I attended a new networking event recently and was struck by how uninteresting and, in some cases, downright boring the 60-second pitches were. And how they were just like all the other pitches I had heard at networking meetings before.
There was certainly not much to engage with and nothing memorable about them.
That was until a window cleaner got up and showed everyone exactly how to make the most of 60 seconds in front of a group of business owners.
He told a story.
He told the story of ‘a client arriving at your office’. He said, “Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a potential client’s first impression of your company is the reception area or the receptionist. No, no!” he paused, “it starts well before that. Your potential client’s first impression starts before they even enter your building … and what are they going to think if you have dirty windows?!!”.
It was brilliant. Everyone sat in silence and considered the scene he had just painted. When I left, he was surrounded by people waiting to talk to him.
Every time you speak about your business, you have an opportunity to engage the audience with a story – even when you only have 60 seconds!
