THE PERFECT ELEVATOR PITCH

Thursday
7:45 AM
Temecula, CA 92593

I don't know if you know what an elevator pitch is, but when I started learning about marketing, I didn't and in fact I just learned what it was a few years ago, like two or three.

Anyway...

An "elevator pitch" is a 30-second answer to the question, "What
do you do?" that a lot of people ask you when you're at a party,
on a plane, in an elevator, etc.

"So what." you're saying? Why is that important to me?

Well, you need an elevator pitch because the question "What do you
do?" is usually asked by complete strangers in casual
circumstances, like I said.

In these situations, you do not have a captive audience watching
you go through your PowerPoint sales presentation.

So your answer must be pithy and to the point.

Why does it matter how you answer the question "What do you do?"
when speaking to someone you don't know? I mean who cares, right?

Well, no that's the wrong attitude.

Think more new patients, more new clients, or more new customers.

Because you never know when the person you're speaking to is a
potential customer, patient, client, or referral source.

YES a referral source.

Most elevator pitches, unfortunately, don't work - because they
are straightforward descriptions of job functions and titles,
generating not much else aside from disinterest and a few yawns.

SIDENOTE: How many times have you practiced your staffs elevator
pitch? I'll bet a hundred bucks... your answer is NEVER!

Well, it's time to change all of that.

For example, a fellow I met at a party told me, "I am a
certified financial planner with more than 20 years experience
working."

Yawn. I'm going to sleep. Come on Mr. Certified Financial Planner,
who really cares if you have 20 years experience?

There is an antidote I've found to the deadly dull elevator pitch.

This is a three-part formula that can enable you to quickly construct
the perfect elevator pitch.

By "perfect," I mean an elevator pitch that concisely
communicates the VALUE your product or service offers - in a
manner that ENGAGES rather than BORES the other person.

So whats the formula? Okay I'm going to give it to you, but I'm
going to charge you $100 for the secret. If you're not going to
send me the hundred bucks, then stop reading right here. This is
the old honor system and I'm going to GIVE it to you first, before
I ask you to send me money.

I trust you.

The first part is to ask a question beginning with the words "Do
you know?"

The question identifies the PAIN or need that your product or
service addresses.

Now let's go back to the Financial Planner example since his was
so good the first time.

For a financial planner who, say, works mostly with middle-aged
women who are separated, divorced, widowed, and possibly
re-entering the workplace, his question might be:

"Do you know how when women get divorced or re-enter the workforce after many years of depending on their spouse, they are
usually overwhelmed by all the financial decisions they have to make"?

The second part of the SECRET ELEVATOR formula is a statement that begins with
the words "What I do" or "What we do" - which is followed by a clear
description of the service you perform or deliver.

So let's continue with our financial planner, so he might say: "What we
do is help women gain control of their finances and achieve
their personal financial, family, and investment goals."

The third and final part of the formula presents a big benefit and begins
"so that."

Now I've learned that if you give people, like you this is sections, then
they might not get it, so, here's what the whole thing sounds like:

WHAT DO YOU DO?

"Do you know how when women get divorced or re-enter the
workforce after many years of depending on their spouse, they are
overwhelmed by all the financial decisions they have to make?

"What I do is help women gain control of their finances and
achieve their personal financial, family, and investment goals, so that
they can stay in the house they have lived in all their lives, if that's
what they choose to do, have enough income to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle
without creating more stress for themselves, and be free of money worries."

Action step: construct your elevator pitch today or tonight
using this SECRET three-part formula. THEN... send it to me at
drroddc@yahoo.com

Okay, this is a marketing blog, so let's review what I just said.

>> First part: ask a question beginning with the words "Do you
know?" that identifies the pain or need that your product or
service addresses.

>> Second part: describe your service, beginning with the words
"What I do" or "What we do."

>> Third part: explain why your service is valuable by
describing the benefits it delivers, beginning with the words
"So that."

Sincerely,

Dr. Carney

P.S.If this is valuable and you've actually taken some action, you might
want to send me your elevator pitch so I can review it. Thanks.