Engage & Make an Impact with your Introduction

At each MBN meeting, each attendee gets the opportunity to introduce themselves and their business to the group. We call this the 45 Second round.

The purpose of the 45 Second round is let the other people in the room who you are and what you do.

The objective is for you do this confidently, in an engaging way within 45 second. Being able to this with the time limit is a great skill to master, as you will nail the important points you want to make without the waffle.

Also using g the tips will assist you do this. Remember everyone, even professional speakers get anxious speaking in public. The way for them and you to overcome the fear factor is to BE PREPARED. 

GET THE 1-ON-1 NOT THE SALE!

Provide information of interest so people want to meet with 1-on-1

FACT: You aren’t going to sell someone your product or service in 45 seconds. So don’t try!

The point of the 45 second introduction round is to get people interested in you / your business and want to learn more, talk more with you - have a 1-on-1 meeting with you.

So relax, don’t try and get the sale, use the 45 seconds to show yourself, your business in its best light; let your passion, expertise, the value you offer customers can shine through. You know why you are fabulous and fantastic at what you do, so tell people – customers love to see hear this in the people they do business with.

SOME TIPS ON NAILING THE 45 SECOND ROUND

Advertisements / Elevator Pitches

Perfectly crafted, highly scripted ‘elevator pitches’ that sound like an advertisement off the radio have some issues that lessen their effectiveness

•  Using the advert approach - assumes people are listening and invested in you & your business
•  People do business they know, like and trust – not from hearing an add (unless they have to)
•  The advert approach is answering the wrong question: What the listener can do for them not what you can do for the listener.
•  What people really want to know about you and from you is;

                        Do I want to get know this person more?

                        What can I get, how can I benefit from working with them?

 

What are you customers buying from you? What are you really selling? 

Heard something like this before:

        Hi I am Jim, I am an accountant at XYX and we do tax returns……...

 This is what you are selling…but are your customers buying? And what specifically are they choosing to buy from you! Exactly who are your customers? (There are gazillions of accountants that do tax returns)

  MARKETING 101 EXAMPLE

“People don’t want to buy a 10mm drill bit. They want a 10mm hole.” Prof Theodore Levitt

• A handyman doesn’t want holes either…he wants to bolt selves to a wall 
• He doesn’t want sleeves either….He wants places to store things in his garage
• The outcome / benefit he is really after is a tidy garage & room to park his new car!

 Also be clear on who your customer is in this case for the Drill Bits you are selling: Handymen? Tradespeople? Resellers of Drills?.....

 

What are your customers buying?

 Motherhood Statements and Apple pie? 

No matter what you do their others that do the same thing.  All accountants do tax returns…

The question is how you add value to your customers

Avoid platitudes or generic statements – they sound good but effectively meaningless, and do nothing to distinguish you or make you stand out i.e. We pride ourselves on our customer service!     Doesn’t everyone? Means nothing!

Be creative – Be Specific as to the value you offer

  e.g.   Builder: We will turn up when say we will come…

           Accountant: We don’t charge by the hour…we charge a flat monthly fee

           Dominoes: Delivered within 30 minutes or its free!

 

What is that you do different – unique – standout from your competition?

The right expectations of MBN meeting outcomes is critical for success.

Networking offers much but you must start with the right approach to get the most from your efforts. Networking at MBN is based on RELATIONSHIPS. In business people do business with people they TRUST its that simple. Once people get to know you, like and trust you - they will give and refer business to you, and the depth of your relationship will open opportunities that you can't foresee!

However if your approach to networking is to treat your MBN networking group like a VENDING MACHINE that all you need to do is come along and the group delivers referrals to you, you will not be successful. You need to think of networking like going to a GYM to get fit; you have to attend regularly, put in the training, put the effort in, build your strength and skills you will get the results you desire.
Reality is there are no magic get fit pills!

QUESTION: What is your approach to networking? 

The purpose of MBN is to build network of connected Business Communities, where business owners can make connections, gain business insights, build real relationships with other business owners, suppliers, and customers; people who can assist them grow and develop their business.

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