Upgrade Elevator Pitch: Explore Alternatives to Grab Attention

If you have just started up and belong to one of those professionals who strive hard to get the prospects attention, you will not deny as to how difficult it has become to cut through and stand apart having a respectful, insightful, and mutually valued conversation with that person. It’s rightly said as the first impression is the last impression. Given this fact, your initial contact with a prospective customer leaves a little scope for error.

The First Conversation – Explore Alternatives:

The very first is the most critical and the least forgiving in the entire sales process. An elevator’s pitch is a pre-planned 30secs to two minute response to the most pertinent question posed by client “What do you do?” Business people have become hyper-sensitive to commercials. If any talk goes anywhere near to being sales or fake sounding, people immediately opt out.

Let’s analyze an Elevator’s Speech:

We work with companies that are facing escalating logistics costs and are looking at the possibilities of outsourcing. We help them analyze the risks and potential benefits of outsourcing and have the capabilities to provide the logistics services if their situation points to that as a best alternative.

It takes roughly 20 seconds to say, but it covers a lot of ground. Let's break the statements down:

• We work with companies that are facing escalating manufacturing costs and are looking at the possibilities of outsourcing—speak of relevance and positioning. The customer now knows who you are and should be thinking "That's sounds like me."

• We help them analyze the risks and potential benefits of outsourcing...— introduce more specific relevance via the concern they would typically be struggling with.

• ...and have the capabilities to provide the manufacturing services if their situation points to that as a best alternative—state the value you can provide.

As you can see, this really isn't a pitch in the conventional sense. There is actually a dialogue taking place within this short monologue. You're speaking, but the customer is replying silently and agreeing in his mind that about experiencing the problems you are describing.

Upgrade Elevator Pitch and Grab Attention:

Follow the four tips to supercharge your networking:

1. Begin with a Hook:

An investment counselor might begin with "I help you sleep well at night." Such short statements should peak the curiosity but should not lead to any pre-conceived notion.

2. Stop Talking:

Give listener the time to think, to get confused and ask for more, leading you to further conversation.

3. Engage Slowly:

Hook: You dream it up, we make it happen. Reel: We make your computer do what you bought it to do in the first place. A hook/reel combination like this will normally lead to the question, "what do you mean” landing you to the perfect chance.

4. Serve ’em up:

Always prioritize service than sales and focus on listener’s needs.

Practice to Perfect:

There is much to gain—or lose—in the opening moments of a conversation. It is critical to take the disciplined steps necessary to build credibility in that initial contact, ensuring the conversation continues and deepens.

Sources:

http://www.businessweek.com
http://www.esalesdata.com