Your Key To A Great Networking Introduction

You’ve probably heard the term “elevator speech.” But do you really know how important it is in making new contacts? This short introduction is the only thing fellow businesspeople know about you and what you do, so you have to make the most of it. Your speech should be no more than 15 to 17 seconds long. It’s hard to fit in all the important things you want to say about your business in that short timeframe, but you’ll be amazed just what you can pack in! There are five key areas you should highlight with your introduction:

1. Who. It seems to be a no brainer. Tell your audience who you are. But don’t start at the beginning (“I was born on a farm…”). Tell your name and your business, title optional.
2. Where. Saying where you are from or where your office is can open the door to conversations. You may find people who were also born in Chicago but moved to New York, but until you add that element (“I’m from New York, by way of Chicago,”), that door will never open.
3. What You Do. Give a short, one sentence description of what your business does. You probably already have a quick description of what you do. Consider adding some jazz to it to make it more exciting.
4. How You Add Value. If you met a woman who introduced herself as running a company that can double your cash flow, you’re going to perk up. Find a snazzy benefit your business provides, and put it into your introduction.
5. Quantify How You Add Value. If you have numbers, back up your claim. If you can say you have helped 200 businesses double their cash flow, that’s a number people pay attention to.