You have 30 seconds to share about you and your business. What do you say?
Kinda stressful, right?
Have you been to a networking event where you have 30 seconds or sometimes only 15 to get people interested in what you do?
And when you’re online, the time to get someone’s attention and have them decide if they want to know more, that time is cut in half, at least.
So, what do you say to have the biggest impact and reach your ideal audience?
Here are 4 tips for figuring out what to say for effective networking…
1. Know your ideal customer
When you know exactly who you want to reach, it informs what you say and how you speak to them. And when you speak to that ideal customer, they recognize that you have what they need and jump to get it.
Once you you know who your ideal customer is, speak just to them as if they are your best friend. (For more on that, check out this blog post about writing copy. The tips are about writing copy, but can definitely apply to in person networking as well.)
2. Focus on the benefits, not the features
We don’t buy something because of features. We buy because of what it will do for us – how it will help us.
What is your potential customers’ underlying issue and how do you help? Share how it will solve their pain point.
“Wish you had the energy to keep up with your grandchildren? I can help! Here’s how…”
“Are you frustrated trying to grow your business through social media? I help entrepreneurs and network marketers grow their business on Facebook.”
Whatever the issue, be able to share (truthfully) how your product or service can impact them and help solve their issue.
3. Facts tell, stories sell
Similar to focusing on the benefits, people love stories. We engage with stories. We feel connected to the person telling the story and it grows the know, like, and trust factor.
If you only have 30 seconds to share about your business, share a quick story about how your product has helped you, a friend or family member.
Anytime I’m sharing about my family’s business, when I share the features, I can see people’s eyes glazing over.
But when I share that our health and wellness product helped my mom’s cholesterol drop 72 points in a month and for my dad, who’s been diabetic as long as I’ve been alive, his morning blood sugar went from 200 to 110 within 3 months….
That gets people’s attention.
Side note: If you’re at an in-person event and have been given a specific length of time to share, don’t go over that time. If the timer dings, you’re done. When people keep going, it shows a lack of respect for the room, and makes people less likely to want to know more.
4. Have a way for them to learn more
This is often called an opt-in or a lead magnet. It can be physical or online. (Online is often easier, but you can absolutely give something physical.)
“Want more information about the product? Want tips on how to ____? Go here.”
Give people a place to learn more about who you are and what you do (in exchange for their email or other contact information.)
With my family’s business, our lead magnet is an e-book my mom wrote – which we also print. She carries copies in her purse so that when someone wants more info, she can give it to them easily.
Need some ideas about what to make a give away about? Grab a copy of my guide, The Value Magnetizer, where I go over the different kinds of lead magnets and give tons of ideas for what type of lead magnet you can create based on what industry you’re in. Click the pic below.
