How well does your 30 second elevator speech work? When people ask, "what do you do," and you tell them, do their eyes glaze over, and they rush away at the first chance they get OR do they say, "Really! Tell me more."
I'm changing mine thanks to
Karen Hough, CEO & founder of
Improv Edge who gave a breakfast bootcamp (at seven freaking thirty a.m.) yesterday morning for
TechColumbus - Networking and Personal Development. Karen's company, Improv Edge, uses improvisation to help people, companies and teams get unstuck.
What Not to Do in a Presentation
Karen obviously has some improv or acting experience. She gave a hilarious example of what not to do in a 20 minute presentation to a prospective client - read the slides word for word really fast and don't let the client talk. My take aways on what to do are:
- Make a connection with a warm handshake & introduction.
- Ask what the client would ideally like to accomplish.
- Listen.
- Reflect back what you heard.
- Respond.
30 Second Elevator Speech
Then the audience practiced elevator speeches by choosing a partner and making an introduction.
My partner was a man. I introduced myself and asked him what he did. He told me about his company, an IT & technology recruitment firm. Then I asked, "and what do
you do?" He looked confused for a moment and started repeating what his company did.
"No. I mean what do you do personally in your company? Do you find the recruits or work with the companies looking for recruits?" He works with the companies.
I don't connect with companies. I connect with people. How about you?
My turn came. Michael asked me what I did.
I answered, "I show women how to recover their personal power in times of crisis or change." His eyes glazed over when I said
women.
Note to self "women" doesn't work with men.
He did go on to ask, "How do you do that?"
I answered, "I partner with women to take a look at where they are now compared to where they want to be. We inventory the assets and roadblocks in between and create a plan to get them to their goals."
He still looked confused.
"I work with women in times of change or crisis in their careers, custody battles, divorce, or relationship conflict."
He laughed and said, "Stay away from my wife!"
All this got me thinking:
- Does my 30 second elevator speech work?
- Does it work with all people or only women?
- What do I do really?
- How can I create a little cosmic disconnect to pique curiosity about what I do? (A la Ronnie Noize, the Marketing Coach.)
Guess what I came up with?
