What’s your elevator pitch?
This is usually the first thing I ask an entrepreneur (or any one else for that matter) even if the words ‘elevator’ and ‘pitch’ aren’t explicitly used. In this context though, I’ve signed up for Darren Rowse’s 31 Day Build a Better Blog challenge and his opener (in true consultant fashion) is to pitch the question back at us.
So what is the elevator pitch for jbsh? Well our tag line (above) is pretty good start; that’s what we help our clients achieve.
Specifically on my side of the partnership I would say:
We work in partnership with our clients to help them structure their business strategy, plan their implementation, and finance their activities. Our core skills are in thinking about opportunities systemically, and finding specialists where needed. We firmly believe in partnership & collaboration, growing the pie for all. In addition to keeping up with the latest thinking on businesses & their development, we actively cultivate the entrepreneurial ecosystem to keep those specialists nearby. This blog provides a window into our thinking and activities that, along with other social media tools, provides a comprehensive insight into the people and philosophy behind the company.
Of course that slightly depends on who I’m talking to! 🙂
Generally I won’t open with a spiel about how great I am, the great companies I’ve worked with, the great successes I’ve had, etc. While past success can be an indicator of future success, its not a guarantee. I’d rather hear about your great business, your great features and your problems so that I can figure out the opportunities and how to maximise them.
Business development is about spotting opportunities and helping people reach them. That means taking the time to listen to an entrepreneur and then frame their idea in a strategic context that means they can see a clear and simple path to success.
Sometimes that means temporarily filling the gaps in their skills & abilities, either by doing some market research, number crunching or putting together a convincing business plan, sometimes that means finding an expert partner that can help you over the longer term. While the basics are usually similar, its the implementation that’s different every time, and that’s whats great about business development.
So what’s your elevator pitch?