I have facilitated many networking meetings in my career, especially as the founder of Virtual Networkers, so I say this statement with great confidence and love: A big marketing mistake you may make as a woman entrepreneur is not nailing down your 30-second introduction.
It’s such a shame! When you don’t present a buttoned-up 30-second intro, you are not only missing out on a valuable opportunity to talk about your business, you could come across as disorganized, leaving the wrong impression with your networking colleagues.
So, let’s nip this in the bud. Keep reading to learn how to nail your 30-second introduction.
Your 30-second introduction is an important aspect of networking. It tells your audience who your ideal client is and how you help them. It can also be used for video intros, social media descriptions, and short bios.
An easy formula for your 30-second introduction
Let’s first talk about what you should include in your 30-second intro. There is no “right” formula. If you’re like me, though, you need a starting point, and that’s what this easy formula will do.
Answer the following questions to create your elevator speech:
- What is your name?
- What is your business name?
- Who do you help?
- How do you help them?
- What is your call to action?
Create your 30-second introduction from these answers. Here’s how mine would go, based on my answers to these questions:
Hi, everyone! I’m Jill Celeste, marketing and mindset mentor, from Celestial University. I help women entrepreneurs learn how to market their businesses in an authentic way so they’ll feel energized about their marketing. If you want to fall in love your marketing, please check out my courses at CelestialUniversity.com.
Practice, practice, and practice some more
Once you have your 30-second introduction written, it’s time to practice. Use a timer to ensure your elevator speech is 30 seconds or less. It’s 100 percent okay not to take up all 30 seconds!
When practicing, make sure to simulate your networking environment. For example, if you network virtually, practice in front of your webcam. If you network in person, say your 30-second introduction in front of a mirror.
It’s okay to have an index card
I encourage you to write your new 30-second intro on an index card and bring it with you to your next meeting. It’s okay to read from an index card on your first attempt. Just tell your networking peers you’re trying out a new elevator speech and ask for their feedback after the meeting.
More than one 30-second intro?
If you network weekly, you should have more than one 30-second introduction. How many? That’s up to you. I teach different 30-second introduction formats in my Get More Clients course, if you’re curious to learn how to do create more than one.
Why would you want more than one 30-second intro?
- It gives you multiple ways to explain what you do.
- It allows you to add in customer success stories.
- It keeps your listeners from tuning out, which they may do if you say the same 30-second intro over and over again.
Now, you have a basic tutorial on how to create a 30-second introduction! Be sure to write one up, based on the formula shared in this blog post, and bring it to your next networking meeting. You got this!
More resources
Here are some other resources that will help you with your marketing and mindset:
My friend Laura Templeton’s book, 30-Second Success, which will teach you how to effectively deliver your 30-second introductions
Laura also recorded this free video tutorial about how to craft your 30-second introduction
My book, That First Client, which will teach you how to create an effective marketing system that will always attract clients to your business
My book, Loud Woman, which will inspire you to get Louder in your life and business
Check out my latest blog post about marketing, networking, getting clients, and the Law of Attraction
Virtual Networkers, my global online networking organization for women entrepreneurs
Get More Clients Track, a year-long program that will teach you how the fundamentals of marketing so you’re always attracting clients
Manifest More Clients Track, a year-long program that will teach you how to use the Law of Attraction in your marketing
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