Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Discover Your Value Propositon – The Elevator Pitch, Part II

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In a previous post, I outlined the importance of writing your value proposition or “elevator pitch.”  To recap, this is a short (30-second), prepared speech that addresses the questions, “Who are you?” and “What do you have to offer?”

In Part One, I suggested writing down your top five work and personal accomplishments. 

Now, think about what you want to achieve.  Tie these achievements to the target’s needs…

What problem do they (or their organization) have that you can help solve?  Remember, although the pitch describes what YOU offer, it is really about your target.   In fact, you should alter your pitch depending on your target.  (Once you have something solid worked up, it will be easy to adjust it depending on your audience.)

Offer specifics about your skills and accomplishments that address the target’s problems. Are they lagging in sales?  Maybe you have a fabulous sales track record.  Do they need new written materials?  Bring up your background and accomplishments in revising or creating such materials.  In other words, you are the answer to their problem!  (Who doesn’t want to meet the person who solves their problems?)

Demonstrate your interest and excitement about your work.  No one wants to engage a cold fish.  Don’t go overboard (no jumping on couches a la Tom Cruise), but be sure that you sound passionate about what you have to offer.

Practice your pitch.  Memorize it until you could say it if someone woke you up from a nap.  Once you know what you have to offer, it will be easy for you to tweak your pitch depending on the target and what their needs may be.

You may be surprised at how useful it is to have an elevator pitch ready at a moment’s notice.  It’s useful for networking as an answer to the question, “What do you do?” and you can rely on it as an introduction to a great “gate opener” (someone who has the potential to connect you to someone who may be instrumental in your job hunt).  

By sharing information about who you are and what you do that is targeted to the individual who could use your services, you are several steps ahead of most job seekers and professionals who are not prepared to describe what they offer.

Keppie Careers can help you with every aspect of your job search.  Need a resume?  Help with your linkedin.com profile?  Interview prep?  Take advantage of our experience:  www.keppiecareers.com

Discovering Your Value Proposition – The Elevator Pitch, Part I

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Have you written your elevator pitch? Otherwise known as your value proposition or a personal infomercial, this is a brief (some say 2-minutes, I like 30 seconds) introduction to you with a focus on what you have to offer.  This technique is used all of the time in sales and marketing, and since your job search is all about marketing YOU, having a well practiced, targeted elevator pitch is a good idea. (The name comes from the fact that you could deliver your “speech” while going down an elevator with a great contact.  I guess the length may depend on the height of the building! Since most people have a pretty short attention span, assume most buildings are short.)

Just as your resume should be targeted to the reader’s needs instead of your own needs, your pitch should focus on how you can solve a problem for the listener. What do you offer? What is your hook?

Discovering Your Hook

What is special about you?  What skills and accomplishments set you apart from every other person in the room? In your industry?

You need to know two things:

  1. What the employer wants.
  2. What you offer.

You will find out the employer’s needs via research, informational meetings and networking.  Discovering what you have to offer may take longer!

Big brands like Disney decide what they offer before they create and place their advertisements.  When they want to advertise Disney World, they appeal to families and parents’ need for an affordable, yet magical vacation.  Their brand is all about magic and family fun.  Their television ads appear on shows with a high viewership of people Disney targets.

If Disney didn’t consider what they offer, they wouldn’t be able to target their marketing.  By defining themselves and what problem they solve, they can offer a hook (an affordable family vacation).

What is brand YOU all about?  What makes you special and unique? Think about what you offer an employer.  Consider your top five work and personal accomplishments. Write them down and think them over.

Read more about writing your elevator pitch…