past couple of weeks, and it works much better. I was also able to change the answer depending on who asked, by framing it in a way most relevant to them. Whether speaking for 60 minutes or 60 seconds, effective communication requires clarity and authenticity. I encourage you to try this approach, and let me know how it works for you.
Tags: communicating ideas, communication, effective speech, elevator speech, Martin Perelmuter, message, Mitch Joel, pitch, speakers
Wise words but in the end it’s just really a point over the title “Elevator Speech”! Whether we call it that or call it ‘a smart answer’ or ‘a job description’ – the REAL trick is simply having an answer ready to the question “So, what do you do?”
A worryingly large number of people cannot succinctly answer this question and instead drone on about their day to day activities. This is called ‘process’ and doesn’t help you attract anyone!
What everyone must have is an answer that immediately ‘broadcasts’ the value and benefit of what you do and not the process. An answer, as Mitch Joel puts it, that solves a problem is far more powerful than one that describes your activity.
So whether this happens in an elevator, at a bar, across a meeting table or even at home – it doesn’t matter what it is called but you should always be ready to show passion, value and benefit and make the most of what is actually a classic opportunity.
Yup… it’s a fact that Einstein’s ever ‘widening circle of compassion’ inevitably starts with making things better for ourselves. So when I ask what you do I’m really wondering how what you do has some bearing or connection on who I am, what I do and… most essentially … what I need.
So this is great Martin. It helps connect the dots for our elevator companion/fellow cocktail party guest AND is actually more likely to gain us some business. Sweeet!
I’m speaking at a big hotel Baltimore with lots of long elevators.
And ready to ride!
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I agree – the elevator pitch is a tricky one. And as someone who works in marketing it’s a bit embarrassing to say that I don’t have a great answer.
While I think Mitch Joel’s “solution-oriented” approach is as good as any out there it too has its challenges. I hear this approach used more and more frequently and it’s often missing some well-needed descriptors to help convey exactly what someone does. It helps explain the kinds of problems people solve and how, but it’s often missing the context in which they solve these problems (ie are you a bookkeeper, an accountant, an executive assistant, or someone who sells bookkeeping software?).
Martin, I think you nailed it when you said that the elevator pitch isn’t a “natural way of communicating a message”. Unless you’re a plumber it’s very hard to convey the types of problems you solve, how you solve them, and in what context in an elevator pitch.
Unfortunately the elevator pitch is an imperfect device for an imperfect situation. My advice it to do your best and hope you’re both going to the 50th floor.
Dear Martin,
This is such an interesting topic for discussion and here is my opinion; Whenever I am in a network event and when I greet someone or even ask the question of “How are you doing?” and I get one of those elevator speeches trying to pour as much and quick information as possible, an automatic barrier quickly builds up between myself and the other person. Not only do I want to leave their space but I don’t hear a thing from what they say. I don’t feel they are authentic. I think what you suggested “You know when… [Insert problem here]. What I do is… [Insert solution here]” is a teaser and it encourages conversation and questions if you feel that the other party add a business benfit to you or your organization.
But good topic to discuss.
I think being able to explain what you do succinctly, in just a couple of sentences, is a valuable skill to have. People have a short attention span. It’s a good idea to first find out what they do, then customize your “elevator speech” according to the needs of the person your speaking with – put emphasis on what they would find interesting. It would have to be quite general, since you don’t have much time, but if you use the right words, could be quite powerful. That would bridge a connection, form a conversation. And if you find that there is common ground, hopefully you’re getting off at the same floor!