Developing your Verbal Logo
The next 30 seconds may determine whether you
get your funding, make the sale or establish your point-of-view!
In this faced-paced, mile-a-minute world, you often have only a few seconds to
get your message across. Where could you use an effective 30 second commercial
message about your business? These mini-messages are ideal for investor
meetings, networking meetings, trade shows, interviews, sales calls or anytime
where you need to quickly promote your business.
How do you develop these messages effectively? Think in terms of "sound bites".
Prepare your brief message just like a speech, with an opener, the content and
the closing.
The Opening
The purpose of your opening is to grab attention. You must assume that your
audience is generally as busy and preoccupied as you are. So you need to first
get their attention with a question, 'grabber' words, humor or an interesting
visual.
The Content
Once you have their attention, it's time to relate your main message. Since you
usually have only three or four sentences, you need to craft this message
carefully. The most effective message is the one that states what your business
can do for the listener.
The bottom line is that your listeners don't care what you do. They care about
what you can do for them. Talk in terms of results, feelings, benefits,
outcomes, ideas. Imagine your listener with a sign on their forehead that reads
"So What? What's in it for me?"
The Closing
Here is where you ask for action. As a result of your 30 second commercial, you
want your listener to do something or think something. Also appropriate is your
catchy tag line. The closing may be the only part of your message that your
listener will remember. What do you want them to remember?
So, there it is. In our MTV world of excessive sights and sounds and
experiences, you can make your point and get your message across in a well
prepared, well rehearsed 30 second commercial. Think of it as a brief speech.
Mix preparation with inspiration and you'll get a standing ovation.
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