NEWS YOU CAN USE

If you are looking for a support material to use during a personal feedback that will not only help you walk through the individual's scores, but serve as a "leave behind" for later reference, take a look at our Personal Feedback Guide.

If you are looking for a support material to use during your Team Building sessions, take a look at our new Team Session Guide.  More user friendly than other materials, it is very resourceful.  It can be hole punched and added into a notebook alongside the group graphs and other group materials you print from BDirect.

CONSULTANT CATALYST SERIES

Join us for the Catalyst series of workshops that can catapult your use of the Birkman Method in your practice.  Real application experience along with deeper insights are covered in each two hour teleconference.  Sign up now!

HAVE YOU DESIGNED YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH?

Trying to tell people what a "Consultant" does, or even harder a Birkman Consultant is not as easy as it might seem.  An 'elevator speech' is as essential as a business card.  We recommend that you keep your speech to 60 seconds.

Here are some keys to succesfully developing and using your elevator speech:

Do make your elevator speech effortless, conversational, and natural.

Do make it memorable and sincere, an open invitation to want to learn more.

Do use language that is commonly understood by the general population and not just to your specific industry or practice area.  However, as if in bold print, emphasize words that are key phrases that describe what you do.

Do consider your audience.  Are you at a cocktail party or a business function?  Are you with new friends or networking with other business professionals? 

Do avoid an elevator speech that will leave the listener asking "So what?"

Do include a "hook" in the very beginning that will intrigue and engage the listener.

Do write and rewrite your speech, eliminating excess words.  Practice your speech.  Memorize it, but don't let it sound memorized.  Role play.

Do smile, be warm, and friendly and most of all CONFIDENT.  Maintain eye contact.

Don't ramble.  Take it slowly and don't rush.

Do ask for a business card in case they may want more information.

Be sure to include:

Who am I?

What do I offer?

What problem(s) can I solve?

What can the listener gain from what I have to offer?