Promote Yourself Without Bragging!™

Promote Yourself Without Bragging!™
by Jan B. Wallen, “The Expertise Expert”

What happens when you hear someone’s Elevator Speech or 30-second introduction and it sounds like this . . .

“Hello. I’m Joe Smith and I’m a Financial Planner. I put together financial plans.”

If you’re like most of us, you’ll say to yourself “Oh, no. I don’t want that! That’s not for me! So What?” or something similar. That Elevator Speech doesn’t pass the “So What?” test.

Here’s another one Joe could have used: “Hello, I’m Joe Smith. I manage business owners’ finances so they can retire 2-3 years earlier than they thought they could.”

What do you think when you hear that one? Something like – “Wow! You mean I can retire 2-3 years earlier? I want to do that – I want to talk to you more!” This one passes the “So What?” test.

Why is it so hard to write a good Elevator Speech? And how can you create your own Elevator Speech so it catches your listeners’ attention in a positive way, and gets across what you do? Here are some tips:

People sometimes find it difficult to talk about themselves and their accomplishments, because it seems as though they’re bragging. Realize and accept that it’s OK to promote yourself in a way that’s not bragging. Bragging is saying “I’m wonderful!” “ I’m the best! ” Or saying or implying “I’m better than the rest.” People don’t like to hear bragging, and it doesn’t mean much to them.

It’s not bragging when you outline in a conversational way and give people stories that show examples of the results you’ve accomplished for clients or others you’ve worked with. When you put yourself in a position to outline your accomplishments in this way, you are stating facts and results, and giving the other person the information they require in to reach the conclusion that you are the person for the job and your company is the right one for the solution they’re looking for.

When you promote yourself without bragging you outline accomplishments that are appropriate for the situation in a conversational way. You’re not being a pushy Used-Car type salesperson.

For an effective Elevator Speech, be sure it tells:

• who you are and who your clients are
• what you do for your clients
• how people benefit from what you do – i.e., the Results and the VALUE you provide

Extra Success Tip: Take a minute now to write down a meeting you’ll go to in the next two weeks where you can use your Elevator Speech and the things you learn in this book. As you read the book, think of this meeting and of people you’ll meet there, and picture yourself telling them your Elevator Speech and talking about other things you learn here. That makes it more real, and more likely that you’ll continue use these new habits.

The first part of your Elevator Speech can be as simple as your name. It can also tell in two or three words a label such as “financial planner”, “salesperson”, “selling skills coach” or “accountant”. Whether you use the label is optional.

Be sure to say who your clients are! This gives the listener a frame of reference, and an opportunity to say “Yes! – this is for me”. Be specific about who your clients are. For example,

• Families
• Between the ages of 21 and 45
• Business owners
• Children who excel in school
• Professionals
• Managers in the technology industry
• Men, women, children
• New managers
• Salespeople
• Consultants in Big 4 firms who work with Fortune 1000 clients who provide services

For example,

I help families save and invest . . .

I show business owners how to promote themselves without bragging so they get as many clients as they want, and spend more time doing what they love to do.

I work with managers who want to be executives so they get the promotion they want.

We’ll cover more about Elevator Speeches in future issues of the ezine. If you find it a challenge to create your Elevator Speech, send me an E-Mail with a few sample Elevator Speeches, and I’ll wordsmith them with you.

© 2004-2006 Jan B. Wallen. All rights reserved.

Jan Wallen, The Expertise Expert, is the founder of the Turn What You Know into Cash Flow Now System™, the proven step-by-step program to help you stop trading time for money and make money even when you’re not speaking or working with clients. To sign up for her free How-To articles and no-charge teleseminars, visit : www.TurnWhatYouKnowIntoCashFlow.com .