Two and a half is a great age.

She expresses complex concepts with simple words.

Anything bigger than her is “big giant.”

And it gets me thinking about your Elevator Pitch…

Here are 3 “Big Giant” Elevator Pitch Mistakes:

Mistake #1: “Hi my name is …”

Your name is the most important word to you.

Not to your prospects.

Instead,

1. Start with a question:

“Did you know that most people spend more time researching a car to buy than choosing the Realtor who will help them buy or sell their home?”

2. Start with a clear statement of benefit:

“I help your friends get finance jobs.”

3. Start with an intriguing metaphor:

“I help you test drive your new home before you buy it.”

How do you start your Elevator Pitch?

Mistake #2: Rambling

An effective elevator pitch is four sentences long.

That is the attention span of a prospect.

If they want more information they will ask a question.

If they do not ask a question:

1. You need a more engaging elevator pitch, or
2. That person is not a good prospect right now.

How long is your Elevator Pitch?

Mistake #3: Winging It

An effective 30-second elevator pitch

engages your prospect
demonstrates how easy it is to do business with you
and calls them to action

In less than 30 seconds.

That seems like a lot to leave to chance.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

How do you rehearse your Elevator Pitch?

What’s the biggest Elevator Pitch Mistake you’ve seen?

He’s giving out too much information too soon.

“We help college students create and manage mobile resumes to find a job after they graduate.”

His prospects wonder what mobile resumes are and why they need one.

Their questions make Tom sound defensive as he justifies his approach.

Not the best way to start a conversation.

He’s fallen into the most common Elevator Pitch trap.

It’s tempting to describe how you get your results.

Your secret sauce.

But McDonald’s is the only company who ever successfully marketed a secret sauce.

And that was thousand island dressing.

No big secret.

The rest of us need to market our results.

Once your prospect asks “How do you do that?”

Then you can talk about about your secret sauce.

Here’s what we recommended to Tom on our Conversation Starters Webinar:

“We help college student resumes rise to the top of the pile.”

Really? College resumes? To the top of the hiring pile?

“How do you do that?”

Now he can talk about the benefits of mobile resumes.

Because until your prospect knows what you’ll accomplish.

They are not yet interested in how.

Happy Networking!

Dan called me because he wasn’t making progress on his Elevator Pitch.

The more he worked on it the less it sounded like him.

Here’s what he had:

My name is Dan and I am a scientific professional with experience in the clinical, research and manufacturing industries. I have a diverse technical skill set and some of the fields that I’ve worked in are aquaculture, oceanography, surgical pathology and chemical manufacturing. I enjoy hands-on and physical work either in the laboratory or the field, I like to fix things and find ways to make operations run more efficiently and I have an insatiable curiosity for how things work in the world around me.

I asked him one question he already knew the answer to, and within 20 minutes we had:

My favorite job was where I was the Willy Wonka of Chemistry. I was working for a large pharmaceutical company with their validation engineers to validate the equipment and processes in their new lab. I call it the Willy Wonka job because there was no standing around. I was constantly moving drums, climbing ladders, pumping solutions through pipes, and running around 400 liter reactors. I’m happy to report that once the lab opened, it doubled the production capacity for the company. My name is Dan and I am the Willy Wonka of Chemistry.

Which one do you think starts better conversations?

“Sir, is this your hat.” (It had fallen out of my pocket)

“Sir, you lost your hat.” (Another hat had fallen off my sleeping toddler’s head)

Good thing strangers were looking out for me.

Because at 10 degrees weaving a double stroller through downtown traffic I wouldn’t have noticed.

Until ears were falling off.

Fortunately when you’re pushing a stroller everyone goes out of their way to help.

It’s just like Business Networking.

People want to help.

Send you referrals.

Share opportunities.

Pick up your hats…

Here are 3 ways to make sure people are looking out for you:

1. Check In

Invite a member of your business network to coffee.

Not a customer.

Not a prospect.

You’re not there to sell.

You’re there to share your client success stories.

And listen to theirs.

