When someone asks you what your company does how do you respond?
It doesn't matter what you call it: Unique Value Proposition, Elevator Pitch, or 30 Second Commercial...the objective is to capture the attention of your audience for the purpose of engaging him or her in a relevant and meaningful conversation. A well thought out 30 Second Commercial can differentiate yourself from the competition. A canned, generic response will often leave you lost in the pack of your crowded market place. Do you want to stand out from your competition, or blend in? The choice is really up to you, ask yourself:
Does your response engage your audience? Does it intrigue them enough to capture their attention? Is it relevant? Is it more about them and less about you?
When it comes to an effective 30 second commercial, bottom line: it should focus on them - the audience - not on you, your company, or products and services. Let’s look at a typical response first:
Hi, My name is Joe Whoever with XYZ firm. We are a full service accounting firm that has been around for 35 years. We do taxes, retirement planning and other financial services for businesses and individuals. With our depth of resources, experience and expertise we partner with our clients to provide the best solutions at the best prices.
This is a fairly common response in my experience, but does it differentiate from the competition? Or does it sound similar to everyone else? Let’s look at a different approach:
Hi, I’m Joe Whoever with XYZ firm. We are an accounting firm that assists companies and individuals eliminate the unknown when it comes to their finances. Often times our clients were worried about losing hard-earned money because they were unsure of which tax breaks were available to them. Others feared not having enough money put away for retirement and were frustrated about what to do next. We help our clients deal with similar financial concerns, I don’t know if you can relate to anything like that or not?
This example is more focused on connecting to the audience and relevant to some of the common concerns someone may be experiencing when it comes to their money.
Think about all the boring responses you have heard to “What do you do?” throughout your career when you are out networking, at a social function or prospecting. It is typically all about them and their company, instead of being focused on their audience.
A typical 30 second commercial will often contain a combination of the features, benefits, functions and advantages of their products or services. Instead, try making it about them, your audience. How do you make the lives of the people you do business with easier? What pains, problems, issues, concerns or frustrations do you help them overcome? Whatever they are, The Bottom line: it should focus on them - the audience - not on you, your company, or products and services.
(Additional Tip: The type of 30 Second Commercial you share will be determined by your audience and situation. Have multiple versions prepared for the various audiences you are typically in front of, and for the different situations you often find yourself in.)
For More details on how to prepare your 30 second commercial see: 30 or less: How to prepare your thirty-second commercial
