Folks, I’ve been to a lot of networking groups in the past six years. As an observer of words, I find it interesting what people say in their 60-second elevator pitch. A lady at a group today said something like “Men and women are talking about anti-ageing and I help you discover how to prevent anti-ageing”. Never mind the baloney, because she said the opposite of what she meant. You want to prevent ageing / wrinkles. People who go to the network marketing events tend to pick up certain lines and re-use them, and soon enough, you’ve heard them before. Even worse, they are very generic.
GENERIC is the kiss of death in relating to people.
Do you know what people like and relate to? Is it a pitch they’ve heard before…. or is it the Authentic you?
Can you also spin it around from “I am a…… or I can do…. to “I’ve done this (achievement) and now I show others how to do this too, even if they don’t know where to start.
I believe that to build credibility within a room in a short time… you’ve got to walk your talk. Smile, be confident. Don’t speak in a monotone. Enjoy what you’re saying. If you make a fluff, laugh about it and correct.
If you can get your pitch right and you are a leader in your micro-niche, then you will be ready for media interviews. Interviews allow you to expand from your initial pitch to them… to why your message is important for the public to know.
I’ll use an example of a mundane, practical business: Roofing. Not normally a thriller? What about if a roofer with 25 years’ experience told you that more than half of all roof companies overcharge asbestos roof customers {it’s just an example, so don’t sue me}… I’m just saying that a lot of companies do make a big deal, inflating the cost of asbestos removal, other companies say you can paint over it (literally throwing money up on your roof and painting it).
Without naming names, as an expert you do have the right to expose bad practices in your industry. The fact is, people are looking for a genuine deal, a helpful service, and truth always costs less and creates more. Why do I say that?
When you tell the truth in your pitch, your advertising and your content online, you spark interest in people. Not many are game enough to say controversial things or be a lone wolf — but if you check out your facts and do so — that costs you less than lying, smoothing or mimicking your message. It creates more interest because the authentic single-minded message creates a gravitational pull. Here are some home-grown examples:
Hetty Johnson – Bravehearts Inc. } Child protection and education in schools.
(Check out the website for events you can participate in to protect children)
May King Tea Tsang } Genuine speaker and promoter of healthy tea!