Create the killer intro. How to build interest and curiousity

Create the killer introHow to create the killer intro is a bit of an art form, but with 15 minutes we can fix that.

At the bottom of this post, there is a 5 point process to help you develop you own. But first, lets us explore what it means to be interesting.

How to be interesting is about knowing what to say at the right time, it is an enviable skill and can change how you are perceived. Most people having been in business for a while are confident in how they present themselves. But raise the stakes a bit, and speaking can get a lot harder. We have all seen dodgy powerpoint presentations.  Now try to sell something or pitch to the big guns of your industry.

Celebrity Status Makes a Difference

Celebrities are interesting people or are they?  The media seem to think they are important and that in itself puts them on a platform and make us feel different about them. Is there a famous person that you would like to meet, what would you say? “I am a big fan of your work?” lame…

I would quite like to meet Kevin Mcloud; I wonder if he likes the Grand Designs. Or is that another lame question? So what would I say? Depends, if I was talking, I could hold a conversation, if I was selling that would be different.

Communication and Status

A few years back I had a working relationship with a famous name, while it was never said, it was somehow known not to speak about that part of their life. So we spoke about normal things as if that were possible when our lives were so different.

Fame or celebrity status only makes these people different in our heads. If they have put themselves in a position to have a conversation with you, they do not have the problem, you might. A good test if they want to speak. Are they surrounded by big guys with no necks and dark glasses?  Then don’t bother.

If I had asked, could I have leveraged that relationship? What would it have cost? The point is I could not raise my level of interest for them enough to drop the boundaries so we could not move beyond the working relationship. I had nothing to offer.

This is all well and good but what about the real world

What about meeting people in life or business. Are there any stars that would make you take a breath.

I guess it is a bit like the dragons den, could you pitch, Duncan Ballantyne, Deborah Meaden or Peter Jones? Are there any stars in your profession? Is there anyone that you could meet that would change your business. How would you feel, would you be ready?

Having followed some big player in the marketing field for some years, watching and listening to programs and training. I won a 15-minute coaching session with one of my Gurus, and I have to say for the first 30 seconds it felt weird. I said as much, and he laughed. Funny he is still a Skype contact, not that I would call without asking first. Boundary, I am not interesting enough, this call was relatively easy and not a sales situation. Pitching to him would have been very different experience and reality check I was his ideal customer, he was not mine.

Would you drop the ball?

Create the killer intro
The Elevator Pitch

The point is, given the right chance how ready are you to take the opportunity. Do you have an introduction that makes you proud, and the recipient interested enough to follow up with you?

What do you say, is it all about you and what you do, it is technical and a bit jargon? Call it an elevator pitch or what you will, the important point is will it be interesting or memorable? 

“Hi my name is Paul Harvey, I’m an internet strategist, and I develop systems for lead gen.”

or

” My name is Paul Harvey; we offer a total system that allows business owners to identify key leads. It allows them to focus their attention on the customers that matter. We specialise in high ticket products for B2B companies and those in the renewables sector.”

How does that sound any better? Possibly needs work, but can you see how it opens the door to more questions and it clearly identifies who we are looking for.

Now your challenge, can you create the killer intro?

His is a simple process to create an opening introduction, something the leaves the recipient in no doubt what you do and who you help. Who is your ideal client or contact, who do you want to speak to, start there?

1 Make a list.

2 What are their problems, what do they need?

3 Can you create the killer introduction, something that makes you stand out from the crowd?

Create the killer intro with the 5 step intro builder.create the killer into

My name is ____________
1 we ( help / offer / support)
2 to ( subject )
3 and solve (problem )
4 to get( solution)
5 for (Define target market or group.)

 

 

My name is Paul Harvey; (1)we offer a total system that allows (2)business owners to (3)identify key leads. (4)It allows them to focus their attention on the customers that matter. (5)We specialise in high ticket products for B2B companies and those in the renewables sector.”

While this is not a digital process, the work still applies because the result can be used in email or on social media. If you need help with this stuff or any of the nuts and bolts that make marketing happen, just get in touch. Over to you, do it now. 

Remember a strategy call is an opportunity to explore how digital marketing can help your business, use the contact form as it helps to guide the conversation.  Contact Us 

How to build your Audience, Blogs and Social Media

How to build your audience, simple, turn up your audience expects it!

Whatever the content platform from writing your blog to keeping up with social media it is consistency that counts far more than the quality of the content. The search engines and social media platforms are the information pipes of society, and they will reward those that provide the water as in our content to flow in those pipes.

How to build your audience and with your social credit score

Just like your credit score, it improves as you pay the bills on time every month. Consistent writing and posting develop your social capital with the platforms and your audience. That is how to build your audience.

Posting a blog weekly and publishing and daily social media activity change your life. Yes, it will cost you time, but the rewards are worth the investment.

How to build your audience

Over the last year, I have invested time on the social platforms, but I am not the best avatar for this strategy. A bit like the builder with the half build house I am not a shining example as my blog posting can be erratic. I tend to focus my creative efforts on my customers, and I think I wanted to see the results before I committed my time and limited resource.

 Is it Quality or Quantity

Then, of course, we get to the question of quality or quantity. If I am going to commit to daily writing does quality matter? Yes, and No. We are in a busy world and people while interested; they do want to read something of value, and they want to be entertained.

Reality check: As content creators, we don’t just arrive on the scene polished and ready to deliver gems of wisdom. We have to find a voice and subject that resonates with the audience and the only way to discover that is to write a lot and get it out there. In some ways, your audience will find you.

Unknown to Well known in 30 Days

So when I returned to LinkedIn earlier this year, I was both impress and inspired by Kristina Evans. In the space of 30 days, she went from unknown to well know just by writing 3 posts a week and commenting on LinkedIn. Clearly showing up and writing was what mattered.  I reached out to Kristina, and she was kind enough to get on the phone and talk about her journey.

This recording has been around a while, the audio plugin I use on this blog did not work on mobile phones. I resolve the issue by uploading to YouTube, with a few images.

The recording is worth a listen, Kristina explains her journey and gives a few insights into how life changed now she as a following.  Incidentally if written content is a chore video and audio can be a more forgiving medium to express your ideas. You can find my daily videos on the market-that Facebook page.

If you are wondering how digital marketing could support your business book a free consultation on the contact page above, or follow my posts on Facebook and Linkedin

 

The Power of Story

We all love to hear a story. The Bible is a series of stories. The Buddhist tradition uses story. There are stories everywhere. The point is that life is all about stories from the news to your neighbors adventures at her daughters wedding to the nightly news or the twitter feed.  As marketers and owner of a business, it is critical that we use story to spread our message.

So I need to tell you a story,  Cortijo Romero is retreat centre in Spain. When I start working with the organisation three years ago, they had been hit by the changes in the Google algorithm and lost most of their website traffic.

With IT support, we addressed the technical issues on the site. But in a two-fold process, we started an email communication strategy with the existing client base. We interviewed the original owner and asked about the journey that lead to the creation of the centre. Then we explored the new owners story; it could be seen throughout the 25-year history that the original impulse that started the centre was still part of its ethos.

By sharing these origin stories with the client base, it built trust and interest to the point where clients began to share their stories on the Facebook page. All of this interaction builds a community of like-minded people.   Three years on the business is thriving and well beyond its Google problems.

How are you using stories in you sales and marketing messages?

Do you have an origin story, how it all began? Think Grand Design.

Do you ask for stories from your customers?

If you would like support to uncover the stories in your business, book a Discovery Call that is 30 minute free to see what is possible for your business. There will be a story to tell.

Free Discovery Conversation