| Whenever you meet someone new, especially at | | | | have identified in key point one. When asked what |
| a networking event, you are likely to be asked | | | | you do you can answer who you help and how |
| what you do. | | | | you work with this type of client. That will |
| After "How are you?" this is perhaps the most | | | | immediately gain their attention. It is much more |
| common conversational question. | | | | effective than a list of your services and your |
| As a small business owner or independent | | | | office location. |
| professional, this questions gives you a great | | | | 3. Practice. Countless times small business owners |
| opportunity to grab the attention of a potential | | | | are caught off guard and waste their 30 second |
| client with your reply. This is why your 30 second | | | | opportunity stumbling over what to say. You don't |
| introduction, elevator speech is so important. | | | | need to sound like a tape recorder! Put together |
| So what are the key factors to include in your | | | | several versions, rehearse them, record them, |
| elevator speech to make it memorable? | | | | get feedback from friends and family. Make sure |
| 1. Understand your IDEAL client profile. Not any | | | | it sounds like something you would actually say. |
| client, not: "we can work with anyone", but your | | | | The great thing about a 30 second elevator |
| IDEAL client. Those you love to work with, those | | | | speech is that it is free to test. Any networking |
| you set your company or practice up to serve. | | | | event in your town will provide this test |
| Get as detailed as you can on this. Think about | | | | opportunity. See what reaction you get, make |
| how to define them, what problems are they | | | | adjustments accordingly. |
| dealing with, what challenges are they facing, how | | | | Getting the focus away from what you DO |
| do they feel about that? | | | | towards how what you do addresses real issues, |
| 2. Avoid making your introduction simply a list of | | | | problems and challenges of your ideal client base is |
| your title, profession, company name etc. Your | | | | central to achieving the results you want from |
| message should address the key elements you | | | | your elevator pitch. |