Build Your Own Creative Business: Perfect Your Elevator Pitch {Day 28}

You guys, it’s {Day 28}! Can you believe it?! Only three days left of this 31-day series! If you’re just joining me, you can click here to catch up from Day 1. Today, we’re going to discuss how to introduce your business to people and perfect your elevator pitch.

How do you introduce yourself?

Personally, this is a lesson that has been shouting at me from all angles lately. Nearly every book I read and speech I attend tells me to refine my introduction, and I thought it was about time I heed the warning. Ideally, your introduction should be streamlined into two sentences, and those two sentences should clearly summarize your vocation so that somebody who doesn’t speak your career language would still fully understand what you do. The introduction is usually stacked with a lot of information.

For example: “Hi, I’m Lisa Jacobs. I own the Energy Shop where I design gemstone bracelets. Because gemstones are of the earth and have long been revered for their positive, healing attributes, I use Reiki to charge them accordingly, and then I provide the intended use of each piece for my customers.”

But that feels pushy and passionless to me. In what circumstance is it going to be natural for me to say my name and then spiral into two extra-long sentences that describe how I earn an income? It seems overboard as a response to “What do you do?” and I’m not in all that many round-table conferences where I need to introduce myself to corporate big-wigs.

I have, however, stumbled on my introduction when I’m not following any guidelines. In the past, I’ve gotten coy and cutesy with new friends, down-playing what I’m not sure they’ll understand. I smile and say, “I have an online jewelry shop, and I work from home.” The Energy Shop means so much more to me than that, but even though spirituality and the metaphysical ideas I use are becoming more mainstream, most of my friends don’t get it. The Energy Shop represents positive affirmations and best-life reminders, but I tend to lose people at anything more than “bracelets.”

So, what do you do?

Here’s my response, with feeling this time!

I own the Energy Shop and I make jewelry out of gemstones, which are powerful minerals of this earth. I charge them with loving, healing Reiki energy, and then I design them into gorgeous affirmations that you can wear on your wrist. I create these bracelets so that every time you drive your car, or reach into the refrigerator, or bathe your children, you will remember your greatest promises to yourself.

How about you? Please offer your introduction in the comments, I’d love to read them!

That’ll do it for Day 28! Only 3 posts left to take advantage of the sale: As promised and in honor of the 31 days to Build Your Own Creative Business Series, I’m offering my complete business-boosting e-program, Shop Fundamentals ($57) for $31 while it runs! Click here to learn more.