San Diego Networking

As I sat at a recent Chamber of Commerce breakfast, we came to the part of the program where the attendees get to do their 30-second promotional, commonly known as the Elevator Speech. Type those two words into Google and it will spit back 1,290,000 hits on the good, bad & the ugly of this venerable staple of the networking process. Some say “Can the Canned Speeches!“, others offer formulas… another has you plug in answers to their questions, click *here* and Tah-Dah!…Their handy-dandy program creates your perfect 30-second speech!

Needless to say, there is not much I can write that has not already be said before, but I will relate this experience and offer some guidelines so you need not read the 1,290,000 Google offerings.

As I listened to everyone as they went around the tables (I was spared…they had just listened to me talk for 35 minutes), I found myself lulled by the repetitious nature of each introduction.

”Hi…I’m……., I am a (realtor, loan agent, business coach, printer, jeweler) or My name is ……The name of my company is…..We sell…….. I’m looking for…(this type of client to buy my product or service). I’d be happy to talk to you about my product or service.”

Then a man stood up and said,

“80% of all business owners DO NOT have a plan for leaving their business and moving into retirement.”

Huh? And I snapped to attention. I have a business…I need to think now about leaving it?

He continued:

“I work with successful individuals, business owners/principals and professionals helping them design, develop and implement strategies to secure their financial future. All I ask is the opportunity to gather the right kind of information to determine the needs and desires of my clients. (dramatic pause) A one hour meeting with me, could make a difference for a lifetime…”

I immediately thought…there’s a man who knows how to get your attention. And isn’t that what this process is all about? Getting the audience’s attention?

The remaining attendees repeated the same; My name is…… my business is… I’m looking for…

A training I took a couple of years ago boiled it down to a few simple rules.

1. The first word out of your mouth when adressing this type of audience should not be “I, me, or my”. Instead, start with a fact, a statistic or a thought-provoking statement. Remember, half of the audience is probably rehearsing their own speech in their heads, the other half are thinking, “Darn, forgot to mention…”, which means they are not 100% focused on you! Start with a strong statement to bring the room’s attention to you.

2. Then, tell them what value you bring to your type of client

3. Give them an action step on how to learn more.

Sample:

Those who attend networking events lose thousands of dollarsin missed opportunities because they have not been taught solid connection skills. I’m Mindy Selinger, publisher of the San Diego Networking guide and event calendar. I teach The Link System, a high level networking and relationship-building skills-set that has been taught to companies like Merrill Lynch, Wachovia and Morgan Stanley. If you would like to receive The San Diego Networking Guide via email, give me your business card and write a Y on it. If you would like information on how you can upgrade your connection skills, see me after the meeting. I have some free resources for you to learn more.

Ideally, you want different “soundbites” for different occasions. I would not say that to someone who asks “What do you do?” In a one-on-one situation I may say, “I teach networking skills”. Then if possible, I may position myself so that I am standing side-by-side with them and motion towards the crowd and say, “Someone in this room is worth thousands and thousands of dollars to you…but not as a client, as a business relationship. I teach you how to find them”.

At a normal networking event, I rarely go into more detail than that. The principles that I teach have you take the conversation in a different direction, one of pre-qualifying and gathering information.

The whole point is to be able to be concise, informative, and effective in getting out the message you want to your target market. You know that you have been successful when they declare their interest by wanting to know more.

Oh…about the man who declared “80% of all business owners DO NOT have a plan for leaving their business and moving into retirement.”

That was Bill Dutton of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network