That’s Intriguing #76: What is The Eyebrow Test®?

Do you ever:

• Find people aren’t really listening when you’re talking to them?
• Have a tough time explaining your ideas?
• Notice that what you’re saying seems to be going in one ear, out the other?
• Get frustrated because you can’t get across the value or urgency of
what you care about in a way other people get it and want it?

If so, join the club.

We’re taught math, science and history in school – but we’re not taught how to capture people’s attention and quickly communicate what we care about so other people care about it.

As a result, our priorities and projects may not succeed at the level at which they deserve because we’re not able to win buy-in from key decision-makers.

Want good news?

There’s a solution to this. It’s called The Eyebrow Test®.

It’s both a method for:

1. BEING more intriguing in the first crucial 60 seconds when people are making up their mind whether we’re worth the valuable time.

2. TESTING how intriguing we are so we know whether we’re capturing people’s attention.

Here’s how I discovered The Eyebrow Test®.

Several years ago, I was asked to be on the closing panel of an international conference held over New Years.

Pulitzer Prize winners, astronauts, CEO’s and Nobel physicists were on the panel, so I was excited about this opportunity.

The challenge? I had two minutes max to share my insight with the group.

I skipped the New Years’ celebration the night before the panel to prepare.

My son Andrew (founder of Ability List – http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/yeas-nays/2012/01/andrew-horn-launch-abilitylistcom/2105891) came back to our hotel room after midnight only to find me still up, working on my remarks.

“Whazzup, Mom?”

“Well, I’ve got something to say, but I know it’s not special.”

“Do what you always tell me to do when my brain’s fried. Get up early in the morning and tackle it when you’re fresh.”

“Good advice, Andrew. Thanks.” I set the alarm for 6 am and went to study the inside of my eyelids.

The next morning, I headed downstairs to search for some caffeine to kick-start my creativity.

I turned around after getting my coffee and bumped into a petite powerhouse who was wearing big red, round glasses. I smiled at her and said, “Happy New Year.”

She looked at me, eyes bright, and said, “Start to finish.”

My eyebrows went up at this unexpected response. I was instantly intrigued. “How did you come up with that great phrase?”

She said, “Want to sit for a spell and I’ll tell you?”

I had a decision to make. Was I supposed to go back to my room and work on my two minutes – or was Dr. Betty Siegel (President Emeritus of Georgia’s Kennesaw State University) my two minutes?

Suffice it to say, I went with Betty (literally and figuratively).

Betty turned out to be the most intriguing communicator I’ve ever met.

I was on the edge of my seat through our entire conversation. There wasn’t a second I wished I was somewhere else. There wasn’t a moment I was bored, distracted or confused. She was 100% intriguing – from start to finish.

That’s when it occurred to me. Betty had my eyebrows up the entire time she was speaking.

What was it about it about her?

What made her so intriguing?

I had a triple epiphany.

1. Being intriguing is a rare and welcomed attribute.

2. Being intriguing is a learnable skill and can be (and must be) taught.

3. There is a tangible way to test how intriguing we are.

Just watch people’s eyebrows.

If we tell them something and their eyebrows knit or furrow; they didn’t get what we said.

And if they don’t get it, they won’t want it.

And if they don’t get it or want it, we won’t get what we want – their attention, respect, friendship, money or business.

If their eyebrows don’t move at all; it means they’re unmoved. What we said didn’t reach them. It had no impact at all, which means they’re not motivated to give us their valuable time, mind (or dime).

If their eyebrows go UP; it means we got through. They’re engaged, curious. They want to know more … which means what we just said got in their mental door.

Try it right now. LIFT your eyebrows.

Is your attention activated? Do you feel intrigued? Did raising your eyebrows switch you from an apathetic “I don’t care” state to a more engaged “Tell me more” state?

That’s one of the many benefits of the Eyebrow Test®. It’s a tangible way to gauge how intriguing you are anytime you want, for free, in five seconds.

Just:
• Tell someone your elevator speech
• Read them the first paragraph of your book, blog or article
• Watch someone review the homepage of your website
• Share the 60 second opening of your presentation, pitch or panel remarks
• Explain how you’re going to start a staff orientation or committee meeting
• Give an answer to a key question you’ll be asked in an upcoming interview
• Show a potential client your commercial or the first minute of your video

… and watch their eyebrows.

