Elevator Speech and USP

I'm thinking that an Elevator Speech is very similiar, if not the same, as your USP. Am I right? -SpeedRacer

Interesting question. I think most so called "elevator speeches" are really two-way conversations which are opportune times to insert identifiable differences. You'll notice that it will either be the other person saying something that allows you to say, "No--actually what we do is sort of unique..." --or--The other person would say something like "Oh, yes--you guys are the one's that....(stating your USP)?

But if they have never heard of you or your company, then I guess a prepared "elevator speech" should contain your USP.

Of course, nothing will get their attention more than asking and talking about them--rather than yourself. -Gary Boye

For those willing to share, I'd like to hear some elelator speeches. I'm trying to articulate mine and learn well by following example.

(BTW Gary, what does USP stand for?) -RainMaker

Unique Selling Proposition. Some people use the term Identifiable Difference. -Gary Boye

Stepping into an elevator in the Crystal Crown Hotel where I lived for five months in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia I smiled at a Chinese man and said, "I really like Malaysia, especially the food."

Chua smiled back, we talked and when he asked what I was doing in Malaysia I told him I was on a business trip and that "The food we sell is a soy based nutritional supplement" and I asked him if he used supplements.

He said he did and he wanted to know more so over the next few weeks we became friends - our conversations were 80% him telling me all about the history of his country which he loved to do - over tea time and he became a customer.

I had conversations every day - this one mattered as far as long term friendship and business - the rest didn't.

Today we keep in touch using Skype or emailing. -MitchM

Since I'm just now re-doing my dialogue (yes it should always be 2-way!) as part of a course I am taking, this is a perfect opportunity for me to "practice". I actually have multiple of these but I'll just share the one.

Hypothetical discussion with "Jane" at a generic networking event.
JANE: “Hey Terri, what is it that you do?”

TZ: “Hi Jane, thanks for asking! You know how many self-employed people find it frustrating to be in business by themselves, overwhelmed with trying to do it all?

JANE: “Oh yeah, I definitely do. Actually, that sounds exactly like my brother, Joe.”

TZ: “Is he working long hours alone and still not getting the clients he wants?

JANE: “Yeah, that’s exactly right! He loves being able to work from home, but he’s just not happy with the clients he has and how many nights and weekends he is working.”

TZ: “I definitely understand! And he’s not alone. So what Solo-E.com does is teach home-based business owners like your brother the four most successful strategies that we’ve learned from successful solo entrepreneurs. Then we offer a 24/7 online learning and networking community to support them in implementing those success strategies in their business. And the results can be pretty dramatic – I know one fellow who using just one of the secrets went from zero to $250K in two years.”

JANE: “Oh wow! That’s pretty cool.”

TZ: “We are really seeing solo entrepreneurs designing their work to fit their life: working when they want, doing work they love, with people they enjoy. I know another woman who trimmed her hours from like 60-70 down to 30 hours a week. She only works when she wants to, still makes 6 figures, and has rediscovered her friends and hobbies!”

Yada yada yada -Terri Zwierzynski

Hello Terri, what do you say when the other person just says, "yes" to your first question instead of a longer answer? -bridger480

The dialogue I wrote above is of course hypothetical. You never know quite what the other person is actually going to say!

So the important parts of this dialogue to develop for yourself are:

1. Your description of your target market
2. Your understanding of their problems
3. Your unique solutions to those problems
4. The benefits your target market can get from your solutions

Once you have these, you can conduct a conversation with just about anyone. Some may be a lot shorter than others when there really isn't a connection or interest; others may be longer. It's not a one-way conversation -- you need to ask questions of the prospect to understand their situation and respond appropriately to what the person says to you.

Hope this helps. -Terri Zwierzynski

that is defintally intresting has any one had any Success with that? -Sanddollar

Well, I found it challenging to sum myself up in one sentence (and a wonderful excercise in forcing myself to focus like a laser). I finally came up with:

"We provide an online marketing program for small business owners who are looking for meaningful, measurable results from their advertising for a fraction of the cost of typical advertising."

I'm starting every presentation with these words and I am using it in some cold calling scripts. Because it seems I am molding and changing my focus and slant the more I learn, this may change, but today, I am comfortable with it. It has not been tested enough to know whether its a "keeper." -RainMaker

When I was asked recently about the most valuable thing I learned from the program I am taking (the same one that helped me with the dialogue above), my answer was that I finally learned how to boil down what I do to one sentence (and believe me RainMaker I too know how hard it is--it's taken me almost three years and a lot of help to figure it out!)

