Elevator Speech: What happens next?
Today, I’m going to share strategies to help you enhance your credibility and engage your listeners during the conversation that happens after you have delivered your elevator speech.
When you craft and deliver your elevator speech effectively, it should elicit questions and comments from your listeners about what you do. This will reveal what interests them, and that is valuable information for YOU.
As the conversation unfolds, you should dribble information about your products and services. I use the word “dribble” because you should maintain an element of suspense as long as possible during the conversation. The reason for this is simple: each time you express an idea, you should try to create within your listener a need for additional information.
Use the following three strategies:
1. At the beginning of the conversation, after you have spoken your elevator speech, include a sound-bite: a few concise sentences that described what you do, with a bit more detail than your elevator speech did.
2. Position yourself and your company as experts who stand out from the crowd of people who do something similar to what you do. Use phrases like
- We specialize in
- Our reputation is
- We’re known for
3. Mention your experience in industries that are the same as (or similar to) those of your conversation partners. And namedrop! Mention your clients who have the most impressive name recognition. And, of course, name only the ones who have not asked you to protect their anonymity.
As you namedrop, be sure to sound as casual as possible. When you appear to be unimpressed by your own experience and track record, you enhance your image as an expert.
Follow these steps, and you will be on your way to conversations that enhance your credibility, engage your listeners, and help generate the next conversation!