If their eyebrows go up; you’re in business.

If their eyebrows crunch up. It’s back to the drawing board. (Or, as comedian George Carlin said, “What did we go back to before there were drawing boards?”)

The good news is; if you test an upcoming communication and people’s eyebrows don’t go up; I can teach you how to craft a more intriguing opening so they do go up.

There’s a step-by-step process for having people at hello and I’ve developed it.

More importantly, this process – The Eyebrow Test® – is replicable. It’s helped thousands of people create intrigjuing communications that helped them buy-in to their priority projects – whether that was landing millions in funding, securing sponsorship for a non-profit or landing a dream job.

I may be preaching to the choir, but in case you’re still wondering why it’s in your best interests to learn how to be more intriguing … here’s why.

People today are suffering from info-besity.

They’re BBB. Busy. Bored. Been there-heard that.

They don’t want more blah-blah-blah.

They want epiphanies. They want to feel connected.

And they don’t get epiphanies and don’t feel connected from the old-fashioned “Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em; tell ‘em; then tell ‘em what you told ‘em” approach.

As Carrie Fisher said, “instant gratification takes too long.”

By the time we do all that “telling,” people’s eyes are glazed over.

If we want people’s attention; we need to pleasantly surprise them in the first 60 seconds with something intriguing and relevant they didn’t expect.

If we do that, they’ll listen up. They will feel connected and curious.

If we don’t; they won’t be listening; they’ll be waiting for us to stop talking. Or, they’ll be surreptitiously checking their smartphone. Or, they’ll have already mentally moved on.

What do you care about?

What is an upcoming communication and you (and your employees or association members) would like to know how to craft a 60 second opening that gets everyone’s eyebrows up?

If you want to know exactly what to say to win buy-in in that situation …contact us at Sam@SamHorn.com to arrange your one-on-one consultation or to schedule Intrigue Expert Sam Horn to teach your group her “can-use-this-today” Eyebrow Test® approaches that have been won raves from entrepreneurs in London, Geneva, Toronto, Amsterdam, Chicago and NYC and from executives from Cisco, Intel and eBay.

We look forward to hearing from you and to helping you win-buy to your priority projects.

 

That’s Intriguing #51: Guy Kawasaki: Genius In Action: Part 3

Guy Kawasaki . . . Genius in Action Part 3,

By Sam Horn, The IntrigueExpert

This is the final post detailing the excellence in action that Guy Kawasaki demonstrated during his keynote for Ruth Stergiou’s Invent Your Future Conference in NoCA.

Guy Kawasaki Genius in Action

Actually, there were many more things Guy did extraordinarily well . . . however these blog posts are already long enough.

Want to know what I suggest? Go see Guy in person if you have a chance.

I am a firm believer that our personal and professional impact is directly proportionate to our ability to communicate compellingly and convincingly.

If you’d like to turn no’s into yes’s – if you’d like to win buy-in from the people who have the power to scale your career, buy your products or services or support your message and mission – do yourself a favor and study great communicators like Guy (on the stage) and Seth Godin (on the page).

Then, adopt and adapt (don’t copy) their masterful approaches so you too know how to capture and keep everyone’s attention and respect – from start to finish.

7. Guy featured a kaleidoscopic mix of reference points.

“Let’s give em something to talk about.” – Bonnie Raitt

Hmmm. Let’s see.  Grateful Dead. Check. Steve Jobs. Check.

Personal examples. Professional examples. Check. Check.

United States anecdotes. International anecdotes. Yep.

Fortune 500 success stories. Small business success stories. Yep. Yep.

Some speakers commit the cardinal sin of focusing solely on a few “favorites.” sports. Kids. Corporate life. That leaves some people out. They may not like sports, don’t have kids or work for themselves.

Guy gave everyone something to “talk about.” By using a wide range of “demographically-correct” reference points, he made sure everyone felt included, honored and acknowledged.

The eclectic mix kept us eager for what’s next. Novelists call this a page-turner. The speaker equivalent is a “seat-edger,” as in, “We were on the edge of our seats the whole time.”

One of the most effective ways Guy modeled this was by using “pulled from the headlines” or “signs on the street” slides to prove his points.

For example, he mentioned he was just in New England checking out colleges with his kids. To illustrate how “disenchantment” can be caused by overcomplicating things, he popped up a Smartphone photo showing a sign from an Ivy League university campus that went into great detail on how to . . . (wait for it) cross the street.