That’s what leads to referrals.

When was the last time  you had a 1-on-1 with a member of your business network?

2. Check Out

People are always giving you information.

Follow up.

Attend events.

Call leads.

Share events you’re attending.

Articles you’ve read.

And inspiring websites.

Check out all the opportunities that cross your desk.

How quickly do you follow up on opportunities from your business network?

3. Stick Around

Trust develops over time.

Unless you’re pushing a baby stroller.

I’ve knocked heads with people who are also leaning down to pick up my child’s dropped toy.

People will be just as helpful to you when you share a clear and consistent Elevator Pitch.

What are you doing to develop trust through your business network?

 Happy Networking!

She removes predictability from teacher schedules.

Now our primary is no longer there for infant drop-off.

Toddler teachers cover infant shifts.

If I’ve learned one thing about infants in the past 2-and-a-half years, it’s that they crave predictability.

Morning routine.

Suddenly everything is a struggle.

From drop-off to mealtimes to bedtime.

Then, just as suddenly, our director returns from maternity leave and everything returns to normal.

And it gets me thinking about your Elevator Pitch.

Most people assume that a great Elevator Pitch is highly creative.

It’s not.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

A great Elevator Pitch is simple, clear, and consistent.

Like a good schedule.

Prospects crave predictability.

Here are 3 ways to grab your prospect’s attention:

1. Simple

Talk about one thing.

The same thing.

Every time.

It’s not your most exciting offer.

Or most profitable.

Or even most popular.

Share the reason people come to you in the first place.

Talk about why prospects show up.

And you’ll convince more prospects to approach you for that first conversation.

What brings prospects to your door?

2. Clear

Use the language of your customer.

Not your industry.

People aren’t looking for a lawyer.

They want to protect their business.

People aren’t looking for a Realtor.

They want a new home.

Use your customer’s words.

And they’ll connect with what you’re saying.

What percentage of your Elevator Pitch is in your customer’s words?

3. Consistent

Do you change your Elevator Pitch to match your audience?

This approach destroys thousands of Elevator Pitches every day.

Instead, find your customer success story with universal emotional appeal.

Use it every time.

Consistency creates momentum.

How do you create sales momentum with your Elevator Pitch?

Happy Networking!

He’s remembering the game I played last summer with my now 2-and-a-half-year-old.

Newly able to jump, she especially likes to practice jumping on the steel grates on the sidewalks of Boston.

“Daddy’s turn.”

So I jump too.

I’ve never seen so many smiles.

From passers-by.

The two of us jumping side by side grabs a lot of people’s attention.

So much so that a guy on my street recognizes me five months later.

And it gets me thinking about your Elevator Pitch.

There’s no way to predict what will grab people’s attention.

So you want to find and stick with what works.

Here are 3 ways to grab your prospect’s attention.

1. Surprise!

I’m not sure why jumping grabs so much attention.

I just know that it does.

One day several years ago I try out a new call-to-action at a 30-person networking event.

I sign up four speaking engagements and add six people to my email list.

I’m not sure why this particular call-to-action is so powerful.

I just know that it is.

So now I use it every time.

What grabs your prospect’s attention?

2. Use it Again!

I hear a lot of stories of one-time networking success.

Someone jumps on Boston city sidewalk grates.

They get a great response.

And they talk themselves into never doing it again.

Really.

Once you find an approach that gets a great response,

Use it again!

And again. And again. And again.

There’s no such thing as too many qualified leads.

What’s the best response you’ve ever gotten from your Elevator Pitch?

Why aren’t you still using that same approach?

3. Measure Success

You want 3-5 leads from your 30-Second Elevator Pitch for every 30 people at a networking event.

That hasn’t been your experience?

Use a different power question, compelling example, or call-to-action.

Until you find an effective combination.

Then stick with it.

How do you measure Elevator Pitch success?

Happy Networking!

A couple approaches me on Comm Ave at Exeter in broken English.

“Where ‘Boston Commons’?”

The plural throws me.

