Queen Schmooze

Elevator Pitches

Selling Your Skills

Michelle J. Iseman

October 19, 2010

Kanata Kareer Group

Queen Schmooze

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Agenda• What is an Elevator Pitch

• How long should it be

• Elements of pitch

• Elevator vs. sales pitch

• Target market audience

• Examples of bad pitches

• Practice

• QuestionsOctober 2010

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Elevator Pitch

• Short speech that sells

an idea

• Zone in on your target

• What’s in it for them

• Selling a product is the

SAME as selling a job seekers’ skills

• Tell them only what they NEED to know

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Elevator Pitch

• Think about your audience

• Make it short and

sweet

• Go the extra mile

– make it worth their while

• Don’t add too much background stuff

• Offer a solution to their needOctober 2010

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How Long Should It Be• Old rule – 30 to 60 sec.

• 21st century – 20 to 30 sec.

• Hook your audience

• Don’t repeat yourself

• PRACTICE all the time

• Don’t get caught off-guard

• Make it memorable and

effortlessOctober 2010

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Length• Don’t rush it

• Take it slow but don’t

plod on and on

• Project your passion

• Develop different versions

for different audiences with core ideas

• Don’t forget to introduce yourself

• Ask a question that you can answerOctober 2010

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• Hook• Sell them on YOU • Clear title or profile• Establish credibility• Competitive advantage• What you can do for them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Y02_oZP8U

• No more than 100 words or 30 seconds• Eye contact• End with a question – resume or longer talk

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Elements of An Elevator Pitch

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What NOT to Put in Elevator Pitch• Jargon or buzz words• Rambling on and on• Hesitation• Focusing on YOU• Forgetting your audience• Past projects• Irrelevant info• Boring details• Know when to pitch• Personal details – family, hobbies, etc.

October 2010

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Elevator vs. Sales Pitch• Elevator – short and sweet• Sales – longer, sweeten the deal• Elevator – solution you provide• Sales – company solution, investors, stakeholders• Elevator – your advantages• Sales – media presentation• Elevator – selling your profile• Sales – could be over dinner or a drink• Elevator – specific• Sales - generic

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Target Market Audience• Hiring Manager• HR personnel• Recruiter• Networking contact• Know your worth• Sell the solution that you

bring• Think like they do - employer with a problem (that you

can solve)• Know your Value Proposition or Unique Selling

Proposition

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Examples of Bad Pitches• I am a job seeker – do you have a job for me?• How much will you pay me?• My wife is nagging me to get a job• I just got back from a vacation to Cancun…• But I applied online and I didn’t hear back

from you• I don’t have the skills you want but I am a fast

learner – sure you are…• I have been fixing computers since the dawn of time – uh huh???• My last boss was riding me all the time so I…• What does your company do again????• And in my last job, I was responsible for the...and the…and the…

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Practice• In front of a mirror• Tell them who you are• Unique Selling Proposition• What you can do for them • Solutions person• Know your audience• ASK: resume or meeting• Profile – short and sweet • Try it now!

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Questions / Help• Michelle J. Iseman – aka Queen Schmooze• Email: mischa@queenschmooze.com• Website: queenschmooze.com• Twitter: www.twitter.com/QueenSchmooze• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michellejiseman• Job Seekers, Career Changers, and

Entrepreneurs – strategic planning for resumes, job search, the pitch, social media, recruiters, hidden job market, target market audience, value proposition

• When you want to STAND OUT in a crowdOctober 2010