Embedding his point in a recent, first-person story lent instant credibility to his case because it had currency. This isn’t
tired shtick – it just occurred yesterday or last week.

And he did this with EACH of his points – providing a “couldn’t see it coming” reference that explored the point in a compelling, convincing and creative way.

If you’re about to give a presentation, go back over your planned remarks. Double check that you have balanced gender, age, ethnic, work-life, geographic and industry diversity.

And, hold up a prop! Make it show not tell. Sharing an article from THAT day’s newspaper that’s relevant to your topic will charm your audience and turn “blah-blah-blah” into “rah-rah-rah.”

8. Guy was in his “Tony Bennett” zone.

“I have found if you love life, life will love you back.” – Arthur Rubenstein

Have you ever had the distinct privilege of seeing and hearing Tony Bennett in concert? If not, do yourself a favor and grab a ticket for his next concert in your area.

Tony Bennett is the consummate entertainer. Not just because he has a voice like “butta” and not just because he’s a great song stylist.

It’s because Tony Bennett LOVES HIS AUDIENCE . . . and isn’t afraid to show it. When singers (or speakers) love what they’re doing, we love ‘em back.

Tony may have sung I Left my Heart in San Francisco a thousand times but you’d never know it. He gifts each audience by singing that song as if for the first time.

What many speakers don’t understand is that our audiences will feel the way we feel.

We won’t have fun if you’re not having fun. If you’re not happy to be up there – we’re not happy to be down here.

We want speakers who welcome the opportunity to add value and who show up fully present with an unapologetic, unabashed personality.

Too many speakers dread speaking. I remember attending a book-author event in Washington, DC , where a famous actress who’d just written a memoir got up and said, “I rather be dead drunk in a gutter than standing up here speaking to you today.”

Yikes. How do you think that made us feel?

Guy brought his A game and his whole self to the party. Guy was in his body, in his element and in the moment. And when speakers invest themselves 100%– we feel lucky to be along for the ride – because it’s a great ride.

9. Guy replaced wah-wah information with real-world WWW stories.

“The world is not made up of atoms; it’s made up of stories.” – Muriel Rukeyser

Actually, as explained in a recent Newsweek cover story entitled Brain Freeze, the world is not made up of atoms; it’s
made up of information. And we’re drowning in it.

We don’t want more information. We want epiphanies.  And we don’t get epiphanies from wah-wah information. We get them from “WWW” stories” that vividly portray Who, Where and What was said.  WWW stories are pulled from real-life – NOT from the internet or from your colleague’s books.

If we wanted stories from the Internet or from your colleagues
books – we’d go online or go buy those other people’s books.

When you speak, we want to hear what you think, what you have experienced, what you have gleaned. And we want you to re-enact those lessons-learned so we’re in the room with you as they happened.

We want you to make your story our story by putting us in the story. You can do this by putting yourself back in the moment
and place it happened and describing:

WHO? Describe the individuals involved with specific physical and emotional details so we can SEE him or her in our mind’s
eye and know what’s going through their mind.

WHERE? Put us in the room, on the plane or in the pool (or as Nancy Duarte – author/speaker on Resonance –
did so vividly in her keynote that day – put us on Half Dome). Make us a fly on the wall so we’re standing right next to you.

WHAT WAS SAID? Re-create and re-quote the dialogue so it’s as if it’s happening right NOW.

For example, Guy shared a story where he was speaking for a client in South America and realized, shortly before his talk, that he had a washing machine made by this manufacturer.

Understanding this was an “enchantment opportunity,” he quickly texted his sons and asked them to take a picture of the family washing machine and send it to him so he could incorporate it into his program.

Here’s where Guy got it right (yet again.)

Instead of just mentioning his sons sent him the photos – he put up a slide that showed the actual back and forth texting from his sons. He talked us through the chain of events and turned it into an unfolding mystery that brought it alive and brought it home. Guy’s message had the ring of truth – because it was true. Kudos.

10. Guy created the exquisite state of entrainment.

“What did the meditation teacher tell the hot dog vendor? Make me one with everything.” – poster in yoga studio

Have you ever experienced that lovely peak performance state of flow?

If you’re an athlete, maybe you were immersed in your golf, tennis or basketball game and played out of your head (literally and figuratively).

