Have you ever been in a hotel fitness center?
They always baffled me, because I used to pick a piece of equipment, randomly place the pin at what I considered a non-embarrassing level of resistance, and then half-heartedly try it a few times before taking the same approach on a different piece of equipment.
That all changed in 2016 – the year I had a bout of sciatica
My physical therapist worked her miracles, and once it cleared I asked how I could avoid ever going through that ever again.
She gave me a daily exercise routine, which I’ve been doing every morning ever since.
And that discipline in my fitness routine gets me thinking about your Elevator Pitch.
Because so many people approach a networking event the way I used to approach the hotel fitness center.
They wing it!
They show up and say whatever comes to mind in the moment.
The Two Pitfalls of Winging It
- Consistency leads to trust: People are concerned that they are going to be boring, but think back to the last networking event you attended. How many of those Elevator Pitches do you remember? None, right. When you’re winging it, no one will have any idea what you do. But when you consistently deliver the same pitch, people begin to recognize and remember what you do.
- Continuous Improvement: If you don’t know what you’re going to say (or what you said), then there’s no way to improve over time. Keeping the same pitch for a month will give you a good sense of how it’s working. Then when you intentionally try something else, you’ll know pretty quickly whether it’s better or worse. If it’s better, keep it! If it’s worse, then revert back to your other pitch for a bit, then try something else new.
Now that I have a morning routine, I love hotel fitness centers. I ignore 90% of the equipment – the same way your Elevator Pitch ignores 90% of your offerings.
Instead, you focus on the most engaging aspect of what you do.
The service that draws people in and gets them talking to you.
Ignore the rest of the equipment.
Stick to your strategy.
Take Action:
As you reflect on your current approach to your Elevator Pitch, ask yourself:
How do people first engage you in your business?
What product or service is the starting point?
Now – the key question – is that front and center in your Elevator Pitch?
Let me know in the comments how you’re going to improve your Elevator Pitch based on this article.
Your insights and experiences can help us all refine our pitches, so please share!