What are you trying to achieve with an elevator speech as a networking and marketing tool?

Not selling, not dazzling the audience with your brilliance or command of the language, not make them laugh necessarily (although that can help) and certainly not to bore them into submission. You are looking to GAIN THEIR ATTENTION so that you can move to the next stage of the marketing process.

It's that simple, and that complicated. The most common mistake that prevents you getting the attention you deserve is trying to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Here are some examples of how this sounds:

"We are a full service agency for all your design needs"

"We work with anyone who wants to manage their finances better"

"Our company coaches people looking for more success in their lives"

"We help companies from the sole proprietor to the Fortune 500"

Now, it may be that your company can indeed provide a wide range of services to a varied client base. However elevator speech examples of the above type do not grab attention. They are too broad and force the listener to:

a) Figure out how and if they are included and

b) Conclude that you are either a generalist, or are trying to appeal to as wide an audience as possible and don't really have the focus.

Remember that being focused and specialist is generally perceived to be a good thing by your prospects. You are more likely to understand them and their issues, more likely to be passionate about what you do and arguably provide better customer service as a result.

Most importantly though, they will understand whether your services are a good fit for them or someone they know. When they conclude that they are, you will have their attention and they will likely engage with you. Your elevator speech has achieved your goal.

So, how do you do this?

The key is to embrace the mindset change. By appealing to a core, well defined audience you will actually be more likely to gain attention AND those that do engage will be the clients that you want. Defining up front who those clients are will get attention fast. Define this in detail, without being verbose.

For example:

"We help small businesses owners and independent professionals who started their business in the last 12 months"

"We are focused in doctors and dentists based in Beverley Hills"

"Our company helps medium sized, fast growing service based companies who need IT support"

Of course this isn't the total 30 second introduction, but defining who the subsequent message is aimed at is huge in terms of gaining attention. Spend some time on this! Who was your company set up to serve and who makes your BEST client - those you love to work with. Think about attracting more of them.

The added bonus of this focus is that people outside your immediately defined target will come up to you and ask you whether you can also help them, even though they are outside the niche you defined. Then you have a decision to make!

Jerry Smith is the co-founder of Marketing Action Club, focusing on small service based businesses and independent professionals who want to grow but struggle to attract quality clients consistently.