If you play an instrument, perhaps you lost yourself in the music and weren’t even aware of the passage of time.

If you’re an artist or author, the world slipped away and you were completely absorbed In your painting, dancing or writing.

That flow sate – when we are one with what we are doing – is also called “entrainment.”

And Guy created it. There was no shuffling in the seats. No checking of watches or email. We got swept up in his world.

Everyone who’s experienced this state of flow knows it is a powerful and persuasive high. Everyone was bliss-fully entrained– or as Guy calls it – enchanted.

As The Intrigue Expert and author of POP!, ConZentrate and Win Buy-In, I have studied the art and science of entrainment for the past 20 years.

What I have learned is that while we can’t force it, we can facilitate it.

The ten ingredients above all combine to create entrainment.

The good news is, you can too.

Yes, Guy is a master at what he does. The good news is that speaking eloquently and “intriguingly” is a skill that can be acquired. I know this because I’ve helped many entrepreneurs and executives create more compelling, convincing communications.

We can all get better at this because these are replicable steps.

Do you have a presentation coming up? Use these 10 points as a checklist while preparing your communication so your audience will be seat-edgers.

Get Anyone Intrigued in Anything in 60 Seconds

1. Have us at hello by leaving out the parts people skip.

2. Engage everyone’s head and heart with facts and feelings.

3. Condense your concepts into one-of-a-kind sound bites.

4. Have the courage to be counter-intuitive.

5. Honor your family, mentors and contributors.

6. Use the power of three to create oratorical flow.

7. Feature a kaleidoscopic mix of reference points.

8. Get in your “Tony Bennett” zone.

9. Replace wah-wah information with real-world WWW stories.

10. Create entrainment by getting in the flow.

If you do these things, your audience will care about what you care about. They’ll be engaged and enchanted from start to finish. You will have delivered substantive value and they’ll be more likely to buy into and act on your ideas and initiatives.

And isn’t that a primary reason we communicate?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Sam Horn, The Intrigue Expert, and author of POP! and Win Buy-In, is an award-winning communication strategist who’s worked with clients including Cisco, Intel and NASA.

Her work has been featured on NPR, MSNBC, BusinessWeek.com and in Readers Digest, the Washington Post, New York Times and Investors Business Daily.

She helps people crystallize their strategic, signature message and get it out of their head and where it can make a positive difference for others and a profitable living for themselves. . www.SamHorn.com Sam@SamHorn.com

 

That’s Intriguing #50: Guy Kawasaki: Genius In Action: Part 2

Guy Kawasaki . . . Genius in Action Part 2,

By Sam Horn, The Intrigue Expert

This is Part 2 of a 3-part series in which I share the specific things GuyKawasaki did so well in his keynote presentation at the Invent Your Future conference at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California.

You might want to have an upcoming presentation in mind while you’re reading this to get maximum benefit.

Guy Kawasaki . . . Genius in Action - Sam Horn

What’s a situation you’ve got coming up in which you’ll be asking for approval, funding, support or a yes?

Who’s the decision-maker? Who has the power or authority to give you the green light or the support you need to move ahead with this idea or initiative?

What’s that person’s frame of mind? Or who will be in the audience and how receptive or resistant do you anticipate they’ll be?

Factor that into how you design and deliver your remarks – and use these techniques that were so masterfully modeled by Guy – to increase the likelihood you’ll have them at hello.

4. Guy had the courage to be counter-intuitive.

“Only dead fish swim with the stream all the time.” – Linda Ellerbee

The quickest way to lose an audience is to state the obvious.

The quickest way to engage an audience is to state the opposite.

Think about it. If you agree with everything a speaker says, why listen? The speaker is just confirming what you already know; not stretching you or teaching you anything new.

For example, he made a flat out recommendation, “EVERY ONE should go see the movie Never Say Never with Justin Bieber.”

As you can imagine, that got a “Really?!” response from this high-powered group of entrepreneurs and executives.

He then backed up his claim by saying, “It will teach you everything you need to know about marketing. Watch how Justin goes into the crowd before concerts and gives tickets to little girls who don’t have tickets.
Watch how. . . . “

He then upped the ante by promising, “If you don’t like the movie, I’ll give you your money back.” THAT’s putting a stake in the ground.

We appreciate speakers who have a passionate point of view – who dare to address (vs. tip toe around) the elephants in the room. Speakers who challenge our assumptions and admit the emperor has no clothes cause us to rethink what we “knew to be true.” They serve us at a higher level because we walk out wiser than we walked in.

