“So, what do you do?” I think we’ve all been asked this question, but how should you answer this question in order
Its not an Internet idea, it’s not even a new idea but it’s possibly one of the most important tools a small business owner or entrepreneur can utilise in a networking situation. The 30 second pitch or ‘elevator pitch’ is a concise statement about you and your business that conveys to your audience what you are all about without losing their interest. However the concept of a 30 second pitch in our eyes is a little unhelpful, in reality 30 seconds is often much longer than either 1. the time you’ll get or 2. the time you’ll need. Plus a 30 second rehearsed speech often rings a bit sterile and forced.
This is where the 10 second pitch comes into play, we suggest you have a brief benefit statement ready to use when anyone asks the question. You can develop a unique benefit statement by answering the following questions;
1> What do I or my business do? – Try to answer this without using a job title or industry name.
2> What makes us unique? – What is your USP?
The answer could be as simple as “We help small businesses develop skills to create an online presence, through a range of online resources and e-courses.”. Once stated anyone who has a genuine interest will question more, at which point you can elaborate more and even pitch if the situation feels appropriate. By using the 10 second pitch you inform the person of what you do without allowing them to form any pre-disposed ideas. We didn’t say small business consultancy, or business coach and attach all the stereotypes that come with the titles. Nor did we reel off a long winded pitch before we qualified any interest.
The 10 second pitch is a quick and easy method that you can employ in an array of networking situations, it also attaches an element of filtering to your networking allowing you to find the people in a room with some real interest in your business.
