I have been fascinated by the giving of "elevator" speeches, or 30-second commercials, or whatever else they might be called, since I first joined a professional and business leads group. There are so many variations! Only some are effective.
Let's look past the ones that are awkward first tries. Those people will learn and improve over time, especially if they work with a coach or mentor. We'll also overlook the ramblings of those who are not prepared or who don't work well on the fly.
I don't find the classic, unchanging, "one size fits all" version very effective. Over time, if I meet the person repeatedly, and hear the same thing, I tend to tune out. I have heard the message before and can only really appreciate the person's ability to memorize a small bloc of text. And what is sadder, these speeches don't recognize that the audience changes. Something that appeals to network partner #1 may not connect with partner #2.
I have several regulars in my primary leads group who do wonderfully well in making commercials. Their work has several important elements:
(1) They mention themselves and their business at the outset and in the close.
(2) They include a value proposition of some kind, either discussing a problem they solved or how they can help someone else.
(3) They give cues to what constitutes a good lead or referral for them.
(4) They add a refreshing touch of humor.
Bottom line: consider how you make elevator speeches or short personal commercials. Can you add new elements that improve effectiveness? what are you learning from the best practices of others? You can be the speaker every one listens for!
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