5. Guy honors his family, mentors and contributors.

“I want compassion to be the new black.” – American Idol judge Steven Tyler

Guy began by acknowledging a mentor in the audience, Marylene Delbourg-Delphis, who encouraged him to write. He frequently referenced colleagues including a special shout out to:

Facebook marketing guru Mari Smith in her trademark turquoise

• Michael G. Lafosse (“the Wayne Gretzky of origami”) who created Guy’s signature “Kawasaki Swallowtail” butterfly
• Nancy Duarte, author of Resonate for her ground-breaking work
• Sarah Brody who created his eye-catching book cover
• Ana Frazao who designed his one-of-a-kind power point slides

Guy talked openly about his love for his wife, kids and parents and shared several “from the home front” stories of neighborhood hockey games, backyard bar-b-ques, etc.

What’s that got to do with anything? We like people who like their families.  In fact, novelist James Rollins, (NY Times bestselling author of Amazonia, etc.) told me he’s researched the ten best ways to create likable characters. Guess what #1 was? “Being kind to kids and animals, in particular, dogs.”

Simply said, our heart goes out to people who are compassionate.
This wasn’t contrived on Guy’s part. It’s simply who he is.

Many speakers think they have to be “serious” when speaking in business situations. Guy modeled that speaking affectionately about who and what has influenced us “warms up” a talk and establishes that all-important likability. He showed that not can we embody intellect and emotion – it’s more powerful and persuasive when we do.

6. Guy used The Power of Three to create oratorical flow.

“There’s a kind of ear music . . . a rhythmic synchronicity which creates a kind of heartbeat on the page.” – Allan Gurganus

Orators have known for centuries that communicating things in threes sets up a rhythmic flow that makes our message reverberate.

Furthermore, listing three real-world examples fleshes out your points and increases the odds every person will relate to at least one of your samples.

For example, Guy showcased Amazon.com, Zappos and Nordstrom on a slide to illustrate benchmarks of mutual trust.

He then went deeper by citing empirical evidence that showed how each of these companies have created a culture of mutual trust. But giving varied, yet specific examples (instead of one vague, sweeping generalization), we GOT what he meant.

No puzzled looks – no one left hanging.

For example, Amazon has a policy that says you can return an E-book in 7 days if you don’t like it. As Guy said,
most people can read a book in 7 days so that’s trust.

Next Guy asked, “Who would have believed a few years ago that hundreds of thousands of women would buy shoes online . . . WITHOUT TRYING THEM ON?!” What makes that possible is Zappos‘  visionary policy of paying for shipping both ways. No risk; all reward.

Nordstrom, of course, is famous for pioneering a generous refund policy that has proven over time that most people will honor the “We trust you” policy which offsets the few who take advantage of it.

Want more examples of how Guy Kawasaki hit it out of the park at the Invent Your Future Conference with his Enchantment keynote?

Ruth Stergiou, Guy Kawasaki and Sam Horn

Check the next blog for the final 4 ways Guy practiced what he taught.

 

That’s Intriguing #44: How to Win Buy-In in 60 Seconds

What better way to get across an example of how we can win buy-in to our ideas . . . than to share this blog post from EO-London President Jennifer Jansen who wrote about her response to my recent presentation for them.

Thanks Jen ( http://www.sixdegreespr.com ) for giving permission to share this.

It was grand fun seeing those cerebral sparks flying, and I’m glad to know you and your fellow EO members found our program intriguing and useful.

“OK, I’ll admit it. When, as the learning chair of the UK’s Entrepreneurs’ Organization, I agreed to host a speaker who professed to be able to teach us how to sell anything to anyone in 60 seconds or less, I was skeptical. But Sam Horn didn’t disappoint.

Imagine a group of 20 highly-strung entrepreneurs and members of their teams – Blackberries and iPhones buzzing, minds racing, faces blank.

Sam Horn – a refreshingly unconventional American in a trademark black hat takes to the floor. The skeptics agree to give her her 60 seconds.

Fast-forward four hours. The room is alive with energy, people wondering where the time has gone. New ideas hatched, new friendships formed, and traditional ways of thinking changed forever.

