Open Your Introduction With A Firecracker Moment

The number one requirement, whether you are a business owner

or an employee, is to be able to say what you do, and say it

with influencing results. Through testing, I have seen,

experienced, and received feedback that an elevator speech

no longer works. My test results show that elevator

speeches are too slow and too boring. People know what's

coming and have mindfully tuned out it out before the first

sentence. Elevator speeches don't stop the listener in

their moment, which is exactly what you need to do. An

introduction that starts with a firecracker impact does stop

them in their moment.



Pitching what you do needs energy -- energy in your voice

and body language. The same energy you have if you're

pitching your screenplay to an agent or getting a large

crowd's attention. Elevator speeches have become over

processed and passive. People only notice if you give a

poor one and that is because they measured it against their

own. A good introduction, without a firecracker beginning,

doesn't stop them in their moment.



You want them to remember you and your answer for a long

time. Not just 10 minutes, the next day when they call you

to pitch you, but next week, next month, when something

happens and their pain appear. Better yet, when they are

talking to someone else and see the pain-solution results.

They see you as the answer. A firecracker stays with people

for quite some time. Where were you the last time you saw

fireworks? Once triggered, I'm sure you remember the day,

the time, and whom you were with quite quickly.



You will want to create a memorable firecracker introduction

that you can use everywhere -- in any introduction, any

situation, as the key point of every presentation, voice-

mail message, e-mail signatures, slogan on a business card

or

even as a headliner on your website home page.



Let's learn this process together by beginning with a few

examples I created. These examples will also give you hints

on how you can open your pitches with a firecracker moment.

Pitches that change people's moments -- ignite a firecracker

under their assets.



Let's assume you are at a networking event and someone asks,

"What do you do?" You can open in one of several ways

depending on the function and what you thought would

intrigue people attending this event. The introduction must

always lead to getting them to act on only one call to

action. If your call to action is to sell space in an

upcoming workshop, you don't promote your consulting

services. Multiple action calls will dilute your message.

Even worse, they confuse your listener.



Consider crafting several, still staying within the single

call to action, by changing the wording ever so slightly so

that it doesn't sound memorized just in case others are

close enough to over hear you. This also works if you are

testing to find the best language.



Always make the first sentence a declarative statement: "I

perform miracles. Not the religious type, of course, the

business type. Entrepreneurs, like [current or past

client] and [another current or past client], hire me to

make their marketing more attractive and pull in clients. I

help them become a human magnet, drawing new businesses to

them like bees make honey."



It is important for the very first sentence be short and

declarative. Declarative doesn't ask, it asserts. Now stop

for a few minutes and play with some ideas of your own. Be

bold when playing; write with the energy of a firecracker.



A second method would be to open with a declarative

question. Actually there isn't any such thing as a

declarative question in grammar, so bare with me as I

stretch a declarative statement. A declarative question is

when you ask them a question but not for them to answer but

with a declarative prowess. "Have you ever seen a speaker

so dynamic and engaging that you forget where you are?

Someone who teaches with inspiration, hypnotizes their

audience, empowers people to act, all the while filling the

atmosphere in the room with love. Then you haven't

experienced me."



The first two sentences will determine whether they are

listening. A firecracker intro guarantees that you will

snap them out of their moment. If you find that these

openers are too bold, you have my permission to continue to

let people be in their own moment and keep trying to get a

regular elevator speech to work.





About The Author:



Catherine Franz, business and writing coach, resides in

Virginia and is a syndicated columnist, radio producer,

International speaker, and author. Ezines and other

articles: http://www.abundancecenter.com