You are at a networking event and it comes time to stand up and introduce yourself to the interested onlookers. One after the other, the people before you bore the other meeting attendees silly with their dreary descriptions of their work. Now it’s your turn. You’re either going to captivate them with a fascinating pitch that’s relatable and compels your audience to know more. Or you’re going to bomb with a forgettable, boring, lackluster response that has them wishing you further! Luckily, Michelle Bowden is here to enlighten you on how to be the former and not the latter…
When someone asks you to explain what you do, how are you going to stand out? Especially when you’re in a high-level EA role that most people find tricky to ‘get’.
In this article, I’m going to suggest two different styles to you. The first is very short and I call it the one-line elevator pitch. The other is longer in case you have just a minute of extra time. It’s called the five-step pitch.
The one-line elevator pitch
What it is:
The one-line approach involves you explaining in just one sentence how you help people.
How it’s done:
Start with: “I help people…” then say what you achieve. Or, start with your title and further explain what that means by outlining how you help people.
Here are some examples:
“I help people who feel trapped and unfulfilled in their corporate jobs to ditch the ladder, escape the nine ‘til five and live a life of purpose, success and abundance through running their own business.”
“As a strategist, coach and speaker I bring clarity to complex situations, enabling difficult decisions to be made with confidence.”
“I’m a pitch coach and I help people to communicate their ideas persuasively, so they hear the word yes more often.”
“I’m an accountant with PWC and specialise in corporate tax. I’m working on an interesting project at the moment with Rio Tinto helping them minimize their tax liability.”
The five-step pitch
What it is:
The five-step pitch is a simple way to plan out what you’d like to say.
How it’s done:
Simply go through the five steps:
- Start with the problem: “Many people find…”
- Introduce your solution: “Imagine if…”
- Explain your target audience – who benefits from your product or service?
- Share proof – list one or more clients who have reaped the rewards of your help.
- Conclude with a statement of fact to ensure your audience is convinced.
Here is one example:
“Have you ever felt like you were banging your head against a brick wall when trying to convince someone to say yes to your ideas? Imagine if you knew the formula that successful business presenters use to persuade people. I specialise in helping businesspeople pitch their ideas so people listen, engage and say yes more quickly. Last year I helped two corporate clients win $500million pitches. The reason we follow formulas is because they work.”
Here is another, slightly longer this time:
“Most people fear speaking in public. In fact, you’ve probably heard that people fear public speaking more than death. Imagine if you could learn what awesome public speakers do to manage their nerves so that you could captivate an audience and never feel fearful when speaking in public again? I specialise in helping businesspeople overcome their public speaking fears so they can communicate with confidence, clarity and influence every time. I’ve just helped an amazing girl called Amy. When Amy was only 10-years-old, she was booed by her teacher and class whilst doing a speech in class. By the time she contacted me she was 32-years-old and she had been terrified of public speaking ever since. She said she’d decided to overcome her fear and had signed up to do a keynote speech at a conference of 120 people. Her brief to me was: “Cure me.” No pressure! Amy learnt the three phases to a persuasive presentation in business and was told she was the best speaker at the event. She’s cured forever. Anyone can be a persuasive presenter, it’s just a matter of knowing what to do and doing it.”
Why not plan out what you’ll say the next time you find yourself at a networking event and you’re asked: “What do you do?” I’m sure you’ll be glad you did.
Michelle is renowned for achieving results through learning and laughter. She has a passionate, entertaining, and highly interactive approach to her presentations that ensures behavioural change every time.
www.michellebowden.com.au
