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Elevator Pitches

Kevin Rogers “Rebel Yell” Short Story

I received an email from copywriter Kevin Rogers yesterday where he explained his short story idea. I think it is well worth sharing with you.

It’s the kind of thing that can be used as a short elevator speech to introduce yourself as it explains the “why” of what you do or even as a substitute for a USP.

He calls it his “Rebel Yell”, obviously a fan of Billy Idol.

Here it is…

My name is ___________, I love ____________ but was fed up with ____________. So I created _____________ that _________________.

He even shares a few examples,

The first is imagined from yesteryear.

“My name is Steve, I love computers but was fed up with the snail’s pace of commercial technology. So I created a user-friendly computer that processes information faster than anything else out there today.” Hello Apple.

The second is for himself and is a plug for his CopyChief.com membership website.

“My name is Kevin, I love copywriting but was fed up with serving only one client at a time. So I created a community that allows me to help hundreds of writers and business owners at the same time so everyone can grow together.”

I like it and plan to share it with a few clients. You can learn more about it at https://copychief.com/rebel-yell/ and there are a few more examples in his article.

If you’re a copywriter, you might want to consider becoming a member of Copy Chief. From what I’ve heard, it’s quite a community.

 

in 4 – Lead Generation

In my review posted of

USP: How To Craft Your Unique Selling Proposition

by Tara Jacobsen and Rebekah Welch posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it Three Stars.

Here is my review.

More focused on elevator pitches than an authentic, differentiating USP.

Working out how you can differentiate yourself from your competitors and communicate it to the customers is very important. Since this is an area of particular interest to me, I’m working my way around all the books.

This book takes quite a while to really get going and then produces a number of fill in the gaps phrases formulas to create what I think is much more of an elevator pitch than a USP although the two are linked. [continue reading…]

in Other Business Books

Do You Have A Juicy Introduction Or Elevator Pitch?

I wrote yesterday about elevator pitches (Why Your Elevator Pitch Is Important) and overnight I received an email promoting a webinar by Bill Baren and Lisa Cherney.

I had to smile.

First, I think “Juicy Introduction” is so much nicer a phrase than elevator pitch or elevator speech.

The webinar is titled:

“Pushing the Wrong Buttons: Chuck Your Elevator Pitch
to the Basement and Attract Clients with Your Juicy Introduction
Instead”

That suggests that a juicy introduction isn’t the same as an elevator pitch.

Without attending the webinar, I agree and disagree.

As I wrote yesterday, I think some elevator pitches are incredibly cheesy and put up the defences of prospects.

That’s obviously bad news.

A well crafted introduction on the other hand starts rather than ends conversations.

I liked the copy in the email so, as I’m going to be cheeky and repeat it here, I’d better give you a link to Lisa’s website – http://elevatorpitchmistakes.com/  and the webinar (March 28th) – http://elevatorpitchmistakes.com/bill-b

The webinar will probably lead to some kind of offer.

The Juicy Introductions Copy

  • Exactly what it says about you and your business if you CAN’T describe what you do in 30 seconds or less (and how not fixing this problem right now may very well keep your business STUCK in the basement!)
  • Why creating just an elevator pitch is a BIG mistake (and could be costing you thousands!) and how crafting a Juicy Introduction is definitely where you want to be
  • How not having a Juicy Introduction directly impacts what you charge for your services (and even more importantly, what people are willing to pay you)
  • How to create your signature Juicy 30 Second Introduction that pushes ALL the right buttons, so your business skyrockets right on up to Penthouse level… (really – master this, and return from EVERY in-person event, trade show, networking meeting or trip to the store with qualified leads that WILL likely convert to clients!)
  • Why you need at least 3 specific versions of your Juicy Introduction perfected at all times
  • 3 ways to use your Juicy Introduction that have nothing to do with eating rubber chicken at networking meetings (and how using them correctly can help you climb the floors of business success)

These bullet points raise some important issues although, in my reserved marketing approach, I’d shy away from some words used.

My Thoughts On “Juicy Introductions”

As I explained yesterday, for many years I resisted the idea about having an elevator pitch.

I saw them as cheesy, almost vulgar.

I guess in some ways, in those days, I was “anti-marketing”, arrogantly believing that if you’re good enough, you’ll always have more than enough customers and clients through word of mouth.

Then I saw the light.

As I worked more clients, I came to see them as an essential positioning tool.

People who can’t sum up their business in around 30 seconds and make it sound interesting have a big problem.

It suggests that they are not so clear themselves about some of the big questions of business success – the who, the what, the why…

If you’re in business you need a way to explain what your business does that makes anyone who should be interested ask for more details. You can call it a juicy introduction or an elevator pitch.

If you’ve got the time, I recommend that you listen to the webinar.

in 4 – Lead Generation

Why Your Elevator Pitch Is Important

I was wrong about the idea of elevator pitches and you could be too.

This misunderstanding could be costing you a lot of money in terms of lost opportunities for new customers and extra sales. I want to stop you making the same mistake I did because it took me more than ten years of owning my own business to get this right.

Elevator pitches are important if you don’t have as many customers as you want

Until a few years ago I thought elevator pitches were slick and sleazy and when I heard a corny expression, it immediately put me on my guard.

However at the same time, I recognised that introducing yourself with your business type has a nasty habit of making the other person turn you into a commodity supplier in their minds.

“I am an accountant (or a printer or a lawyer or a chiropractor…)”

Whatever the job, I assumed I knew what the person did.

The people I talked to did the same to me when I mumbled some kind of explanation of what I did because I was resisting the idea of having a pre-planned “corny” elevator pitch.

I could virtually see their eyes glaze over with a sign saying “I’m not interested” when they may have needed my services.

I bet you do the same when you meet someone new and they introduce themselves in such a boring way.

A better type of elevator pitch

Then I learnt a technique to create a better style of elevator pitch that could be varied based on the situation and the person I was talking to. It made a lot of sense to me and I developed a phrase I was happy to use.

Working with clients, I came to see this short statement as an essential positioning tool that explains how customers benefit in what situation and explains why a business is different to the competition.

Our coaching sessions turned meaningless generalities into meaningful specifics and that clarity of purpose rippled through into all the other marketing the clients did.

The elevator pitch became an acid test into how much thought a client (or any business owner) had given to their marketing.

If they couldn’t quickly and concisely explain what the business was about, I knew there was a marketing problem and the business owner was making it hard for customers to buy from the business.

 

in 4 – Lead Generation