Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/787797
22 Worcester Business Journal | February 20, 2017 | wbjournal.com MANUFACTURING S U M M I T & WORCESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL'S EXCELLENCE AWARDS This spring the Worcester Business Journal will be recognizing some of the area's top manufacturing firms with our second annual Central Mass "Manufacturing Excellence Awards". Winners will be profiled in the special section on Manufacturing in our April 3 issue of the Worcester Business Journal, and we'll hold a special awards ceremony along with a keynote address and panel discussion on manufacturing in April. NOMINATION DEADLINE: Friday, February 24, 2017 Worcester Business Journal WBJ WE WILL BE RECOGNIZING MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: n GENERAL EXCELLENCE – C ompanies that are the best of the best. • Under 25 employees • 25 -99 employees • Over 100 employees n EMERGING MANUFACTURER n PRODUCT INNOVATION AND DESIGN n WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTIVITY n SUSTAINABILITY/GREEN PRACTICES n COLLABORATION IN MANUFACTURING Supporting Sponsors to date: Clinton Savings Bank | Marsh & McLennan Northeast Efficiency Supply For questions, contact Brad Kane at bkane@wbjournal.com Visit www.wbjournal.com/manufacturing for full details and nomination form. Personalizing your great elevator pitch T he elevator pitch – that pres- sured packed 30 seconds to 1 minute where your future suc- cess lies in someone else's hands: What to say and how to say it so the other party is at least interested in continuing the conversation. The assumption with most elevator pitches is a com- pelling and excit- ing description of a business or opportunity is what makes the pitch interesting and engaging. This is impor- tant, but it is not the heart of a great elevator pitch. I contend the most engaging part of a conver- sation is the peo- ple themselves. If the person is not interesting or engaging, then what they are saying will be either half- heard or not heard at all. Therefore, if you want your eleva- tor pitch to be engaging, totally enwrap yourself into what you are saying. Show the passion behind the person and the business. If the other party finds you interesting, then they will be motivated to continue talking. If the other person cannot connect with you, then what you are offering is devalued to a commodity. Let's consider a few scenarios where elevator pitches are used. • Sales people practice their eleva- tor pitches because they frequently meet people at networking events or similar types of meetings. • Entrepreneurs practice their ele- vator pitch because they are always looking for something, be it new cus- tomers, investment capital or partners who can help them succeed. In both scenarios, think about the person on the receiving end of the elevator pitch. If you are at a net- working meeting, would you buy from someone who immediately starts telling you how wonderful their product or service is? If you are an investor, would you put your money with someone who talks about how their product will change the industry and their sales will increase like a hockey stick? The probable answer in either sce- nario is no. People, when they first meet some- one, are usually most interested in who they are meeting. Who is this person? Where are they from? What is interesting about them? If you want a great elevator pitch, start with you. What can you say about yourself that is at least intriguing, reflects your personality, and is informative? • Sales person at a networking event: "Hi, I'm Ken. These types of events are uncomfortable for me. How about you?" Break the ice with something personal, and in this case, showing a vulnerability. Then maybe follow up with an easy question: "What are you hoping for from this event?" This question engages the other person in terms of their goals and aspirations. Albeit, goals and aspirations on a small scale, but goals and aspirations nonetheless. At least it is not about products. • Entrepreneur in front of potential investors or customers: Talk about passions and what drives you. Describe why you are pursuing a product that you think will change an industry. Enable a customer or an investor to connect to you; after all, that is who they are buying. Customers and investors need to believe in the person first. Without that, they won't even consider the product or the company. The Bottom Line – In both scenari- os the conversation will eventually get around to business. But the elevator pitch was the first step in that busi- ness relationship. Make the pitch a good one by personalizing it – give the other party a strong personal rea- son to continue the conversation. Ken Cook is the co-founder of How to Who, an organization focused on helping people effectively build rela- tionships and building business through those relationships. Learn more at www.howtowho.com. The Rainmaker BY KEN COOK If you want your elevator pitch to be engaging, totally enwrap yourself into what you are saying. W