Sam Horn is full of inspirational stories, thought-provoking quotes, and frameworks for putting her theory in to practice. And she shares these with the generosity and confidence of someone who’s built a career out of helping people succeed.

Have you ever wondered how on earth you can differentiate your own brand when competitors are all doing broadly the same thing, in the same way?

Ever felt like the last thing you wanted to do in a meeting was a standard PowerPoint presentation, but couldn’t come up with an alternative? Or, how to make a ‘boring’ product interesting to absolutely anyone?

Well, I have. And what I learned will help me not only in the continuous improvement of Six Degrees, but in the way I and the team think about client challenges and how best to approach them.

Here’s an example. At Six Degrees we’re pretty proud of our elevator pitch: ‘We make clients famous’. Simple to understand, and hopefully compelling.

But it’s a statement. It is a one-way communication. Sam’s view is that people should aim to create an ‘elevator conversation’ rather than an ‘elevator speech’.

So in the context of the story above, we’ve tweaked ours. “Have you ever heard of Skype?” To which most people these days will say “Of course!” “Well, we helped make it a household name.”

Brilliant. Now we have the start of a conversation. And where there’s conversation, there’s opportunity.

Interestingly, Sam’s philosophy simply replicates what we advocate in the online world — creating conversations — in our offline lives. It just makes sense.

I could write a full article about what we learned yesterday, but that’s not the point. I suspect a lot of what Sam says is in her latest book, POP! And I suspect that the best way to learn from Sam Horn is to see her in action (no, I won’t be getting a commission for this!).

Let’s just say that for many years to come, I and the team who were with me yesterday won’t soon forget Sam, in the black hat.”

Thanks again Jen.

Would you like specific ways to win buy-in to your priority project?

Contact us at info@SamHorn.com for details about our upcoming tele-seminar on WIN BUY-IN: GET ANYONE INTRIGUED IN ANYTHING IN 60 SECONDS.

Like Jen, are you a little skeptical?

All I can say is that this program has been a hit at the British Airways Face2Face Competition in NYC and has received perfect 10’s from discerning corporate audiences around the world.

Be sure to have a priority project or upcoming communication in mind when you register for our tele-seminar so you can instantly apply these innovative techniques to capture the favorable interest of your decision-makers. Go to samhorn.com/speaking/calendar for dates and times on Sam’s events.

Sam hits the ground running, and within minutes of hearing her one-of-a-kind techniques, you’ll quickly understand why Sam’s unique approach has helped clients land multi-million dollar deals, command the attention and respect of their target customers, and win buy-in to what they care most about.
Check out Sam’s Store at samhorn.com/shop

 

That’s Intriguing #42: You Can’t Build a Business if You Can’t Win Buy-In

It happened again.

I went to a conference last week and met dozens of smart, talented entrepreneurs.

Yet when I asked them “What do you do?” or “Tell me about your business,” many couldn’t quickly communicate what they did in a way I got it and wanted it.

Talk about lost opportunity costs.

if you care about your company, cause, creative idea or campaign; the ball’s in YOUR court to craft an intriguing elevator intro so the next time someone asks “What do you do?” you can respond in a way that sets up a meaningful and memorable conversation and connection.

For example, I met one woman in the halls and asked what she did.

Her response? “I’m a project manager.”

Argghh.

I asked, “Want to play with that?”

She said, “Sure.”

I asked, “What’s an EXAMPLE of a project you managed?”

(Using the two words FOR EXAMPLE is the quickest way to make your intro come alive bcause you’re showing vs. telling what you do. These two words turn an elevator speech into an elevator connection because people can SEE what you’re saying and relate to it.)

She said, “Well, I managed a drug launch.”

“For who? What’s their name? Or, if you need to keep your clients confidential, what size company is it?”

(Vague claims compromise credibility. You need to give enough specific detail so people trust what you’re saying is true.)

She said, “It was a billion dollar pharma company.”

(See how this intro immediately got more interesting and positioned her at a level of respect?)

I asked, “What was the timeline of what you accomplished for them? What were the measurable results?”

(When you provide details of the tangible value you’ve delivered for someone else, it sets up a When Harry Met Sally – “I’ll have what she’s having” – desire to have the same results.)

She said, “I brought the project in before deadline and under budget.”

(Who wouldn’t want that?)

“Then what happened?”

“The CEO called to thank me and said they couldn’t have done it without me.”

