At St. Louis SourceLink we believe that networking is one of the most valuable ways for any entrepreneur to spend time. By networking, a business owner meets people who can help the business thrive.
There are three important things to remember when networking:
Be Prepared: Think about who you want to meet at the event. Think about what you want to say. You'll find tips on how to develop an "elevator pitch" below.
Be Easy to Talk to: Listen to what others have to say. Have a positive, upbeat attitude. Wait for the right opening to enter into others' conversations.
Be Ready to Follow Up: Once you've made a connection, don't lose it. Phone or e-mail promising contacts the following day. If you promised to provide something, do it.
What is an elevator pitch?
An elevator pitch is where sales meets presentation skills. In the length of an elevator ride (30-60 seconds), you need to be able to tell a new contact:
- What is my service, product, company or cause?
- What problem do I solve?
- How am I different?
- Why should you care?
As you develop your elevator pitch, it's a good idea to use some specific guidelines:
- 150-225 words
- Have a hook
- Have a tag line
- Talk about tangibles
Once you have your elevator pitch, test it out with these questions:
- Is it simple and easy to understand?
- Would people want to know more?
- Does it accelerate your heart rate?
Other things to think about when writing your elevator pitch
- Who is the market?
- What is the revenue model?
- Who is behind the company?
- Who is the competition?
- What is your competitive advantage?
- Request at the end?