| As an Etiquette Expert in American Business for 35 | | | | provide for each length pitch. The ideal elevator pitch |
| years, trends have changed. The world moves | | | | is fast, energetic and informative. Time these pitches |
| quickly and our culture has become poor listeners. For | | | | for yourself by using the second hand on your own |
| example, just because people ask who you are in a | | | | watch; then write your own original elevator pitches |
| business or in a social setting, does not mean they | | | | and memorize them. |
| want you to tell them more than the basic | | | | 10 Second Elevator Pitch: |
| information about yourself. Learn to summarize and | | | | |
| memorize your personal information by creating a | | | | 1. State your name: "Hello, I"m Sue Lee... |
| quick elevator pitch to introduce yourself in less than | | | | 2. Who you work for:... and I work for Dodd & Harp |
| 10 seconds. The 30-second elevator pitch that was | | | | Printing Company in Detroit. |
| so common in the 20th Century has become far | | | | 3. Describe your ideal networking candidate: Our |
| more information than people want to know about | | | | clients are small businesses who need fast turnaround |
| you. If someone wants more information based on | | | | services. |
| what you do give them, they'll ask you a question or | | | | 4. How you do it:... so we have designers and state |
| two, which will give you the opportunity to elaborate. | | | | of the art printers at our location." |
| Here is an short case study on the importance for | | | | 15 second Elevator Pitch |
| becoming a good listener. | | | | |
| Dean of the University of Massachusetts Worcester | | | | 1. State your name: "Hello, I am Sue Lee... |
| Medical School, Dr. Aaron Lazre, a prominent | | | | 2. Who you work for:... and I work for Dodd & Harp |
| psychiatrist, teaches his new physicians listening skills. | | | | Printing Company on Main Street in Detroit. |
| He makes the case that it is critical for doctors to | | | | 3. Describe your ideal networking candidate: Our |
| practice effective listening skills to ensure they not | | | | clients are small businesses who often need help with |
| only know what their patients are saying, but also so | | | | graphics and layout as well as fast turnaround |
| they can respond appropriate. | | | | services... |
| While the typical doctor interrupts his or her patient | | | | 4. How you do it:... so we have designers and |
| after 18 seconds, it takes the average patient 65 | | | | state-of-the-art printers at our location." |
| seconds to fully explain their problem. Research | | | | This is an example of a 20-second elevator pitch |
| shows that an average patient has three symptoms | | | | which you'll see is simply sharing too much |
| that prompt them to schedule a doctor's | | | | information. To think that only a decade ago we |
| appointment. If the patient never has a chance to tell | | | | used 30-second introductions as a standard form of |
| the doctor their second or third symptom because | | | | introduction is mind-boggling.20 second Elevator Pitch |
| the doctor has interrupted, the doctor may | | | | |
| misdiagnose and the results could prove fatal. | | | | 1. State your name: "Hello, I'm Sue Lee... |
| Dr. Lazre goes on to tell physicians that even listening | | | | 2. Who you work for:... and I am VP of Sales for |
| for the full 65 seconds is not enough. When the | | | | Dodd & Harp Printing Company on Main Street in |
| patient has stopped talking, the doctor should then | | | | Detroit. |
| make eye contact with the patient and ask if there | | | | 3. Describe your ideal networking candidate: We've |
| is anything more. Only by practicing these good | | | | been in business for seven years and our clients are |
| listening skills can the doctor begin to know how to | | | | generally small businesses who often need help with |
| treat the patient. | | | | their graphics and layout as well as fast turnaround |
| While good listening skills in business may not be a life | | | | services. |
| or death situation, it is as important to the well being | | | | 4. How you do it: And, we have four designers and |
| of the business as a doctor's listening skills are | | | | state of the art printers at our location." |
| important to their patient. | | | | Keep it short and sweet and then offer the person |
| As you will see in the examples below, the basic | | | | to whom you're speaking the respect of being a |
| bones of an elevator pitch stay the same. The | | | | good listener to what they're saying to you. |
| differences lie in the amount of information you | | | | |