(Reprinted from Legal Marketing Association Strategies)
People listen for their reasons, not yours.
~ Peter Ducker
What is a “30-second Commercial?”
A “30 second commercial” or “elevator speech” is a brief, targeted and emotionally impactful explanation of what you do. Effective commercials grab the attention of your audience, motivate them to ask more and can elevate your practice to new levels.
Getting Started
Step I: Understanding your prospect/client
First you must define your clients and understand what motivates them to choose one professional vs. another. Start by answering these key questions:
- Describe your desired prospect. Title? Industry? Size?
- What do they do?
- What problems and challenges, barriers impede your client’s and prospect’s successes; what keep them up at night?
- What solutions do you provide?
- What makes you different then your competitors?
- How do your clients benefit from these differences? (REMEMBER TO INCLUDE TANGIBLE AND IN TANGIBLE BENEFITS) This is what will make your speech or commercial emotionally impactful (See article on Creating Demand )
Step II: Draft Your 30 second commercial
Once you have answered all the above questions, begin to draft what you do. The draft should be just under 200 words. Some things to remember:
- Begin with a bold statement or a question
- Include your unique and emotionally impactful point-of-difference
- Close with a call to action
Step III: Practice, Practice, Practice
Deliver your commercial with enthusiasm. Prospects and clients like to work with others who are impassioned.
BONUS THOUGHT:
The following is a great question to probe the tangible and intangible benefits clients derive, or want to derive from working with you.
If we review our relationship one year from now, what has to be different, both personally and professionally, for you to feel great about our progress? Our relationship? (Then listen; don’t talk.)
Examples:
ABC is changing the way start-up ventures work with attorneys.
Each of our attorneys have all worked at start-up companies and are intimately familiar with the challenging hurtles of funding, staffing, intellectual property, and the many other challenges faced by start-up ventures. I personally have been involved with over 100 start-up companies in Tel-Com, Healthcare and Manufacturing.
Our clients love our quick response time. Many tell us that our experience and response time have sheltered them and enable them to concentrate on their company successes and build value, from round one funding to going public.
How could I assist you _____?
Here is one I pulled off the Internet:
“Hands-on help for Owner-Managed business”.
We provide unique consulting services that allow us to become integral members of our clients’ management teams. We don’t just tell you what to do. We work with you to demonstrate the best policies and procedures to avoid a great deal of frustration and excess cost. If all you need is good “outside-in” analysis and reporting, we can provide that. If you need someone to test or implement plans, then we can place a professional within your management team on a part-time basis to ensure your plans are carried out with precision.
Many Owner-Managers are required to engage in management activities that are new to them, and have no relationship to their core competencies. A good tool and die maker who starts up his own company seldom has experience in the disciplines of hiring, finance, business planning, growth funding, equipment purchase, and an assortment of complex contracts.
For small businesses, the cost of hiring full time personnel for each discipline can be prohibitive. That’s when “renting” professional experience becomes a cost effective solution to business problems.
One I heard just recently:
Shakespeare said, “Neither a borrower or a lender be,” but in my career I have been both. You see, I help mid-size businesses obtain business loans. I work for ABC bank in their commercial loan department. …. etc.….
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