The Elevator Speech - Pitch It or Do It?

There has been much discussion about the 30 second elevator pitch. Is it worth doing or a waste of time because no one listens anyway? I used to feel that the elevator speech was of little help but I have changed my tune. After attending numerous networking and business gatherings, I think that the 30 second elevator pitch, if done properly, can really illuminate you and your business. This is true especially because so many people do not prepare in advance to give the pitch the attention it deserves. The goal of the speech is not to sell yourself or your business but to pique curiosity so that the listener is interested in learning more. It takes time to put together and practice makes perfect. Start and end the pitch with your name so that your audience remembers who you are. Convey passion when describing your business and how you are unique from the competition. Spend time tweaking your pitch and you may find it very useful in establishing rapport and acquiring new customers.

In Remembrance

On this Memorial Day weekend, I think of my uncle, Louis Vuoncino, who gave his life for his country in 1944. I think of my uncle Joseph Voncino, who witnessed the ravages of war and never recovered psychologically. My thoughts are also with my beloved dad Leon and his other brothers Ruben and Richard, who all fought as part of The Greatest Generation. And to my grandmother, Louisa, whom I never met and was a 5 star mother with 5 boys in the war at the same time. Louis died on her birthday. I never met her, she died a few months before I was born. I'm told I look like her and have always carried her in my heart.

 

Big Brother's Watching...Now More Than Ever

Boomers can be reticient to delve into the social media space. We were raised in the era of "Big Brother" and anti-establishmentarism, going against the grain of conventional wisdom. "Big Brother" refers to a novel, 1984, by Alvin Toffler, which spoke about a totalitarian government and lack of individual freedom. The Boomers remember the Cold War, the conspiracy theories related to the Kennedy assassination and Watergate. Personal privacy and lack of interference from government entities were important to us. Now, with the advent of the internet and the transparency of the social space, privacy becomes a major issue, and rightly so. If you are in business, it is imperative that you use social media channels. Remember that you are a public persona and everything you say and do online is being watched. So think before you post.

Analysis Paralysis - Stop It!

This is a common malady in this day and age. Analyzing something over and over for fear of making a mistake or making the wrong decision. Then you become immobile, unable to make a decision and move forward. So cast all your doubts to the wind and try something new. As boomers, we may become set in our ways and resistant to all of the new technologies available to us. All the choices can lead to a true sense of overwhelm and lead us to discount the benefits of being involved in the social space. So my suggestion is to try one social media platform, such as LinkedIn, and focus there. If you have a business, you will find LinkedIn to be a great place to create a profile and get your feet wet. You will find that many of your associates are already there and happy to connect with you. I like the way LinkedIn is constantly improving itself and becoming more user friendly. Join a few groups that interest you and gradually explore all the features of the site. It takes time, but in the end, you may find social media to be an enriching and rewarding experience.

Understanding the Social Universe 101

Yes! Your social profile can showcase your unique branding and business needs, create engagement and positively influence your clients and customers. Here are 10 tips to get started:

1. Take a look at the major players, Google Plus, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter and choose one to focus on.
2. Decide what your purpose and intention is for having an online presence.
3. Realize that content is very important to engage your customers and clients.
4. Make a commitment to actively be involved in the social platform you choose and keep information up to date. Make sure your plan is reasonable and doable.
5. Encourage responses and feedback. A blog is a great way to do that in addition to the social media platform you choose. Make sure you post as yourself and respond to other posts in a timely manner.
6. Make your products, services and contact people easy to find via social media and your website. Make sure it is understood how to acquire more information.
7. Realize the importance of keywords in defining your target market.
8. If you are a locally based business, there are guidelines to follow which will really help you increase your presence and bottom line, including mobile technology.
9. Patience! Rome wasn't built in a day and meither is a social media presence.
10. Remember that your website is still important because social media platforms are third party applications.