Did a hip new night-spot just open up? (I’m always the last to know…)

I start with the more likely case:

“You mean the park in the middle of the city?”

They nod enthusiastically.

“You’re headed in the right direction. Only five blocks to go.”

They happily continue on their way.

I’m smiling. It feels good to help.

And it gets me thinking about your Elevator Pitch.

Here are 3 ways effective business networking is a lot like giving directions.

1. It’s about them

There are lots of cool places I could have directed them.

The Charles River. The Apple Store. The Museum of Science. The Freedom Trail.

All worthwhile destinations.

Just not for them on this day.

They want to go to the Boston Common.

So I help them.

As a Trusted Advisor you do the same for your prospects.

Whatever they need today, you know someone they can trust to help.

Especially if it has nothing to do with what you offer.

The good news is that your prospect remembers your help.

The better news is that your trusted resource remembers your referral.

The best news?

Even though it doesn’t seem to be about you.

They’ll both take your next call.

Guaranteed.

How do you help prospects in ways that have nothing to do with what you sell?

2. It Develops Trust

I must look like a Boston native.

People stop me all the time to ask for directions.

They won’t know whether they can trust me until they reach their destination.

That’s what makes business networking so powerful.

You have so many opportunities to develop trust.

On both sides of every referral.

How do you develop trust in your business network?

3. It’s About You

When you make the leap from selling to referring.

Your sales increase.

Prospects are excited to hear from you.

You attract more opportunities.

It’s the hidden benefit of your Elevator Pitch.

The first step towards Trusted Advisor selling.

Helping others helps you.

How are you helping the people in your business network?

Happy Networking!

Did I get a ticket?

The queasy feeling in my stomach once again gives way to relief.

No orange envelope on my windshield.

Which shouldn’t be a surprise, because my car is parked legally.

Why, you ask, would I be expecting a parking ticket on my legally parked car?

Because of an Elevator Pitch.

More specifically, an unintentional Elevator Pitch from my local neighborhood busy-body.

Last Tuesday I park in one of my favorite spots in downtown Boston.

Near a fire hydrant.

I check my front bumper.

Plenty of clearance.

As I cross the street a kindly woman shuffling along behind a walker cheerfully calls after me.

“Tsk. You’ll get a ticket.”

Caught off guard, I engage in the conversation. “I park there all the time. I’ve got plenty of clearance.”

“They just changed the rules,” she advises. “Everyone saw the memo. Though you won’t have a problem today. It’s raining and they don’t ticket in the rain. The meter maids aren’t allowed to carry umbrellas because they can be used as weapons.”

Just for the record, her claims are all outrageous fabrications.

No rules have changed.

No memo went out.

And rain grants no immunity from parking tickets.

Still, I find myself checking my car daily.

Did I get a ticket?

If she’d been selling parking ticket insurance I probably would have signed up.

Just for the peace of mind.

Instead, she’s inside my head.

In 3 years I’ve never gotten a ticket from that spot.

Never wondered about it.

Until today.

And it gets me thinking about your Elevator Pitch.

An effective Elevator Pitch gets your prospects thinking about you at the right time for them.

How do you do that?

Here are 3 Elevator Pitch Tips from the neighborhood busy-body who got inside my head.

1. Tell Stories

The story about the meter maids and umbrellas is memorable.

I think about it every time it rains.

How memorable are your stories?

Are you even telling stories?

The good news is that you don’t have to make up stories.

You already have access to plenty of interesting and engaging stories.

Just start talking about your customers.

Actual, real, specific customers who are delighted with your product or service.

How memorable are your stories?

2. Educate

Rules change all the time.

Insurance.

Law.

Real estate.

My employee benefits broker points me to health insurance resources for 11+ person companies.

My business lawyer encourages a call before I take any action for or against my employees.

My mortgage broker shows me discounts and programs that I never knew existed.

Stuff I didn’t know.

Stuff I need to know.

Good reasons to call them.

How do you educate your prospects?

3. Say When

As I write this article, I’m parked again in my favorite spot.

