First, let's understand where the idea of an 'elevator pitch' comes from, and what it is.
It comes from the many opportunities sales people have when they visit office buildings, where important business leaders work. The sales rep may take an elevator with somebody extremely important, such as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, who can turn out to be a potentially lucrative customer. Those 30 seconds of a shared elevator ride is a unique opportunity that should not be missed.
An 'elevator pitch' is a brief sales presentation meant to initiate a relationship that will develop further through follow-up. To be effective, it has to build up your audience's interest. You have also to open the door for a follow up on that presentation.
As an SFI affiliate, you want to sponsor prospects and sell TripleClicks products. Hence, it is evident that you will not conclude this 'elevator pitch' with a sign-up or a TripleClicks transaction. What you can reasonably expect is to get your audience to give you their contact information for additional details. If you get their email and phone number, that would be a very good outcome.
The above should be your goals in an 'elevator pitch'.
To succeed, you need to be fully prepared, with your business card ready, and some SFI/Tripleclicks marketing material at hand. Use the various pocket size cards, available as "marketing aids for beginners", at the Marketing Center.
The most important factors, in your presentation, are your body language, the tone in your voice, the clarity of your ideas and your body language. You should have an open and inviting attitude that pull people towards you and give them the positive impression that makes them want to connect with you.
First, identity the floor at which your audience will be exiting. You can see it from the illuminated buttons on the elevator panel. Make sure you conclude your presentation before.
Your 'elevator pitch' implies that you already have built a rapport and have some basic knowledge about the person listening to you. Your presentation should be articulate, concise and convincing. Limit it to a maximum of three statements.
In your opening statement, you want to put yourself into your audience's perspective: their, interests, hobbies, needs, goals, or questions they may be facing.
Next, choose any of the SFI components that will be the ideal solution to your audience's problems. It may be the SFI affiliate program, the TripleClicks store, the Eager Zebra games, or the Pricebenders penny auctions. This solution you are providing will determine the level of interest from your audience.
The point is: a good 'elevator pitch' about SFI will vary depending on who is listening.
Third, ask for their business card. Most business cards, nowadays, have both the phone number and the email address.
Only after you get their business card, would you give them yours. Otherwise, if they have your business card already, they will reply: "I will call you" when you ask them theirs.
It is critical that you follow up the same day by a phone call or an email, the content of which will also depend on how well did your 'elevator pitch' go.
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