I hear a lot of elevator speeches where people use “you” language. For example, “A good referral for me today would be people just like you.” Or, “How many of you have [fill in the blank problem].”

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, it’s not the most effective approach. We don’t like being sold to, especially when the person doesn’t yet know much (or anything) about us. And if you use this approach, and I don’t fit your “you” statement, you’ve effectively given me permission to ignore you. Remember that the elevator speech is a marketing tool, not a sales tool, so why not structure your message to encourage people to refer you?

How? Replace your “you” statement with a “Who do you know who” statement. This statement encourages people to think about possible referrals, and if I happen to fit the criteria, it allows me to self-select to approach you to find out more about what you do and if I might want to refer myself to you.

It’s a much softer approach and will get you potentially more business. What’s not to like?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net