Do they *understand* what you do?
September 8, 2008
When answering the question “What do you do?”, it can be very tempting to want to “dazzle” people with the intricate details about your business, as a way to show that you are an expert in your field. However, my advice when it comes to your 30-second introduction, is to resist this temptation.
Whether introducing yourself in a one-on-one situation, or to a room of people at a group networking function, it is very important to keep your elevator pitch or networking commercial SIMPLE, and easy to understand. We all know that 30-seconds is about all you get to answer that question, and to be the most effective you need to be brief and to the point.
People need to understand exactly what it is that you do – right off the bat!
When working on your elevator pitch, make sure of two important things: use simple words and avoid business jargon
Let’s take a look at an example. One of the services my company offers is the production of a video short, a “visual” version of your elevator pitch to be used in e-mail, on websites and at trade shows. Let’s say I want to talk about that in my elevator pitch.
If someone were to ask me what I do, and I wanted to tell them about our video short service, imagine if I said:
“We produce high quality video output in a variety of formats using high-quality 2-pass VBR MPEG-2 encoding for DVD, broadcast, and other delivery targets. “
I can only imagine that whomever asked me that question would probably furrow their brow and scratch their head. Sure, it would sound like I have a lot of experience and was technically knowledgeable about our service, but for the general population they wouldn’t understand any of it.
Whereas if I said, “We create 30-second and 60-second video commercials to be used in e-mail, on websites and at trade shows”, the chances of being understood and sparking interest to want to know more are far greater.
Don’t try to dazzle people with your knowledge in a 30-second introduction. Focus on WHAT you do, not HOW you do it – the how will come later when they are asking more involved questions or signing up for your service.
Take a look at your current elevator pitch or networking commercial and make sure that it’s simple to understand. Try it out on a few people and see what their reaction is – if you see their eyes glaze over or their brows furrow, it’s time to simplify!
(c) 2008 Barbara Beal-Lopez, The Elevator Pitch Coach with Brightfarm Productions, helps business professionals introduce themselves with high impact. Everything in business starts with an introduction. If you’re ready to introduce yourself and your business professionally and comfortably, visit Barbara at www.brightfarm.com and sign up for free weekly tips.
