Are you willing to play a little game with me? Good, I hoped you'd say yes. In a second or two I'd like you to close your eyes and imagine a room full of people.
It's up to you how big the room and how many people. Me, I'd go for a biggish space and around seventy folk. The assembled are a mix of potentially ideal clients for your business and people connected in some way to ideal clients.
In other words, you've stumbled across a rather special gathering. Okay, close your eyes for a few seconds and picture it.
Great job. Now let's imagine you are given the opportunity – in the form of a 30 second time slot - to deliver a key message to these attentive and interested people.
You're not there to answer questions. Nor can you expand your key message. You simply have to deliver the words and disappear. Oh yes, and you're full of confidence so don't worry about speaking in public. In case you were.
Obviously you want the key message to hit home and make an impression.
So what are you going to say?
Now at this point you're either feeling very comfortable having rattled off your phrase with gusto, or you're twitching a bit in your seat and reassuring yourself it's only a game.
If it's the former, take the rest of the day off. If it's the latter, you have some work to do.
Having a key message is such an important part of a soloist's marketing arsenal that you really cannot be without it.
It's not only a key weapon in a room full of interested people. A well-crafted message has numerous applications:
- on the footer of every email you send
- on your letterheads and business cards
- on your website
- even on your car and clothing...well maybe.
In a typical week the majority of us 'meet' the equivalent of a room full of people by one means or another. Are you making the most of your 30 seconds?
Why not shout out your key message by adding a comment below. Or at least have a read to see what others say.
“ Having a key message is such an important part of a soloist's marketing arsenal that you really cannot be without it. ”
Robert Gerrish is one of the Flying Solo crew and supports soloists as a coach and consultant. He presents at conferences and networking events and bangs on to the media or anyone who listens, about all things micro. Along with Sam Leader and Peter Crocker, he's the co-author of Flying Solo – How to go it alone in business.
