Feature A=
rticle
written for UCSB Business Communication Website
And Here =
Comes the
Pitch…
It is a request that can ma= ke the most confident person falter; a seemingly innocent inquiry that pops up at dinner tables, interviews, and random social gatherings everywhere: “= So, tell me about yourself.”
Despite the friendly disgui= se, you know it is a loaded question. You are really being asked: “Who are yo= u? What do you do? Why should I help you/hire you/let you date my daughter?” = For many people, it is a question that invokes sweaty palms and uncomfortable s= ilences. To others, however, it is an opport= unity to build a relationship, discover commonalities, and communicate ideals, go= als, and plans for the future. It is an opportunity to network.
If, like = most people, you find yourself in the former category, don’t despair. It&#= 8217;s not easy to pitch yourself to strangers without a game plan. Fortunately, n= etworking is a skill that can be mastered by anyone who is willing to learn.
To become successful at net= working, you must first understand that you cannot achieve your full potential witho= ut the help of others. If you reflect on how you got your last job, met your s= ignificant other, or chose to attend a certain university, you will likely discover th= at other people were involved. As Steven Covey states in his best-selling book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective P= eople, “Life is, by nature, highly interdependent. To try to achieve maximum effectiveness through independence is like trying to play tennis with a golf club – the tool is not suited to the reality” (Covey, 49). No m= atter how well you work alone, you can always benefit from the help of a few good contacts.
Now that you know networkin= g is vital to your professional and personal success, how do you go about doing it? You may be surprised to discover that networking opportunities arise in everyday situations. In his book, Never Eat Alone, Keith Fe= rrazzi points out that when you put yourself in the “relationship building mindset,” possibilities will abound. The trick is to know ahead of ti= me what you want to accomplish, so when an opportunity arises, you are ready to take advantage of it. One way to achieve this is by developing a personal elevator pitch.
The term “elevator pitch” originally referred to a brief proposal pitched to a venture capitalist or CEO during an elevator ride, when the influential person could not escape. Today, however, the term encompasses a broader purpose. An elev= ator pitch is a personal statement of your identity, values, and skills; it is specific, yet flexible enough to be amended to different situations. A good pitch is also concise, sincere, and makes a clear connection between what y= ou have to offer and the interests of your audience. Ideally, it will end in an exchange of contact information and leave your audience with a positive impression of you.
To create your pitch, begin= with a brainstorming session. What are your different identities (American, studen= t, woman, man)? What are your values (integrity, loyalty, punctuality)? What a= re your skills (interpersonal, managerial, computer)? Write all this informati= on down. Now, try to recall specific instances when you demonstrated these qualities or skills especially well. Choose three of your best examples and build a three-point argument around them. Once you have this information, y= ou are ready to organize it into an elevator pitch.
Begin by stating who you ar= e and identifying your purpose; for example: “Hi, my name is Jane. I will be graduating from UCSB this spring with a major in Economics and I am interes= ted in pursuing a career in marketing.” Then discuss your qualities and support them with evidence. Link your accomplishments and/or skills with the benefits they offer your audience. This is one type of communication where redundancy is acceptable and even encouraged, so try to repeat your theme d= uring the pitch. Remember, you are not merely offering information about yourself, but trying to influence how that information is interpreted by your audience. In conclusion, make a call for action and close with appreciation. This is where you hope to exchange busi= ness cards, phone numbers, or set up a meeting.
Once you have your pitch on= paper, it’s time to practice. Rehearse several times in front of a mirror – or better yet, record it. Your pitch should last no longer than thr= ee minutes. Watch for nervous habits such as shifting your feet, playing with = your hair, or saying “um” too many times. The goal is to achieve eno= ugh ownership of the content that it sounds completely improvised.
Lastly, it is important to = keep in mind that the ‘rules of networking’ are not set in stone. As on= e of my writing professors once told me, “sincerity is probably the most important quality that an elevator pitch can have”; and wouldn’t you know it, there’s no formula for sincerity. Remind yourself that networking is not about how many business cards you get, but how meaningful your interactions are. =
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