Four useful elevator speech templates – not just for sales.

Whatever your job, whoever you are, first impressions matter – so put aside any ideas that elevator speeches are just for sales people – because from the accounts professionals to IT, web-design to marketing, everyone who works in a company can benefit from having a quick and easy way to introduce themselves when asked.

As the MD of a busy company, I am often out and about meeting people, so I thought I’d share my tips on how to create an “Elevator Speech”

What is an elevator speech?
Elevator speech got its name from the idea of meeting someone very important in an elevator.  You’ve got 15-seconds to introduce yourself – so what do you say?

Here are four useful elevator speech templates that I use.  I often shuffle things around to make it more interesting when I meet a number of people at one event.

Template one:

I help _______ by doing _______that______, _____and _____.

Example:

I help B2B companies by creating fully integrated ecommerce systems that help them sell more product, get more customers, and reduce their costs at the same time.

But this template is flexible – here’s an example for an in-house web administrator:

I help customers  by managing our integrated B2B ecommerce system that  helps customers buy quicker, sell more and out-perform their competition.

Template two:

I love/enjoy ______________ for  _____________ in order to ___________ .

Example:

“I love doing research on the competition for our business sector in order to keep our business well-informed and a market-leader”  

Template three

I help ___________ by doing ___________ that results in   _____________ .

Example:

“I help distribution clients  by creating downloadable templates  that results in enabling them to sell more products to new customers”

Template four

I am ________________ with (pick one: keen to, eager to, driven by/to, passionate about, interested in) _______ (what you do) ________ for (industry or population) through-by/____________(adjective/ noun.) so that ________________________

Example:

I’m an account manager, with a real passion for helping our distribution channel to save money, by understanding and predicting the needs of the industry, so that our company is seen as pro-active and a market-leader.

Putting your elevator speech to work

• It’s all very well to have an elevator speech written on paper – but how does it sound in “real life”? Before you give your Elevator Speech its first live outing, ensure you practice it.
• Develop two or three speeches not just one.
• Finally take every opportunity to use and to hone your Elevator Speech – and even pop a 6-monthly “review date” in your diary – a time to check it over and decide whether you are happy with it or if you need a fresh approach

Note:  for anyone who still thinks an Elevator Speech can only work for sales. I hope I’ve shown that’s not the case.  A good elevator speech gives people an instant and clear understanding of you as an individual.  It leaves the opportunity for them to ask more questions, and it’s a great conversation starter.

After all, what would you rather hear:  “I’m a sales person for Aspidistra”, or “I help people to save money, make money and gain more customers, by building robust B2B ecommerce solutions that are totally integrated with their business system”?

Whichever it is – let’s talk.