easy Networking: Elevator speeches vs. Self-introductions

In the enterprise networking context, habitancy are encouraged to craft and use "elevator speeches" when introducing themselves.

But I found myself resisting the concept. Something about having a canned speech to introduce myself made me uncomfortable.

Cartoon Network

As I view about it, I realized why.

In my mind, there is a big disagreement in the middle of "elevator speeches" and self-introductions.

Let's think about this for a bit.

The story behind the elevator speech view is that one day you might find yourself riding up the elevator with someone with whom you've been wanting to talk for a while. This is your unexpected opportunity! You have a just a few minutes to "pitch" your offer (product, service, whatever), and persuade this someone that anyone it is your gift they in effect need it.

Elevator speeches can be very beneficial when you're out prospecting; in other words, specifically seeing to find habitancy to whom you can sell your products or services). It can even be helpful in networking situations.

However, there are any implicit assumptions that may or may not be true.

It assumes that:
You have something the other someone wants, either to sell or for free. You *know* what the other someone wants. You have *only a few minutes* to convince the other someone that you have what they want.

When I meet someone for the first time, I don't know if any of these assumptions are true.

Do you?

So, in such situations, I find that a brief self-introduction is more useful.

A good self-introduction includes your name and something about you that establishes what you have in common with the someone you're talking with.

Depending on whom you're talking with, and what the context is, you will of policy introduce yourself differently. You will use separate analogies to explain what you do. Or feature separate aspects of your work.

There is no pitching or selling involved. However, by plainly highlighting a single aspect of what you do, that you think
might be of interest to the other person, you can originate an opportunity for an piquant conversation to emerge.

And once you truly *engage* in conversation with other person, you begin to find out all kinds of information.

This information is what you can then use to resolve either the someone you're talking with would be a good prospective client or customer for you. Or either they'd be a good source of referrals for you. Or a good mentor for you.

Now you're in a much good position to make a "pitch", if that's what you resolve you want to do.

easy Networking: Elevator speeches vs. Self-introductions