Does your elevator pitch have you tangled up in knots? Crafting your intro is 
probably the hardest thing to do in networking, with effective follow up probably the second hardest in my humble opinion. It all comes down to having a framework for responding to the question “What do you do?” My Networking to Win audio tutorial outlines each piece of a strong introduction very specifically:
- What do you specialize in?
- How does it benefit the person who would hire you?
- What type of person do you want to speak with?
Only you can answer these questions for your specific situation, needs and abilities. I’ll warn you now, however, it’s not an easy exercise and will take some work. One thing that helps is to go to networking events and listen to how others introduce themselves. Borrow what you like and work hard on the rest. It’s not going to be perfect the first time you do it, but do your best to answer those questions, get some practice at events (or even with just friends) to increase your confidence, and eventually you’ll find the right combination of words.
© 2006, Liz Lynch
Liz Lynch is founder and executive director of the Center for Networking Excellence which develops products and programs to help professionals learn how to build profitable relationships. If you're ready to start networking smarter, get your free networking tips now at www.NetworkingExcellence.com .
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