The elevator speech

It is the basic tool of the networker. That 15- to 30-second collection of words that you say when asked about who you are and what you do. While many of us talk about it and use the term, how many of us have actually thought it through and have an elevator speech strategy?

• First, remember this is about brevity. Get to the point.
• Start and finish with your name (and company, if appropriate).
• Distill what it is you (and/or your company do/does).

With homage to John Ritter, those are the Three Basic Rules If You Want to Engage Network Effectively. So, let's try this. My speech goes something like this:

"Hi, I'm Paul Maynard of Zachry Associates, a full-service marketing communciations agency specializing in market research and working with non-profits. We help our customers understand their customers so they reach them more efficiently. I'm Paul Maynard, Zachry Associates."

State your name, describe your offering simply and state your name again.

The second sentence can go away if the elevator ride is shorter. Remember, this is about starting a conversation. It's the monologue before the dialogue. And once you've said it, always remember to ask the person you are talking with about themselves. Its' polite and, besides, you might hear a really good elevator speech.

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