Have you ever been subject to an elevator pitch? You know where the person says all these great things that they do and how you need to do business with them. Some time ago elevator pitches came into existence because business people needed to be able to tell someone what they did in the time it took to reach your destination on the elevator. Quick and be effective were the requirements of an elevator pitch.
When I think about an elevator pitch, I see a picture of the old sales guy wearing a three-piece suit and playing with his pocket watch. For those of you younger readers, a pocket watch is not your phone that is in your pocket.
I remember when I first got into sales this was the language you needed to use when someone asked what you did. People came up with all sorts of weird pitches. After a few years came the unique selling proposition that you needed to craft so when you talked to customers you could use this to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Now there is a new approach that is called positioning statement. I have used this approach when speaking to organizations for speaking and it goes like this:
“I work with organizations just like yours who want to increase sales and influence, so that they can improve profits and elevate their people.”
This positioning statement is to position yourself as an authority and how you actually benefit people at a 10,000 ft view of what you do. This positioning statement is to also pull the prospective customer into asking more questions to learn a little more. This is a way to start the conversation to learn about the customer which is a better way to approach selling. I mean how do you know what to sell someone if you don’t know what they need?
This Positioning statement flows well with my company which “Sales and Leadership Enterprises.” I emphasize the fact that I help people walk through the sales process and how salespeople can intentionally understand where they are at in the process. Using the same process helps leaders gain influence with employees and customers.
Today we no longer use the elevator pitch, and as we move into the positioning statement where we want to be in our customer’s minds. We want them thinking about how they need more help and how we can help them through conversation. We are not making quick closes, but we are having the conversation to help our customers move forward to a better place.
What is your positioning statement?
Leave a comment below and tell me what your positioning statement is. I like learning about my readers and how I can help them achieve more. I will give a free signed copy of my book to the winner the best positioning statement!
Sincerely,
Kevin Sidebottom