I recently read an article that told entrepreneurs that they “must” have a pitch. A pitch to:
* Promote your business
* Market your blog
* Sell your product or service

I had such a negative reaction to the post because it’s just not true! Where did you FIRST learn the concept of pitching? If you’re like me it was baseball. The pitchers goal is to throw the ball in a way that “tricks” the batter to swing or to get it by the batter so fast they go for it and miss. Take that into your business. Do you really want to “get” a customer with that approach? I hope not!
An alternative approach? Try attraction techniques! What does that mean?
1. Share something interesting about yourself. Dale Carnegie says this is key to influencing people.
2. Ask for help with something. People love to help and will be engaged by you asking.
3. Share who your strategic partners are. Remember to be specific as to industry.
4. Tell them someone you’d really like to meet. A HR. Manager at a company, a certain business owner?
All of these techniques create an initial contact point and instant connection. By sharing these types of things people will ask “what do you do?” Now that’s powerful when they want to know!
One of my favorite quotes sums up how I feel about the traditional Elevator Speech: “Will the real you please stand up? Submit to pressure from peers and you stoop down to their level. When 40 million people believe in a dumb idea it’s still a dumb idea. If you believe in something that’s good, honest and right stand up for it! Maybe others will get smart and follow your lead.”

So be creative! Ignite people to WANT to know what you do, and see what happens!

Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”