Near the fire hydrant.

I can see my car from my window.

But not the windshield.

And I’m still wondering about that ticket…

My neighborhood busy-body has me thinking about fire hydrants.

What are your prospects thinking about?

What do you want your prospects to be thinking about?

Happy Networking!

lots of business professionals spend the holidays hiding from their prospects.

Don’t be a networking turkey!

Here are 3 ways to network effectively during the holidays:

1. Plymouth Rock

When a friend / relative / complete stranger asks “How’s it going?”

Answer with “Fantastic! I just …” and something fantastic that recently happened.

I just beat last year’s totals for my business.

I just kicked-off a really exciting leadership program for high school juniors.

I just got back from my honeymoon in Mexico.

I just discovered the Americas…

Your friends and relatives know people and they want to help.

Start conversations!

How will you start conversations this Thanksgiving?

2. Black Friday

People are in a buying mood.

Don’t disappoint them!

Give them a reason to spend now.

What are you offering during this holiday season?

3. Turkey Sandwiches

Schedule lunch with someone in your business network.

People are tired of leftovers.

And looking for a break from the office.

The holidays are a great time for Effective 1-on-1′s.

Who are you meeting for lunch?

 Happy Thanksgiving!

Clock metaphors were the earliest casualty of the digital age.

Centuries of wisdom stunned into meaninglessness by glowing LEDs.

Before digital you could stumble onto truth even if you were standing still.

Not anymore!

A digital clock doesn’t stall in a useful state.

It goes blank.

Empty.

Like trying to explain “clockwise” to a digital generation.

But the digital age represents a much bigger threat to your Elevator Pitch.

In-person networking is like the analog clock.

You stumble into opportunities.

Whether or not you know what you’re doing.

Face to face you can recover from a clumsy start.

And people do.

All the time.

Not online.

When prospects come looking for you online,

If you don’t grab their attention,

And start the conversation,

They are gone forever.

No second chances.

That’s a lot of missed opportunities.

I had read all the experts.

I thought I was doing all the right things.

I had posted a professional photo, a great business description, and insightful answers to relevant questions.

No leads.

Nothing.

Blank.

Like the digital clock.

Online you won’t stumble into leads.

You have to be thoughtful and intentional about engaging your prospects.

Here are 3 Ways to Engage Prospects with your LinkedIn Profile:

1. Attract Prospects instead of Salespeople

Salespeople search LinkedIn for titles.

If your title is CEO, Vice President, or Director,

They’ll find you.

And waste precious time you could spend with your prospects instead.

Your prospects search for solutions, not titles.

Change your title to attract prospects instead of salespeople.

• Director of Trauma and Bone Healing Technologies
• The Good Guys in the Collection Industry
• Test Driver of New Homes
• … For more ideas, join our discussion at Stand Out in a Crowd …

Does your title attract prospects or salespeople?

2. Be Engaging

There are only two ways to start an in-person conversation: Ask a question or tell a story.

Online there’s only one.

Tell a story.

About a specific client.

A short, engaging story of how you helped that client.

Not sure where to start? Play Elevator Pitch MadLibs for ideas and examples customized just for you.

3. Continue the Conversation

There is only one reason prospects aren’t contacting you.

You’re not asking them to.

Once you grab their attention with your title.

And start the conversation with a compelling client example.

You want to continue the conversation with a specific next step.

Don’t leave it to chance!

Suggest they contact you for a reason that’s compelling to them:

• 7 Biggest Mistakes White Paper
• Best Practices Email Newsletter
• No-obligation 20-minute consultation

Include a link to your website in your LinkedIn Profile Summary.

They will trade you their contact information for perceived value.

If you don’t suggest a specific next step,

They’ll take one.

Just not the one you want.

They’ll click away from your profile.

Never to be seen again.

Give them a compelling reason to engage further.

Continue the Conversation.

How do you continue the conversation?

Want to see these 3 tips in action? Check out my LinkedIn Profile.

Happy Networking!