You may have heard that people judge us this way; 55% how we look, 38% how we say what we say and 7% our actual words. This doesn’t mean our words are not important! Matter of fact though we are judged initially by our appearance and then by how we are speaking or presenting when it comes to getting clients, a loan, a or book deal, what we say about us and our offer or request must be well thought out or we go home empty handed. What follows is an exercise to help you craft a one of a kind intro or pitch that gets results.
Let’s get the first two parts out of the way, the 55% and the 38%. How we dress must line up with what we are saying and trying to communicate or the other person’s brain will experience a disconnect. It will be busy trying to put your style/image together with your communication rather than paying attention to what you are saying.
The 38% part represents literally how we are speaking. If you are trying to sell to corporate and you are ending all of your sentences on an up note, as if you were asking a question, you will not be taken seriously. If you help people redecorate, become better at social media, or change their lives in any way and you speak quietly, too humbly, lacking confidence, you are communicating a different message than the transformation you offer.
Once you have a killer introduction speak it in front of a mirror as if you were speaking to someone you just met. Grab your iphone or Droid and do a video of you and your new message. How do you sound? Are you confident, energetic or too quiet and not convincing?
How To Do “What Do You Do?” Better
We all meet new people on a regular basis and it’s important to know what you want to say to certain questions before they arise. The one most of us dread is, “So, what do you do?”
Here are a couple of exercises for you to help you get to a sentence or two that you can use to answer that question that will engage people—maybe even have them lean in and want to hear more.
- Write down at least 5 words or phrases you are tired of hearing and feel are old and tired. Do not use these or any others that feel cliché-esque. The brain turns off at worn out phrases.
- Now write down what you are currently telling people.
Read it out loud. How does it sound? Is it unique? Call up a colleague and say it to them and ask for feedback. If it needs work do the next step.
- Write down 2 – 5 results that clients get when they work with you.
My clients lose weight, make more money, save money on their mortgage, get their sexy back, etc.
Those are generic results and while they are great for the people that experienced them it won’t excite the brain of a potential client. The brain needs stories and or data. Rather than “my clients lose weight” how about “My clients go from nothing fits to damn these jeans look good on me.”
Or, “In the past year I’ve worked with 26 women and collectively they’ve lost 275 pounds.” See how that gives the brain something to grab on to and get interested in?
The brain also wants to know WIIFM right? (What’s in it for me?)
You know how……….is a phrase you can begin your pitch with.
Example: “You know how many entrepreneurs spend a whole lot of time getting their websites done, their business cards done, and show up on FB every day but don’t have enough clients? When they work with me we convert busy work into profitable work.”
You can also simply tell people who you work with and the results they get.
I help (niche) with (Pain, problem or challenge) so that they (result).
Don’t feel you have to follow this format exactly but it’s an easy way to start.
Example: “I help coaches who are struggling to write a message that doesn’t sound like everyone else. When they work with me they get clarity, confidence, and a message that works to bring in clients.
One phrase to avoid when someone asks you what you do is “I am a.” As in I am an accountant, a coach, a massage therapist. You’ve used up the precious first few seconds of attention span boring the brain of the person you are talking to. That may be your job title but it’s not enough to engage someone. An accountant could be “I’m the person who makes sure more of your hard earned money stays with you and not the IRS.”
Play with your words. Break free of the boring. Be willing to sound different, you are! Get clear in all of your communications whether spoken or written, deliver it all with confidence, and watch your ability to engage and connect soar.