Ingredient: 30-Second Commercial

A 30-second commercial, also called an “elevator speech,” is typically used when leaving your first voice mail message with a prospect or referral source, beginning a presentation, or formally introducing yourself to a group. It’s an ideal tool for one-way communication, and delivering a message in a setting where people may not have a chance to respond to you.

This is different from the 10-second introduction described in Chapter 7, which is designed for two-way communication and facilitating dialogue.

When you are calling someone for the first time and get voice mail, use a 30-second commercial to introduce yourself. You often will not get a return call, but it is a golden opportunity to deliver your marketing message directly into a prospect’s ear. A 30-second commercial is also useful in networking situations where you have a chance to stand up and announce to a gathering of interested people more about what you do.

What you don’t want to do with your commercial is use it to answer the question, “What do you do?” in conversation. Nor do you want to launch into it when you get a prospect live on the phone. Thirty seconds of you talking without pause is too long for either of those purposes. You can, however, use pieces of your commercial as the basis of an interactive exchange. Developing a strong 30-second commercial will provide you with useful material on which to base a telemarketing call, sales conversation, or dialogue with a potential referral partner.

Begin your commercial with your 10-second introduction; then continue on with a few details about the services you offer. Always include benefits or results to the client rather than just a list of what you provide. Here are two examples:

“My name is Chris Winston. I help human resource departments keep track of employees, salaries, and benefits. I’m an HR information systems consultant. If your current system isn’t keeping up with your needs, I can fix inaccurate reports, install software upgrades, help you meet regulatory requirements, and make the system easier to use. When your system needs replacing, I’ll make sure you avoid expensive mistakes, and work with your staff step-by-step to manage a system replacement on time and under budget. Since I specialize in HR, you can be sure I understand all of your unique needs, and stay current on what’s essential for you to know.”

“I’m Mai Nguyen, and I help my clients maintain healthy lifestyles despite daily stress and chronic medical conditions. I’m a lifestyle coach. If you or your patients are suffering from stress, overwork, or ongoing health problems, I can help with maintaining a healthy diet, staying on an exercise program, and applying stress management techniques to support increased wellness. I work with individuals and health practitioners to make sure people with health challenges don’t just talk about lifestyle changes; they make them. I’m a stress management instructor and certified fitness counselor, so you can be confident that I have the training and experience to help my clients live healthier lives.”