31DBBB – Day 1 – Write An Elevator Pitch For Your Blog
What is an Elevator Pitch?
“An elevator pitch is an overview of an idea for a product, service, or project. The name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride (for example, thirty seconds or 100–150 words).” —Wikipedia
Creating an elevator pitch is one of the old tried-and-true business tactics that quite frankly I had given little thought to applying to my internet marketing!
However, a while back, when I wrote a post about target market perspectives in niche development, two of my good friends, Jose and Jacqui were kind enough to share their insights to this “forgotten” trick and write some really good ones to boot! (Seriously, check out their comments if you want two great examples.) I’m a little ashamed I didn’t reply to them at the time, but to be honest I was a little taken aback and had no easy speech of my own to toss out!
We don’t grow while we’re comfortable, we grow when we get uncomfortable enough to change …. and lets just say I think this challenge is growing me right from day one cuz I’m struggling with this one!
Now, I must admit my knee-jerk reflex response was to recall the days of sales-heavy in your face propositions that left me in a hurry to get out of the elevator. A Pitch that’s feature centric instead of benefit centric … that is, one that tells me what it is you technically have or can do… rather than how what you have can make me feel or do for me as a benefit… is going to land on the floor.
Learning this huge BIG difference between what your product is and what your actually selling (an experience or feeling) will make a powerful impact in your marketing strategy. If you haven’t seen it yet, grab a copy of Frank Kerns (free) Core Influence One and watch it at LEAST twice.
One of my colleagues, Glyna Humm recently did a great little video on these opportunity and feature centric elevator pitches. These types of speeches are excellent when you are surrounded by others that are expecting just such a story on what product or service you represent. However, in my opinion they don’t do such a great job creating depth of impact and allowing us to further a conversation with the average Joe/Jane later.
While she did not share hers, I believe Angel Taylor really nailed it with her third point about what effective elevator pitches should include when she reminded us to “Share the result of what you do. Most people when asked what they do, have a knee jerk reaction to give their job title or tell what company they work for. This is boring. The goal of using an elevator pitch is to start a conversation so you want your answer to be interesting enough that it elicits a response”.
Now one thing that really concerned me about this challenge – the fact that this blog is only a portion of who I am and everything I do – was fortunately addressed within the 31DBBB text. Darren Rowse, the author of ProBlogger fame, reminded us that its fair to have both a personal elevator pitch and one for your blog. By that token I would also say that if you have multiple blogs and or multiple businesses, you’re likely to have more than one pitch!
Since Darrin says its helpful to have a short and long form, as they’re useful in different places, lets start with my current short form description:
“Just Ask Kim.com Making Social Media Technology & Marketing Simple”
Truthful, but boring…
Now I’m also toying with…
“Just Ask Kim.com Providing Easy, Proven, Step-By-Step Online Marketing Solutions”
“Just Ask Kim.com Taking the Headaches Out of Online Marketing!”
I think the last one packs the most punch, but while the first one is boring as sin it is the 
closest to conveying what I do. Can you help me decide?
Lets see if I can pull those into a more descriptive long form version…
“I understand that you’re a business person, not a geek. You want to focus on the things that matter to you: your life, your dreams, your passions and your results! Here at Just Ask Kim I help you navigate the chaotic and often overwhelming headache that online marketing can be! Through step-by-step tutorials, proven tactics, product recommendations, honest reviews and a blend of do-it-yourself and done-for-you solutions I ease your marketing headaches and give you a dependable, trustworthy friend that you can rely on to steer you to safety!”
Seems more like a mission statement than a pitch really… although I think it gets at the heart of what I do. It also proves that my niche may still be on the wide-side, arrrgh! Let’s try this again:
“The web is a scary place. Many entrepreneurs want to make their online marketing work but the techy stuff gives them nightmares. We’re here to ease those fears with solid, dependable advice, tutorials, training, reviews, recommendations and a variety of do-it-yourself and done-for-you solutions! You don’t have to tackle the whole web all by yourself! Whether it’s a simple guide you need, some technical problem sorted out, or comprehensive easy to understand training, remember you can always… Just Ask Kim.”
I love how accurate these are but I’m just not sure they’ve got enough hook to them. I abhor pitchy, so I have a hard time writing it.
This has easily been one of the most difficult challenges I’ve done in a while. While I’m going to back-date this post, I honestly and freely admit that it took me all of day 1 and half of day 2 and I STILL don’t feel I’ve nailed it! Hopefully every day of this challenge isn’t quite so… ummm.. challenging! I’ve got to get started on Day 2, so here’s signing off on day 1!
Please leave me your thoughts, feedback, ideas and your OWN elevator speeches below! Lets compare notes and see how we can all benefit from this one making me want to pull my hair out, LOL!!
