How good are you at describing your business in just 60 seconds? Could you improve your technique to attract more clients? The clock is ticking…
Many business events provide opportunities for you to do a 60-second slot, or you may have attended a so-called ‘speed networking' session – where you get just one minute to tell someone about your business.
Whether you love them or loathe them , they are a great free marketing tool that it would be foolish to waste.
So many people don’t take advantage of them or, if they do, they don’t do it in a way that will generate more business, rendering the whole process a waste of time.
If you do it well, you'll find they can be really effective at helping you make the valuable contacts that lead to you winning more business.
So how can you make the most of your 60 second slot to generate new opportunities?
Mark Twain once said ‘Brevity takes time' and to be concise, informative and engaging takes time, effort and planning.
Here are 11 Top Tips to get more business:
- Have a structure for your 60 seconds because the order in which you present information really matters.
- Know what you want to say in advance – being spontaneous is not a good idea because you can come across as being unsure about what you're talking about.
- Think of it as a 60-second ‘infomercial' for your business – Watch TV ads to see how they do it.
- Practise doing it again and again, so it becomes second nature and you're never stuck for something to say.
- Grab the attention of your ‘audience' as soon as you open your mouth.
- Ring the changes – have several different versions of your 60 seconds rehearsed so it always stays fresh for you and your audience.
- Let the listener know how you are different from everyone else in your industry or sector.
- Think of it as the beginning of a new business relationship, rather than an opportunity to sell.
- Choose one thing that you do well, and focus on talking about that rather than trying to cram in everything that you offer.
- Have a call to action at the end.
- Enjoy it!
…and then don’t forget to follow up on all the new business opportunities you get!
