PITCHERS DON’T WIN IN ELEVATORS
Same for Sales Pros!
When’s the last time you ever sold anything in an elevator? OK … when’s the last time you ever heard of anyone selling anything in an elevator? So, staying with the baseball metaphor for a moment … you’re batting 1000 … meaning your answer to both questions is “never”.
That said, pretty much every sales or networking book, article or discussion about meeting prospects or referral sources emphasizes the need for an “elevator pitch.” The basic idea is a 30 to 60 second elevator ride scenario where you have … less than a minute between the time the doors close and arrival at the destination floor to stimulate attention and provoke a positive response.
Now, join us outside of the proverbial elevator to the real world of meeting prospects or referral sources … a Zoom meeting, post-pandemic networking event or otherwise introduced to a suspect, prospect or referral resource for the first time. You don’t (none of us do) enjoy the luxury of having less than a minute to present your “basket of wares” and invite attention.
What you do have is 10 seconds to prompt … WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?)
Here’s a likely scene: After the “Hi how are ya” pleasantries, the conversation inevitably comes to the question, “Tell me about your business”; or “What kind of work do you do?” What you say and in what time-frame will determine your listener’s engagement … or unspoken, but internalized sense of “Huh?”
Your Objective: To prompt a response of “Interesting, please tell me more.” And you won’t enjoy that if you attempt to regurgitate a menu of all that you do. BTW, that’s basically what most elevator pitch scenarios suggest – Booorrring!!
The opportunity that does present itself means you better be prepared to trigger your 10 second response or you forfeit your chance to kindle a conversation that has meaning to the listener. That means to begin a dialog … not about you … but about the person you’re hoping to connect with. The goal is to figure out if they’re a good fit for who you are and what you deliver. If not, spare them a monologue that may end up a waste of time for each of you. No one wants to be hustled.
So, here’s how you can win in the art of arousing peoples’ response to know more about what you do … two Guiding Principles plus examples of success.
Guiding Principle #1
Open with a VERY BRIEF (ideally a single sentence) description of the value your customers enjoy from your product or service offering. Note: Not what you do, but rather … what you do does for your customers.
Example of the Not So Good and the Good
At the risk of being self-serving, we’ll start with an example of our own company. If you asked, “What kind of work do you do?” … Which answer is more likely to get your temperature up to want to know more?
Answer #1: We write monthly newsletters for our clients. We do all the research, writing, distribution, contact list management and reporting of results from the readers. That makes it totally turnkey for our customers requiring a minimal investment of their time.
Likely Response: “Really! Tell me how you go about that.”
Now you’ve earned the right to strut-your-stuff in more detail.
Guiding Principle #2
- Present the problem to be solved right up front.
- Describe solution as, not what we do, but what we do for them.
- Include benefit statements that prospect or referral resource can relate to, i.e. get their temperature up a bit – save time, save money, make money, peace of mind.
- Offer proof of success
Here’s how that may script out.
Business owners are quick to agree that they need to remain visible and available to serve their customers, key prospects and referral resources. That said, they quickly add that they don’t know what to do or how to do it … in an affordable way. Our answer is a monthly newsletter to position them as thought leaders and industry experts in the eyes of their target audiences.
The unique value we bring is that we do it all! That means the research, writing, distribution, contact list management and reporting of results from the readers to prove ROI to our clients. That makes it totally turnkey for our customers requiring a minimal investment of their time … and at amazingly affordable pricing.
Said another way, the six words no business owner wants said of them is “Out of sight … out of mind.” We inoculate against the disease of “I’ll never forget old whatshername.”
Results are what matter … and a recent example is our client who is delighted with a minimum of two new accounts generated by each monthly newsletter.
This is now likely to develop into a meaningful conversation to discover the potential to help each other either through direct business or introductions to key prospects/referral resources
Time to Go to Work
OK. Now it’s time to stop with the instructions and get down to the practical application of these principles in the real world of your day-to-day business challenges.
- Write your VERY BRIEF (ideally a single sentence) description of the value your customers enjoy for your product or service offering. Note: Not what you do, but rather … what you do does for your customers.
- Present the problem to be solved right up front.
- Describe solution as, not what we do, but what we do for them.
- Include benefit statements that prospect or referral resource can relate to, i.e. get their temperature up a bit – save time, save money, make money, peace of mind.
- Offer proof of success.
You will likely go through several versions until you arrive at one you are comfortable with and that fits your unique personality. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn! If you don’t … who will? But always with a focus on benefits to those you serve.
Finally … Practice, Practice, Practice to deliver your messages with genuine enthusiasm.