(Quoting a real-life endorsement POP!s our elevator intro because it provides irrefutable social proof that we have produced bottom-line value for other clients.)

I said, “From now on, SAY THAT.”

When someone asks, ‘What do you do?’ say, “I’m a project manager. For example, a couple years ago, a billion dollar pharma company asked me to oversee a drug launch. We brought it in under budget and before deadline. The CEO was so pleased, he picked up the phone to thank me and said they couldn’t have done it without me.”

Voila. Now we know exactly what she does. We’re impressed with what she does. And we can remember what she does so we could refer her to other people or seek her out if we’re in the market for a project manager.

How about YOUR elevator intro?

Can you clearly and compellingly get across what you do – in 60 seconds or less?

Can you win buy-in to your business, idea or organization in the first minute?

If so, good for you.

If not, you might want to listen to the interview I did with Karen Klein of BusinessWeek.com on this topic. You can listen to the 8 minute audio on the homepage of my website – http://www.samhorn.com/

Or, you’re welcome to email us at Sam@SamHorn.com to order my CD or e-book on “Create a Tell ‘n Sell Elevator Intro that Opens Doors and Closes Deal.”

Sam Horn's CD Create a Intriguing Elevator Intro that Opens Doors and Closes Deals.

or

 

That’s Intriguing #41: POP! Your Elevator Pitch by Making it Purposeful

“If you don’t know where you’re going; you’ll end up somewhere else.” – Yogi Berra

Thanks to Rhonda Abrams (small business columnist for USA Today and CEO of The Planning Shop – http://www.rhondaonline.com/ ) for asking me to conduct my POP! Your Pitch: Win Buy-in to Your Business in 60 Seconds workshop for the British Airways Face2Face competition last week. http://businessconnect.ba.com/contest/

What a pleasure it was coaching these 250 non-profit leaders and small business owners in the halls of the NYC event and at 30,000 feet on our chartered flight to London.

Our focus was on how to clearly, confidently and compellingly communicate the essence of your work so you can answer the question, “What do you do?” in a way that gets people’s eyebrows up (a sign of curiosity).

Check out these excellent articles which capture what great productive fun it was swapping best-practice tips with 250 smart, talented social entrepreneurs.

These articles also showcase the three finalists

Adam Braun Pencils of Promise is now a global movement.

Adam Braun of Pencils of Promise (the ultimate winner of the competition), Danae Ringelmann of IndieGoGo and Chris Eilers of Dunn Brothers Coffee.

All three are shining examples of visionaries who have built add-value organizations that are making a positive difference for everyone involved.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-strauss/i-have-seen-the-future-of_2_b_819088.html?ref=twitter

http://blogs.wsj.com/in-charge/2011/02/03/first-stop-london-next-stop-the-world/

http://www.portfolio.com/companies-executives/2011/02/03/millennial-entrepreneur-wins-british-airways-face-of-opportunity-faceoff

During one of our brainstorming sessions, several of the contestants weren’t able to articulate their competitive edge.

I told them, “It’s hard to have a competitive edge if you don’t know exactly how you’re different.”

One asked, “How do you figure that out?”

I asked her, “You’ve heard of having your ducks in a row? Well, before you can crisply communicate your competitive advantage – you need to have your ‘W’s’ in a row.”

“What are those?” she asked.

They are the W words journalists use to figure out where they want to go with an article or interview so they can stay “on purpose.”

Print out this blog post with the W10 Form below and take it to lunch with you. Or, print out several copies and ask key employees to fill them out so you can discuss these at an upcoming staff meeting.

Hailed as one of the best business books of the year

Taking time to answer the following 10 questions (excerpted from Chapter 2 of my POP! book) can help you clarify where you’re first-of-your-kind and worth trying and buying.

W#1. What am I offering? What is my product, service or organization?

W#2. Who is my target audience, customer or decision-maker?

W#3. What problem(s) do they have that my business solves? What keeps them up at night? What worries them, frustrates them, confounds them?

W#4. What do my target customers want or need that no one else offers?

W#5. What specific, measurable action do I want people to take? Schedule a follow-up meeting? Visit our website? Buy our product? Hire us as their consultant?

W#6. What objections or resistance might people to have to my offering, products or services? Why will they say no or opt out?

W#7. What do I say/do to address and neutralize those objections so they’re a non-issue?

w#8. Who are my competitors and how am I different or better than them?

