Does your company have a clear way of describing what you do or do you often resort to jargon or lengthy descriptions that leave potential customers scratching their heads? Do you have an elevator pitch that attracts attention?
When your business is your passion, it can be hard to condense what you do into a few sentences.
The first question you get at any networking event is, “What do you do?” and because you love your business, you want to tell people all.the.things. You start sharing company history, a laundry list of services, and a customer case study.
The person you’re talking to is inching away. You lost their attention. I mean, let’s face it, you’re competing with cocktails and cheese platters.
So, how do you win against bacon-wrapped shrimp and craft beer? With the power of story.
Imagine having an elevator pitch that captivates your audience, leaving them eager to learn more about your business.
You can! You simply need a one-liner: A concise story that communicates what you do in a clear way and shows the transformation your business can bring to their lives.
So, what is a one-liner? It’s actually something screenwriters create to pitch their movie. It’s the plot in a couple of sentences; the hook of their story.
And isn’t that exactly what we want to do with potential customers and clients – hook them with a story?
In this instance, we want to share the story of how we solve a problem for customers and clients, leading them to a successful outcome.
Create a compelling elevator pitch using the one-liner
The one-liner consists of three parts:
- The Problem: What is the one problem you’re solving for your customers and clients? You may be tempted to list several problems, but pick one. Think about the problem that impacts a majority of your customers. Determine the problem you want to be known for solving.
- The Solution: This is how you solve the problem you just identified. Keep it simple. You offer classes, coaching, a framework, a widget. You don’t need to give all the details at this point. Tip: Make sure the solution you’re offering solves the problem you identified in step one.
- The Result: What’s the successful outcome your customers or clients will experience after working with you? How will their life/business/family/finances be better after using your product or service?
Once you’ve figured out the problem, solution and result, put them all together into a couple of sentences.
Here’s example of the one-liner I use for my business: For a lot of business owners, marketing feels complicated. It’s easy to waste time and money. I guide you through a seamless process to clarify your marketing message and build your marketing essentials, so you feel confident in your marketing.
The problem is that marketing feels complicated. My solution is a seamless process to create marketing essentials. The outcome is you feel confident in your marketing.
Does that one-liner explain every single thing about my business? Of course not. But does it strike a chord with my target clients? Yes! Does it lay out a simple solution and a positive outcome to the problem of complicated marketing? Yes!
The goal of your one-liner is to grab a prospect’s attention and prompt them to say, “Tell me more.”
Then, you have an opening to share more details about your products and services as well as more about the positive transformation your customers and clients experience.
In addition to using your one-liner to answer the question, “What do you do?” at your next networking event, use your one-liner:
- On your website
- On business cards
- In your email signature
- As your social media profile descriptions
- On the wall of your business
- In ads or other marketing materials where you’re limited on space
Lastly, don’t be afraid to test your one-liner or elevator pitch. Try it at an upcoming networking event and gauge reactions. Are people interested and asking questions? Make tweaks as needed.
Once you have a one-liner or elevator pitch that resonates, use it everywhere. Don’t be afraid to repeat your one-liner over and over. You want to be known for solving a particular problem. And having a solid one-liner is just the way to do that!
Want to learn more about how you can craft a powerful one-liner? Reach out to Holly at holly@fisher-creative.com to book a 90-minute one-liner workshop for your event, conference or internal team training. Virtual and in-person options are available. Local to Asheville, North Carolina? Attend Holly’s next in-person one-liner workshop on May 10. Get all the details and register online.
