|
by Jenette Zubero
Today I attended a Chamber of Commerce meeting. As lunch is served,
each member is given 30 seconds to stand up and introduce themselves.
For example, when it's my turn I say, ''I'm Jenette Zubero; a
strategist for Professional Women. If you're a Career Woman and are
looking to climb the corporate ladder, start your own company, loose
weight, start a relationship or anything else, please come find me, I'
m Strategist Jenette Zubero with DreamWorks Coaching, Inc.,'' and then
I sit down.
Without fail, though, there are people who either give up there 30
seconds to promote themselves, or let someone else do it for them.
What a huge mistake!
For example, they're the people who stand up and say, ''I'm Jennifer
Smith with TLC Consulting,'' and sit down. Well, what's TLC
Consulting? Why would I want to approach her or contact her? How
would I know what type of business to send her way? She gave no
description at all. Then there are the people that come in teams and
sit down next to each other.
Their introductions go something like this: Person Number One says, ''I'm
Jane with Digital Warehouses and we specialize in holding your computer
data in folders so that you don't have to.'' Then she sits down. Fine, but
without fail, Person Number Two will stand/sit up (you know the half way
stand where your butt doesn't really ever leave the confines of the chair)
and says, ''I'm Susan Thomas, and I do the same thing.'' Well, what a silly
thing to do! What I wouldn't give to have another ''Jenette'' at
these meetings able to say what I do TWICE to everyone.
Do you see what I'm saying? If you don't have a 30 second ''sell''
speech, you're not educating others on what you do, so if they want to
help you out or send you business, too bad for you. If you have a
speech but don't give it because the person before you just gave it,
you're missing out on 30 seconds of free advertising! How memorable
it would be for you to repeat the same thing and then grin at the
crowd! They'll know you're saying the same thing twice, but they're
sure not going to forget you! And isn't that what networking is all
about? Being remembered?
How about you? Do you relinquish your time to sell yourself? Do you
realize the value of those 30 seconds? Do you know what you'd pay to
advertise to a room full of people for 30 seconds? Don't' sell
yourself short on advertising time EVER. First, prepare yourself for
that 30-second window when someone asks, ''what do you do'' or when
you're given a round robin. Second, never pass up the opportunity to
engrave yourself in others' memories.
When's the next time you'll be presented with a situation like this?
How will you prepare for it? What will you do in these circumstances?
How will YOU BE REMEMBERED?
=====================================
EMAIL
|
|