Sure, you might have your elevator speech down. The 30-second pitch you’d give someone in the elevator about who you are and what you do, but will anyone care?
Did you take the time to choose your words and make your comments fun and memorable?
Or in my media world, did you give a good quote?
How to come up with great quotes to make headlines!
Just ask the 2018 Best Supporting Actress Allison Janney. She made headlines and her soundbite was all over the news clips the next morning with just six funny words.
You can do it too!
I will always remember a young professional who approached me at a business event. He told his name and that he was into commercial real estate, then he added, “It’s best to think of me as the Monopoly guy, I love buying up properties, making improvements and charging rent.”
PERFECT!
Besides the “What do you do?” question, think of the most common questions you are asked.
My media training clients know it’s the simple softball questions that trip up most of the guest on talk shows.
You know, a question or broad statement which should be easy for you to knock out of the park. The interviewer simply says, “Tell me about your new [insert book, or event, or procedure].”
You’re stunned. You have so much to say. You think, “Man, these lights are hot.”
How do you deliver the most important key points and make the audience care? Ahhh! The simple answer? Prepare.
I come up with the questions I think my clients will be asked and then we come up with questions they don’t want to be asked.
We think about what would be a quick and clever answer.
Then I make them write down their three key points with actual pen and paper. You’ll be surprised how the physical act of making your note cards will implant the information on your brain. Once you have practiced, you won’t even need your cards. You’ll see your key points in your brain.
Remember “winging it” never works well. Cover your bases and you’ll be hitting headline home runs!
For more about my coaching services, click here.
You might also like this blog about how being DIFFERENT sells.
