Forget the "Elevator Speech" ... Your “Impact Message” Will Take You Much Further!
By Ken Lizotte CMC
Innovators & Entrepreneurs, November 2022
When a program host invites audience attendees to stand up and give their “30-second elevator speech,” you should jump right up and be the first to go. Not only will you be grabbing an unexpected chance to practice, but what you say in those 30 seconds may put you as much in the spotlight as the keynote speaker. Here's how:
Ignore your elevator speech by substituting an “impact message” instead. This powerful improvement, designed by relationship expert Jim Masciarelli, author of the book Powerskills, typically grabs greater attention for me from an audience because it hits them squarely where they live. My own impact message for example, follows Masciarelli’s careful construction as described in his book:
“Hello, my name is Ken Lizotte" I begin, "I’m founder of Emerson Consulting Group in Concord Massachusetts.” Then after a momentary pause (for effect), I add, “... where I make consultants famous!"
Next comes this piece: “I achieve this by helping them get their ideas published, thereby positioning them as thought leaders and go-to authorities in their field."
The final kicker goes: “If you’d like to gain more recognition in your target market as an expert with an edge, see me tonight so we can exchange business cards and emails. Again I’m Ken Lizotte, Emerson Consulting Group, Concord Massachusetts where I make my consultants famous!”
I then sit down while attendees in the room murmur about what I just said as they ready their business cards so they and I can exchange them later. In some ways, this powerful 30-second introduction works as well as, and sometimes better than, delivering the keynote!
How to Construct Your Own!
STEP #1: THE ATTENTION GRABBER
Hello, my name is _____________(add your company name and location and/or website here) of ____________ at _________________ where I (catchy value proposition here)_____________________.
STEP #2: THE EXPLANATION
I achieve this by (specific deliverable) _________________________________, (NOTE: more than one is acceptable but not more than four… but keep each brief so as not to overwhelm!)
STEP #3: THE RESULT
… thereby (specific action and/or outcome) ______________________________________
STEP #4: SUGGEST WHAT THEY MIGHT GAIN FROM YOU
So, if you’d like to gain/get/learn to ____________________, come see me at the break or after the program so we can exchange business cards.
STEP #5: REPEAT
One last time, state your name, company name, location and/or website and catchy value proposition _____________________
Follow these instructions and experiment so you can find something that really works (the catchy value proposition especially), then practice, practice, practice. You will soon exit the ranks of your boring elevator speech colleagues and stand out from the crowd. Attendees will remember you, approach you, engage with you and, best of all, choose to do business with you.
The dreaded elevator speech exercise will never hold dominion over you again.
Statements of fact and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the Society of Actuaries, the newsletter editors, or the respective authors’ employers.
Ken Lizotte CMC is author of nine books including Discover Your Dream Career (Emerson Books) and The Expert's Edge (McGraw-Hill). He has worked with over 400 business experts to position them as published thought leaders in their chosen field. For more info, visit www.thoughtleading.com.