how to write elevator pitches - personal branding for entrepreneurs kaitlin zhang
TRANSCRIPT
@KaitlinZhang
How to write elevator pitches
Personal Branding For Entrepreneurs Workshop
Kaitlin Zhang Personal Branding Expert
www.kaitlinzhang.com @kaitlinzhang
You're off to Great Places! Today is your Day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!
You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the
one who will decide where to go.
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction
you choose.
Today you are you, That is Truer than True. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.
Branding Together. Find a few friends to work together on your
elevator pitches.
You are already your brand.
Claim your online real estate. Harness the power of your brand.
– Kaitlin Zhang
“Having a strong, respected, and most importantly, visible personal brand will have exponential effects
on your career and business in the long run.”
What you will gain with a power personal brand
• trust and better relationships
• better opportunities
• more attractive to funding
• become a thought leader
• more power and leverage
Even more benefits!
• more press opportunities
• networking made easy
• help you make hard decisions
• you’ll be motivated
• more credibility and visibility for your company
Personal branding is about building assets.A small seed can grow into a big tree.
Kaitlin Zhang’s 5 Steps to a Powerful Personal Brand
• Pitch
• Profile (photo & video)
• Platform (website etc.)
• Produce
• Partnership
Are you sure you want to keep your name?
If someone else more famous than you have your name. Think about using a variation of your name or something related to your main service.
e.g. from Mike to Michael e.g. from Brad to BradMacGenius
TO DO: Google Yourself (Cue the GASP!)
• Open a private window and Google your name
• What’s the number of total responses Google returned?
• What’s the first entry about you? Do you like what it says?
• How many results on the 1st page are about you? What about the first 3 pages? (use 10 results total per page)
• Now take a look at the “images”, “video” and “news” tabs
My Brand Values
Integrity, respect, positivity, discipline, simplicity and life-long learning
To Do: Defining your personal brand values
TO DO: Write these 5 - 10 values down using pen and
paper and notice how your body reacts to them. Then choose your top 3-5 values.
PRO TIP: Create target audience personas
and identify their values.
What’s your mission and vision?
Mission Statement - What’s wrong with the world and how you intend to fix it
Vision Statement - What the world will look like after you’ve finished changing it
Let’s work on your pitch!
You want people to ask you to “Tell me more.”
If it feels like you are pitching somebody, you are doing it wrong.
Your No. 1 priority is to LISTEN.
If the other person is in your target market, immediately create value for them.
If the other person is not in your target market, make yourself memorable
so they can refer you to others.
TO DO Talk to the same people and ask them:
How can I help you?
Aim Amplify
Accelerate
Kaitlin Zhang’s 4 + 3P Pitch Model
1. One Liner Pitch 2. Bullet Pitch 3. 50 Word Pitch 4. 200 - 300 Word Pitch
1P. Pixar Pitch 2P. Participatory Pitch 3P. Poetic Pitch
The First P - Pixar Pitch
Pixar Pitch Example - Finding Nemo 1. Once upon a time there was … a widowed fish, named Marlin, who was extremely protective of his only son, Nemo. 2. Every day … Marlin warned Nemo of the ocean’s dangers and implored him not to swim far away. 3. One day … in an act of defiance, Nemo ignores his father’s warnings and swims into the open water. 4. Because of that … he is captured by a diver and ends up in the fish tank of a dentist in Sydney. 5. Because of that … Marlin sets off on a journey to recover Nemo, enlisting the help of other sea creatures along the way. 6. Until finally … Marlin and Nemo find each other, reunite and learn that love depends on trust.
Pixar Pitch Example - Finding Nemo
1. Once upon a time there was … 2. Every day … 3. One day … 4. Because of that … 5. Because of that … 6. Until finally …
1. The One-Liner Pitch
I am [insert your name] and
I help people / businesses like [insert target audience]
with [problem they have]
to increase/grow/achieve x, y, z.
Example:
“I’m a digital marketing expert who help app development businesses like yours with their email marketing campaigns to grow a bigger
following and increase conversions.
The Second P - Participatory Pitch
Adding a hook to your pitch: Have you ever wondered…?
Have you ever had this challenge…? Did you know that…?
Imagine this…
TOGETHER Improve your elevator pitch
and tell at least 3 different people later today.
2. The Bullet Bio
160 characters to use wisely
3. The 50 Words Pitch Add to your one liner pitch:
benefits, credibility, wow factor
Example:
"When I first started working as a design and media intern, I helped the company increase the number of Facebook followers by 33% in the first
two months."
The Third P - Poetic Pitch
- Aliteration: Holiday Inn: "Pleasing people the world over"
- Rhymes Cheese Council: "Anyway you please it, cheese it”
- Comparison … is like Uber except for the disabled … is like Starbucks but with english tea
4. The 200 - 300 Words Pitch
The 200-300 word pitch:
• A compelling story
• Build an emotional connection
• Highlight your value and service through a story that is engaging, entertaining and memorable.
• Be personable, relatable and share something interesting or unexpected about yourself.
• And just for fun, you can also include a quote you said in there.
PRO TIP: Draft your elevator pitches in 1st person and 3rd
person format.
Questions to think through:
• What do you day dream about?
• What are your interests?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What’s your background?
• What are your achievements?
• What are you passionate about?
• How have you approached or resolved problems in the past?
• What is your strategy for finishing work?
PRO TIP Try doing a free Myer-Briggs Personality test.
16personalities.com truity.com
TO DO: Make sure elevator pitches are consistent online.
For more workshops with Kaitlin Zhang in London: www.kaitlinzhang.com/events
Thank you!