W#9. What do all my competitors have in common? How do I zig where they zag? How does our organization do the opposite of the obvious?

W#10. Who am I (or who is my organization) What are our strengths and unique abilities? What is our tangible track record of proven, measurable results?

When you (and your team) can answer each of the above “W” questions in a clear, crisp 60 seconds, you will know exactly why it’s in people’s best interests to do business with you.

And that, my friends, is a competitive advantage.

 

YOOvolution: Imagine 33 World-Class Success Experts in 3 Days — Without Leaving Home

Imagine learning best-practice tips from T. Harv Eker, Brian Tracy, Les Brown, John Gray, Alex Mandossian, Alan Webber (Fast Company), Ryan Lee and Joe Sugarman on how to fast-forward the success of your personal and professional life . . .

You can do that Nov. 6-8 at YOOvolution – the first ever 3D Virtual Business Conference.

This fascinating online experience provides opportunities to connect with people from around the world while accelerating your effectiveness on and off the job.

Programs focus on how to:

* grow your business an in unpredictable economy
* use electronic marketing to generate ongoing passive income
* turn your passion into purpose and profits
* enrich your relationships
* catapult sales with innovative approaches that really work
* accomplish your goals – no matter what

I’ll be speaking on how to “Create an Elevator Intro that Opens Doors and Close Deals” which was one of the top-rated sessions at the ’08 Inc. 500/5000 conference.

I’ll be revealing why many elevator speeches lose people at hello – and how you can craft an elevator intro that leads to meaningful conversations and connections.

Check out this unique opportunity – http://www.yoovolution.com/insider/index2.php

 

What’s the 4th Worst Branding Mistake Organizations Make?

They Can’t Explain Their Brand in 15 Seconds or Less

“My grandfather actually invented Cliff Notes. It was in 1952, and he was . . .
well, to make a long story short.” – Steven Wright

Remember when Andy Warhol said everyone would get 15 minutes of fame? In today’s rush-rush world, we don’t have that long to get people’s attention. We have about 15 seconds.

If you can’t quickly explain your brand in a way people get it and want it, they will move on. They are simply too busy to give us “the time of their day” unless we can quickly convince them we’re worth their valuable attention.

That’s why it’s crucial to “Cliff Note” your brand’s story into a concise, compelling Elevator Speech that captures interest in what you have to offer . . . in under 15 seconds.

Sound like an impossible dream? Not if you link your unfamiliar brand to something with which people are familiar and fond.

The secret is not to try to explain your brand. The more you try to explain what your brand does, the more confused potential customers will become. Instead, ask yourself, “What is my brand like . . . that my target audience already likes?’

I learned the power of this concept while in Denver for a speaking engagement with my teen-aged sons. We had a night free, so we went downstairs to the hotel concierge and asked if he had any suggestions for a fun night out.

He took one look at Tom and Andrew and said, “You’ve got to go to D & B’s.”

We were from Maui at the time and had no idea what he was talking about. We asked, “What’s D & B’s.”

He did NOT try to explain what D & B’s was. Imagine if he had said, “Well, it’s kind of like a restaurant, but it’s also a sports bar and they’ve got video games and TV’s and sometimes guys go there to watch football or play pool. But families go there too to play carnival games, kind of like an indoor amusement park.”

We would have looked at him in consternation and said, “Huh?” It’s just TMI (Too Much Information.) The longer he talked, the more baffled we would have become.

Instead, he thought about it for a moment and then smiled and said simply, “It’s like a . . . Chuck E. Cheese for adults.”

Perfect. Eight words and we knew exactly what it was and wanted to go there. By comparing D & B’s (something new) to Chuck E. Cheese (something we knew), he “told and sold” their brand in one succinct sentence. They should have put him on commission.

Do you have an elevator speech for your brand?

Remember, don’t try to explain it. Ask yourself, “What is my brand like – that these potential customers like?” If you compare your idea, company, product or service to something with which they’re familiar and fond, the light will go on in their eyes and their eyebrows will rise. That’s the way to win buy-in in 15 seconds or less.

Want to know the other 4 branding mistakes organizations make — and how to avoid them? Keep checking this blog and I’ll share them in the days ahead.

Into instant gratification? Email us at info@SamHorn.com with “8 Biggest Branding Mistakes” in the subject heading and we’ll email you the entire article you can use in your organization’s newsletter.