In 30 seconds, leave the listener convinced that:
- You are professional, personable, authentic.
- You have something valuable to offer.
- Intrigues the person to ask more questions.
- Invites you to discuss the information further.
- Offers you specific assistance in achieving your goals.
- Initiates or develops a relationship.
Be prepared to tell others about yourself and your issue
16 seconds is the average time spent with a stranger in an elevator. It's also all the time needed to make a favorable first impression. Your “elevator” speech should consist of your name and title, occupation, field of interest or desired position, and something special about yourself: talents, experience or approach. The goal is to stand out from the crowd, to be memorable.
Be prepared to say… | Examples |
Your Name — Make it easy to pronounce and remember. Repeat it later in the conversation. Be upbeat. Smile. | “My name is Forest… Forest Gump.” “I’m Pandit Baird, like a ‘panda bear’.” |
What you do — not just job title, capture their attention and show your enthusiasm. | “I’m working on a cure for cancer as a microbiologist and researcher.” “I’m an economist especially interested in the micro-lending in African countries.” |
What interests you | “I am looking for ways to help people understand the impact of hunger on education and job productivity.” “I’m looking for overlapping projects that could be consolidated so we could fund other projects.” |
What's in it for them | “With what we are learning we can create more “What project would you like to see funded that |
Ask them a question – to learn about them and keep the conversation going. | “What do you do?” “What’s keeping you busy these days? |
Special thanks to Hull Strategies, LLC © 2016 for this article. For your personal use only. Contact Hull Strategies, LLC or R. Anne Hull, MEd, for copies and more information.
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Date created: 2016
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