‘Ditch the Elevator Pitch’. In her May, 2012 article in Forbes, Jacquelyn Smith staff writer says, “… ditch the pitch… It basically describes what sales people used to do – throw information at prospects hoping to sell a service or product before the buyer could hang up the phone or slam the door – …”
While the source of the ‘elevator pitch’ is unclear, the concept behind it is not. From the time you step into the elevator at ground level to the time you reach the top floor, you have 15 seconds? 30 seconds? perhaps, one minute tops to impress the other person, your ‘target’. In those few seconds you’ve ‘pitched’ who you are, what makes you unique and the benefits you can provide.
If this has been your first encounter with your ‘target’, chances are it will be your last. Name one person who likes to be talked at, dumped on, bombarded with information and sold to. In some situations you just need to ‘ditch the elevator pitch’. Study after study shows people like to deal with people they like. Research also shows that over 70% of jobs are found through personal connections. Advancing your career or increasing your sales, developing relationships are what make the difference.
In today’s market, relationship building is everything. For people to know and care who you are, they need to have a certain level of comfort and trust in you. When networking to develop relationships, here are five tips to help you anytime, anywhere.
- Introduce yourself: a smile in your eyes, as well as on your lips.
- Don’t fumble or mumble. Engage the other person with a soundbite or mini-infomercial about yourself. You are more than your job description or job title. Think in terms of benefits you provide. For example, you help people save money/ families plan for the future/ add to their health, safety, or well-being.
- Encourage dialogue. As much as you want the other person to ask ‘just about you’, you need to reciprocate. At this stage, you gotta ‘ditch the elevator pitch’. Conversation is a two-way street. For any relationship to develop, you need to ask about them. The more you ask about them, the better your chances of building comfort, trust and likeability.
- Be interesting, as well as interested.
- Practice how you introduce yourself so when you put your best foot forward, it doesn’t end up in your mouth.
Still, the elevator pitch is and will always be part of our business landscape. Think projects and proposals where you have to compete for the contract. Think investor boardrooms! Think of the TV show, Dragon’s Den! Here it’s the calibre and content of your pitch that determines whether you succeed or fail. Investors want to know in short order what you have to offer, and will they be able to get a good return on their dollars.
There are times when having a good pitch is paramount. Then, there are those times when you just need to ‘ditch the elevator pitch’ because comfort, trust and likeability are never built on pitches. They are built on relationships.