Even though we had to meet on a different day from what we’re used to, the members of the RBS Breakfast Club were as cheerful as ever. It is a sign of the value the members see in being part of the group when they reschedule other commitments to be in attendance.
That said, some commitments can’t be moved, so we missed a few of the usual faces today, but hopefully, we’ll be able to find a way to have them rejoin us soon.
The first thing we spoke about this morning was how important it is to continue practising our elevator speech. We may all know each other and have heard it before, but that’s not the point. The point is to practice for when we meet new people.
How to Deliver a Great Elevator Speech
One of the most difficult questions to answer in business is “what do you do?”
It’s not difficult because we don’t know how to talk about our business, nearly every business owner could talk about their business till the cows come home. It’s difficult because doing so in a way that keeps people interested is not easy.
Not everyone who asks that question will want the whole story. Some are happy just to hear your name and your job title.
“Hi, I’m Andy, I’m a Marketing Consultant for the tourism and hospitality industries”
But if the person you’re speaking with is still paying attention, it’s a perfect opportunity to go a little deeper.
The best way to craft your elevator speech is to start vague and get more detailed with each section. You’ve already introduced who you are and what you do, tell them a bit about your expertise.
“I’ve been in the industry for 20+ years and have worked on projects with big and small businesses and with both local and state governments”
Are they still paying attention? Go a little deeper. Specify your ideal audience.
“Tourism businesses, like tours and attractions, or hospitality businesses like cafes, restaurants and hotels, hire my business to design and oversee their advertising and marketing”
Are they still paying attention? Why do they hire you?
“They use our services because they know that running a great cafe or hotel isn’t the same thing as being able to promote it. You might be a great chef, but that doesn’t make you a great ad guy”
If you’re still going at this point, it’s time to make sure they know why you’re different from all the other people in your industry.
“We give them all the benefits of a large team of specialist writers and designers, for less than the cost of hiring a junior “jack-of-all-trades.”
By now, you’ve said everything you need to and it’s time to ask them about themselves. A successful elevator pitch doesn’t need to be any more than 30 seconds.
Featured Presentations
Sharyn McCaskey – Sharyn McCaskey Social Media
Sharyn spoke of the importance of having your Facebook Page set up correctly. She focused on the Profile Picture and Cover Image. Her top tips are:
- Set your page’s profile picture as your logo. Once that’s set, don’t change it.
- Update your page’s Cover Image regularly. Use it to advertise what’s happening in your business at the moment, including new products or services, a limited offer special, or something else that your audience would find interesting.
- In the description of each of these images, include as much information as you can. Include your contact details, your website address, all your social media channels, your business description, everything from the about us section of your website, your products, your services, testimonials, reviews and everything else that your customer might benefit from knowing.
Phil Davies – C21 Real Estate
Phil spoke about his journey in life and how his experiences influence every decision he makes in business today. He spoke of the importance of remaining humble, having faith, and striving to always do good and treat people fairly.
It must be good as a mantra for life and business because Phil’s been running his business for nearly 30 years.
Group Discussion
It was only a short group discussion this time round, but we spoke briefly about the idea of having something in your business that doesn’t necessarily make money but draws customers in. Very cheap bread at the supermarket, for example, is often sold at a loss but brings customers in who’ll buy other, more profitable items at the same time.
General Announcements
We’re all hopeful that our change to meeting on Thursday morning will be a one-off and we’ll be back to our usual Tuesday morning meeting time next fortnight.
As our next meeting will be the last one of the year, we’ve decided to organise a Secret Santa, with a twist.
Paul from Stonehenge Ceramics shared the twist idea, so will be running our Secret Santa. Members will get more info via text shortly.
Merry Christmas everyone!