I can't claim any instant success, but at least now I feel comfortable, even confident, telling people what my business is about:

"We are a life-style inspired, online learning and connection community dedicated to the success of Solo Entrepreneurs."

:cool: -Terri Zwierzynski

I personally see no value in boiling down what one does to one sentence. I believe that with the same economy of words, we can break it into two or three shorter sentences that would produce better results. When I say results, I'm assuming that the purpose of an "elevator speech" is to inspire the person with whom you are talking to want to know more.

Sales conversational skills are critical for success in selling. We have to be careful that we don't forget the "conversational" part of that term. -Gary Boye

What do you count as "conversational skills"? -bridger480

My answer is not only being direct and honest to begin with but also what should be obviouis: listening well and asking questions based on the other person's answers because you want to uncover things and find out what matters to that person.

I know usually immediately when someone is using me to soap-box [which is fine when I allow them to do their thing because I enjoy the monologue] or when someone is trying to be a wise guy and get me to do something. I know because they don't do what I posted should be obvious in conventional skills. -MitchM

Oh, I disagree, Gary--but the benefit is not always on the surface. I don't know if I would actually use my elevator speech to a stranger in the elevator, but it has forced me to focus on my primary benefit (or "slant" because I tend to equate it to a writing skill). One of my very biggest problems is that I am all over the place. I see SO many benefits of my product that my copy is too scattered and diluted. I just want to tell them ALL the great things instead of picking the one strongest and nailing it on the head.

Also, when cold calling you have to describe what you do in your introduction and you don't have the luxury of words. -RainMaker

Like "Implication" and "Need-Payoff" questions or something else? -bridger480

I would think of "elevator speeches" as networking devices--as opposed to intros in cold calling.

But on the subject of "one sentence", consider that well-placed pauses are often a very effective tool in verbal communication--as are their operative opposites, run-on sentences. Why then would putting everything in one sentence be valuable in delivering our message--assuming we could use approximately the same number of words in in two or three sentences?

I see disadvantages in that method. -Gary Boye

Those words work - my thesaurus is full of other onestoo. -MitchM

"Implication" and "Need-Payoff" questions are a "type" of question. They are the "I" and the "N" in SPIN Selling. -bridger480

I don't necessarily use the one-sentence in an "elevator speech" -- agreed, the elevator thing should be a conversation (see my post earlier in this thread).

The one-sentence, however, comes in very handy when I'm only allowed 20 words to describe what my business is in a link exchange, for instance. -Terri Zwierzynski

The USP is also know as a positioning statement. As the other posters have pointed out, the elevator speech is (or should be) more of a prospect-qualifying dialogue. The effective ones stress problem-solving examples, not just benefit statements. If the pospect has the problem, usually the dialogue continues. If not, just get off at the next floor.

Another twist is to develop 60-second Elevator PR - where the same methodology is applied to the PR messaging. That's a little trickier, since there is no responding dialogue. -Consultant

Terriz actually hit it on the head as far as I am concerned. Call it what you want but in Guerrilla Marketing we often talk about a positioning statement. To help you with that, just fill in the blanks as it relates to you:

My name is ______________ . We specialize in ____________ for ____________________. OR I represent a __________ company and work with ______________who want to improve/increase their ______________by _____________.

The blanks represent your target market, your solutions and the challenge the solution is for. Good luck.

Al Lautenslager, Co-author, Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days -Guerrilla Marketer

I started a poll on this topic. New thread. -RainMaker

Rainmaker,

That got my attention.

I like it!

Karen -Karen Sargent

My Elevator Speech is a work constantly in progress but I feel the
most excited about telling people. . .

"I recruit and train folks to make no less than $1,000 commissions
from their home business - Do you hate your job? You must
be your own boss or you'll repeat last year all over again"

It gives people hope about changing thier lives. I enjoy doing that!

Karen -Karen Sargent

What did, Karen? -RainMaker

Oops - I thought I hit the button to link a reply to a specific
post of yours. I'll find it and reply again.

Karen -Karen Sargent

Here it is - are you still involved with that marketing program?

Karen -Karen Sargent

Yes...but scrapped that speech long ago. If someone asks me what I do...I simply say: "Online marketing for small business." If they ask for more...I say: "I put together online marketing campaigns that increase word of mouth business."

I don't rattle off the canned answers that have a specific selling purpose. They don't feel natural to me and don't suit my style. -RainMaker

Isn't your response, "Online marketing for small business" a canned answer? Doesn't that answer serve to let people know concisely what you do? -Liberty

You wrote that it was the way you were starting presentations and I thought it was interesting and to the point. -Karen Sargent