Love ya guys!
Kimberly
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Related posts by Kim:
- 31 Days To Build A Better Blog, ProBlogger Challenge 2010 [31DBBB]
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- Thesis 1.8 Coming Soon To A Blog Near You!
- January 1st 2010 – Happy New Years! – New Blog Launch!
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Kim,
Hmmmm….Right now my tagline reads “RBs Keys To Successful Living: Everything you need to know about network marketing and personal development.”
After reading your post I might spruce it up some. As for your ideas I like:
“Just Ask Kim.com Providing Easy, Proven, Step-By-Step Online Marketing Solutions”
I like the step by step add. I’m big on creating order and feel that this idea also resonates with most people. Thanks for sharing!
Ryan Biddulph
Hey Ryan thanks for the feedback.
I’d have to say that that is the tagline aimed at the logical brain and the headaches one is aimed at the emotional brain and depending on what someone is thinking with is probably gonna affect which one of those two taglines “catch” them.
My thoughts on your short tagline are this… there’s thousands and thousands of marketing +PD sites. Its a huge broad topic to start with. Then you still have no emotional hook, no sense of creating and fulfilling a need, and infact theres probably plenty of people that (mistakenly!) think they have their person pretty darn well developed thank-you-very-much, LOL
I think you could go a lot of angles but that you should pick one and go there, tighten up your focus, narrow down that niche, and possibly also dig into the need-solving.
Hope that helps!
Kimberly
Kimberly,
I like your last one the best. the one a bove that is filled with so much techy talk that my eyes would glaze over & I wouldn’t hear the rest because I was trying to digest the first part.
Remember, the average “Joe” or “Jane” needs you to assist them in this online jungle. Keep it simple, yet explain how you’ll help. that’s why I like the last one best.
Just my opinion,
Val
Thanks for the feedback Val. It’s kinda like I was telling Ryan above, the techy one with the emphasis on step-by-step is more aimed at the logical mind. The “headaches” is more from the emotional side. Headaches is probably the right word, but at the same time I have a fair number of readers that feel comfortable with it and come to me for the “neat stuff”, guides and whatnots. …. oh… darnit… halt that thought right there.
That I suppose comes back to the question of “who is my target”. If my target is the frazzled non-techy who just wants answers so they can get back to their own passion, well.. now the Headaches one becomes the only obvious choice.
Ah yes there is that gut fear of tightening down the niche that even though I know I must, I keep resisting. Still trying to dig out dual fear of letting people outgrow my site, and also not being able to present the more advanced stuff. Ahh yes, I am forever a work in progress!
Kimberly
Kimberly, my dear, just relax and breathe.
A few notices about the words you are using here. Your words are constricting and tightening up your flow. Words like “I know I must” “I keep resisting” “trying to” are holding you back. Empower yourself by stepping away from these words. Take a break, send the questions out there & let the answers come to you. Your inner voice has the answers if you listen.
Your expertise is helping new people AND exploring the “fun, cool” stuff for us more advanced. Is there a “rule” that says you cannot serve both? You rock at both of these!
Val
Val Wilcox invites you to read…What’s Your Focus
I’m so glad I’m not the only one struggling with this LOL!
For what it’s worth, I like …
“Just Ask Kim.com Taking the Headaches Out of Online Marketing!”
and then I love the last long pitch.
It’s accurate and comforting and you feel that you really COULD conquer the monsters under the Internet bed with your help and expertise.
And I like the fact that there’s no ‘hook’ ~ just a simple offer to help.
Yay! That’s exactly the feel I want to convey! Woot!! *happy dances with you*
ok i just had an “aha” kimberly… i need to get waaay more specific w/ my niche and be able to deliver an elevator speech on it. i’m toying around with focusing on Gen Y, and even just chicks in Gen Y.
but i love your ideas, esp. “Just Ask Kim.com Taking the Headaches Out of Online Marketing!” short and sweet, i love it!
thanks kimberly
Melissa McCloud invites you to read…Broke Waitress Becomes Millionaire- Emmy-Winner- Oprah’s BFF
I’m kinda getting mixed reviews on the short ones, they both seem to have a different catch for different folks.
I think Jacquies handling of the gender split has been smart. I forget her wording but its Goddesses and Enlightened Knights or some such. Basically it lets her focus on the women without bashing on the boys. I’ve seen a lot of marketers that focus on one gender and still have a strong following on the other side.
Get your niche tightened up and your speech worked on and then toss me a link so I can link to ya!
Kimberly
Kim, I like “Just Ask Kim.com Taking the Headaches Out of Online Marketing!” best. Before I read this post I never gave a thought to having an elevator speech for my food blog. Will work on that now.
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