The Elevator Speech

The Elevator Speech

Your elevator speech is arguably the most important piece of public speaking you’ll ever do.
It’s key, because it’s a short description you could give about your company in the time it takes to ride an elevator. It must be…

1. Brief
2. Easily understood
3. Memorable

The key here is to craft a clear and memorable speech.
The other key is to have it ready, memorable, memorized, clear, and concise.

It takes some decision-making to decide what to leave in and what to take out of your elevator pitch.  The biggest mistake is to take too literally the question ” what do you do?”…. then try to answer that question in too much detail.

Your elevator pitch must be short, brief and should touch very briefly on the products and services you sell and what market you serve, as well as your competitive advantage.  This USP, or unique selling point, should describe briefly what one unique thing your company does better than anyone else.

So go home and sit down and craft your elevator pitch.  That way you’ll be completely prepared the next time someone asks you…” what do you do?”

When a person asks you, “What do you do?” do you know what to say back? Do you have an Elevator Speech prepared for just such an occasion?

An Elevator Speech is a short, concise speech that you can use to answer just such a question. It is called an Elevator Speech because it is a description of your company that takes the same about of time as riding an elevator. It is arguably the most important speech you should have prepared as there will be many times in your day that you will only have a short amount of time to explain to someone what you do or what your company does.

There are three things to remember when crafting your Elevator Speech: make it brief, make it easily understood and make it memorable.

It takes time and good decision making when crafting your Elevator Speech. One of the biggest pit falls is taking the question, “What do you do?” too literally. This eventually makes you add too much detail, which ultimately makes the speech too long and no longer able to be used on an elevator ride!

Being brief is the best thing you can do. Plus, being brief also makes it easier for you to memorize, making the speech come out smoothly and unrehearsed. Think about leaving a flavor in the person’s mouth that will make them come back for more. Touch on the products and services that you sell, what market you serve and your competitive advantage, but don’t give too much away. If you hit a nerve, they’ll come back. End with your Unique Selling Point, or USP, which should describe the one unique thing your company does better than anyone else. And, of course, always have a business card to hand to them just as the elevator doors are opening!

Don’t let another day go by without having your Elevator Speech ready. Write it, review it and practice it on friends or family. That way, you’ll be ready the next time the person next to you asks, “So, what do you do?”

The 12 Essentials of Non-verbal Communication

1. Make an entrance
2. Walk tall, even if you’re short
3. Smile
4. Enter with a purpose
5. Make eye contact
6. Give a great handshake
7. Think before you sit
8. Convey a relaxed energy
9. Use your head and face
10. Use your hands
11. Communicate with clothes
12. Learn to use your voice…

5 Tools of Successful Families: #2. Expressing Yourself

Expressing yourself…

You may assume another family members know your needs, feelings, and opinions without you telling them.

But… relying on mind reading may result in…

• Disappointment
• Frustration
• Resentment
• Loneliness….or hurt…

Here are some guidelines for expressing yourself clearly…

1. Describe your feelings… share your feelings with” I” statements. They build trust and relationships and they give you ownership of what’s being said…” I feel-______”

Say what you mean in a simple, direct way. I’ve found that honesty is always the best policy. People seem to resonate with honesty and being straight up with them. Be specific, rather than general. Resist the temptation to be a pleaser, always trying to tell people what you think they want to hear. This is a big mistake.

Here’s some tips to use…

1. Describe how other people’s behavior affects you without blaming. ” You” statements can stifle communication and create an accusatory atmosphere.
2. Be aware of your nonverbal communication. Your body language gives you away every time. Be attentive to your face, tone of voice, and body language, because they communicate… far more than your words.
3. Finding time. Perhaps the most important way to express yourself is to make time to communicate with your family. Making a conscience effort to carve out time to talk with each individual, and together as a family, is key to the relational health of your family. A family environment can provide a safe place for its members to share feelings, thoughts, ideas, theories, dreams, and hopes.

It is often family that is left out…during busy, hectic times, it’s especially important to plan a few minutes when everyone can be together, or when you can be alone with a family member without interruption. Be sure to save a difficult problem-solving conversation for times when you’re not totally tired or fatigued.

Many of us are verbal learners and need to process our issues and problems through talking. If you have kids or your spouse who is thusly wired, you would do well in heeding the advice above. People who learned this at a young age will be more likely to cope with stress as adults. Being able to discuss and vent angry feelings can keep those feelings from creating more severe problems such as alcohol or drug abuse, violence, mental illness, stress, depression, or other emotional problems.

Take the time and make the time to communicate today. This is an investment in your children that far outweighs money or possessions…

If not you, who?

If not now, when?