Personal branding is one of the most important marketing tools nowadays. Marketing yourself can be both easy and hard. It is an easy task because you already know yourself and what you are good at. It becomes hard because promoting your personal brand entails hard work and consistency in whatever you do. One of the things that you can do to promote your brand is to create a good elevator speech.

The elevator speech is an overview of who you are and what you can do or offer. Also called elevator pitch, the term comes from the idea that an elevator speech can be delivered in a short period of time, or a typical elevator ride. If you meet someone in a party, you should be able to tell something about yourself and what you do in a way that will pique his or her interest. Take note that it is not a sales pitch – it is a summary that describes yourself or your business and your services / products. The key is to attract people’s attention with just a few statements and be memorable.

At first, you may think that creating a compressed version of who you are and what you do is difficult. This shouldn’t be the case. You can make one that is short, simple, and effective. Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating an elevator speech:

• Begin your speech with a catchy statement. This is also called a “hook”. Make people interested in what you will say.
• Briefly describe your products and/or services.
• Highlight the strengths or unique features of what you offer. Talk about the unique qualities that make your services different from others.
• Identify your target market.
• Tell something about the company and the people behind it. Include the accomplishments and professional experience of the team.
• Include a call to action at the end of your elevator speech. Do you need their business cards? Ask if they are willing to have you in their office for a detailed presentation.

With these tips, you will be able to create an elevator speech that will make other people remember you.

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