Elevator Speeches (Part 3 of 3)
So, you’re at a dinner party, and you meet someone you don’t know. Chances are after a few pleasantries you will ask the person “What do you do?” And, chances are you will get one of two responses: a job title, or a lengthy job description that makes you want to run for the door. An elevator speech is an answer to “What do you do?” that falls somewhere in between those two extremes.
Let’s face it – our attention spans are shorter than ever. We are exposed to a ridiculous amount of information every day and we must constantly sift to shake out the important stuff. A good elevator speech is designed to offer only the necessary information, and capture the interest and attention of the person listening so that they want to learn more.
Elevator speeches are used to define a job, an organization, a product, skills, values and beliefs, and for many other purposes.
Elevator speeches are short, concise answers to “What do you do?” The BEST elevator speeches:
· Are short
· Are interesting and clever
· Focus on benefits rather than selling
· Encourage a person to want to know more
What is the purpose of your elevator speech?
Kim Luedke is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff.
