How BOLD Can You Go With Your Elevator Speech?
How BOLD Can You Go In Your Elevator Speech?
By Fabienne Fredrickson
"How LOW can you go?" is what you think about when you do the
limbo. Since we're talking about marketing, I'll ask you
this: How BOLD can you go, in describing what you do?
I was coaching a private client this week about how to turn his
Kitchen Designer elevator speech into a conversation that
elicits a prospective client meeting, right there at the
networking event and in less than 5 minutes! The key? Come up
with a claim for what you do that is the BOLDEST thing you can
think of (while still being legal, of course).
Your claim should be so bold that the person listening to you
will say "Wow, really? How do you do that??" This gives you
permission to go into what you do and how you do it (preferably
talking about your proprietary system). Now, whenever I talk to
clients about this and we start working on this exercise, often
the stuff they come up with is kinda bland, stuff we've heard
before, and that doesn't elicit that WOW we're looking for. So,
again, I stress, "What's the BOLDEST THING you can say?" and
then the good stuff comes out.
Use, the words below for some inspiration:
* Double in half the time
* A ___% increase over last year
* In less than 10 weeks
* Etc.
Here's an example of a script I put together for my
client:
Stranger: Hi, I'm Jane, we haven't met yet.
John: Hi, I'm John Smith, founder of Amazing Kitchens.
Stranger: Hi, John, nice to meet you. So, what do you do?
John: I help homeowners increase their home's value by up
to 110% in less than 6 months. (BOLD CLAIM)
Stranger: Really?? How do you do that?
John: Well, you know how some homeowners... (insert
CONVERSATIONALLY WRITTEN elevator speech, focus on struggles of
the ideal client, and results and benefits they receive after
working with you). Would you like to know more?
Stranger: Yes, please!
John: Great...what we can do is set up a complimentary
meeting to talk about the approximate current value of your
home, your kitchen "lifestyle," and what we could do to increase
your current living experience in your kitchen. We'll then give
you an estimate as to how much your home's value would increase
at resale time. Shall we chat briefly tomorrow to set up a time?
Stranger: Absolutely, let's do that. Here's my card.
John: Fantastic. (handshake) Nice, to meet you Jane. I'll
call you tomorrow to set that up, promise. (John made a date,
now he'll circulate and meet more people and do the same thing.)
CHACHING!
Now, granted, this is just a made-up example, but you get the
point.
With a bold enough claim, you have permission to start a
really compelling conversation, with an invitation to tell
them your elevator speech. Not bad for 5 minutes, right?
Your Client Attraction Assignment:
Your turn. What is the boldest claim you can make in the
marketplace? If you put your creative hat on, how can you
take what you do and transform it into something that
prospective clients will be literally WOWED by and will want to
know more about, eagerly? Take a pad of paper and brainstorm.
Once you figure this out, I guarantee you'll turn those
'eyes-that-glaze-over' into a lot more prospects in your
pipeline.
Not sure how to get started with your compelling elevator
speech or proprietary system to begin with? You'll want to
get a copy of the Client Attraction Home Study System