So there you are, having ditched your b*tch or at least subdued your negative self-talk enough to get yourself in the door of the networking (or business) event. In fact you’ve attended regularly enough to recognise and be recognised, and now it’s your turn to promote your business. This is the moment where those listening find out how you can help them, or those they love, ease some pain. You have their undivided attention, and silence, no small achievement in a networking event. You open your mouth and say…..”Oh, you all know what I do. I’m Nancy Nohope from Dusty Products. Your turn…”
So what just happened then? Why did you just sabotage your chance to share your message? How far do you think your ‘modesty’ will grow your business? In fact, to assume everyone knows all about your business and has retained everything you’ve ever told them is misguided at best, arrogant at worst.
Some schools of thought say you should polish your ‘elevator’ pitch until it glows and repeat it word perfect every opportunity, to embed it in people’s brains. In my experience there is a tendency for people to glaze over if they are hearing your word perfect spiel weekly, or even monthly, particularly if it is delivered without passion. If you’re not excited about what you do, why would you expect others to be?
Keep your key message or tag, for example, mine is that I’m a Head Transition Coach who can smooth your path by clearing your head trash out of the way. Keep that consistent, but vary your examples, your stories, your news, your specials or new products, share your ideal client characteristics, and share your dreams for your business.
I might invite people to my next free monthly webinar designed to increase clarity, confidence and motivation. Or share how a client who used to spend her days sobbing and eating on the couch, waiting for her abusive boyfriend to come home, is now happily single, slim, and on a management fast track program. The key word is ‘share’ – don’t shut people out of your dreams. You need them to be part of your success.
Those people you speak at (instead of with) every week have vast networks of contacts that you can tap into by triggering a response in your listener, “Ah, my mate Fred was only talking about that issue last week. He needs to speak to you!”
Of course, just as in personal relationships where you must love yourself before you can truly allow anyone else to love you, so in business you will never build strong alliances based on mutual trust and respect if you don’t truly trust and respect yourself. Your self-doubt will continue to zip your lips, and you’ll have a trail of missed opportunities rather than trail of successes. What a waste!
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