How to introduce yourself properly (Personal Elevator pitch)

Imagine bumping into Michelle Obama or Strive Masiiwa or anyone you have adored for your whole professional?life and they say hello, what do you say? Do you stutter, perhaps scream, smile like a clown, or you seize the moment and make that lasting first impression. ?Last week we were discussing on how to network effectively for your personal brand, one of the main points was that you should always have a personal elevator pitch which is where we are today. An elevator pitch is a brief but powerful way of introducing yourself. This is mainly at networking events. Your pitch helps getting across a key point or two about what makes you an exceptional individual .It's called an elevator pitch because it takes roughly the amount of time, you would spend riding an elevator with someone. If you are able to professionally introduce yourself to someone in a compelling way, it can help set you up for a successful conversation, whether it’s at a networking event, with a colleague or at the beginning of an interview. ?A personal elevator pitch sets the tone of how the rest of the conversation will go.

A good elevator pitch is important because it’s an effective way to demonstrate your professional aptitude, strengths and skills. Having a ready-made elevator pitch to deliver could make the difference between winning and losing an important opportunity.?First impressions count, and with research showing that a first impression is formed in just 7 seconds, it becomes necessary for you to ‘wow’ prospects and new connections right off the mark. Ultimately, if the first 7 seconds don’t succeed in capturing the audience’s attention, well disappointment comes with because it might just be as if that meeting never happened. Try and make sure when you introduce yourself to someone for the first time, they never forget you.

Your elevator pitch should answer the following questions:

1.??????Who are you?

This is simple and straight forward. Start your pitch by giving your full name, smile, extend your hand for a handshake and add a pleasantry like, “It’s nice to meet you!” Pseudonyms (My name is Tinoda but you can call me Little T) are not necessary. Your name is just for your identification, this is not where your money is so there is no need to waste time on this section.

Hello, my name is Tinoda Moyo and I am a Corporate Sales Executive with Dandemutande Investments.

2.??????What do you do?

This is the part where you get to focus on an item or two (remember—you only have 30 seconds) that you want the person to remember. What are the skills or

experiences you have that drive your career focus? This is where you show off in a professional way and also prove your unique selling point. What makes Jane unique as an individual? What sets you apart from the rest? What are you bringing to the table or what are you passionate about? In a professional networking situation, you might not include items such as your passion for baking or the fact that you have five younger siblings. If you’re not sure what to include, try writing everything that comes to mind down on a piece of paper. Once you’ve recorded it, go through and remove anything that’s not critical to explaining your background and why you’ve got what your audience may be looking for. Once you’ve got it down to a few points, organize them in a way that makes sense in your story.

I am responsible for new customer acquisition and introduction of disruptive technologies in the mining industry that aim to reduce operational costs and increase profitability and production simultaneously. Along with my eight years of sales experience, just last year I was honoured to work with 5 mines across Zimbabwe who through the systems I customized for their operations managed to increase production by 25% on average.

3.??????What do you want?

What are you asking for? It might be as simple as a request to keep connected. It doesn’t have to be a big thing all the time. You could ask for their contact details so that you set a proper meeting and discuss your needs when they have time for you. This step will depend on how you’re using the pitch. The “ask” of your pitch could be a consideration for a job opportunity, internship or to get contact information. This is a good opportunity to explain the value you’ll bring, why you’re a good fit for a job, or generally what your audience must gain from your interaction.

I found the work your mine does to be innovative and refreshing and I’d love the opportunity to put my expertise to work with your company, could I please have you contact details if possible so that we schedule sometime next week to discuss how we can partner?

Remember, writing it down is one part, delivering it is just as important. There is no universal personal pitch, customize your pitch depending with what you need from that connection. Practise it, be confident, maintain eye contact and always look presentable.?Happy Personal Branding Tuesday with Tinoda!