This morning I was invited to attend a networking meeting. As usual, the members introduced themselves first. The guests followed. I admit, these were some of the most creative introductions I’ve heard anywhere. As a guest I had 60 seconds to share a lifetime of work to a roomful of strangers in a way that would be memorable and actionable. Is this even possible?

I did prepare in advance and asked myself these all important questions to get ready:

  1. Does my introductory statement excite ME?
  2. Would I act based on what I say when I introduce myself?
  3. Do I exude passion every time I talk about my business?
  4. Is my physical demeanor as convincing as my words?
  5. Does what I say create interest for further discussion? and finally,
  6. Do my words tap into the emotional energy of the audience?

Then, I thought about all I’ve learned related to creativity and furthered my thinking by asking:

What are all the ways I can deliver an introductory speech that will satisfy these 6 questions?

I took out a pad of paper and began writing. I gave myself 15 minutes. Here are 10 of the 100 ideas I came up with:

  1. Use physical objects to describe where I’ve been, what I’m doing now and where I’m going. (could include a bottle of vodka, my Mr. Foremost bank, Transformation Lab post it notes and my new GEARSHIFT postcard).
  2. Ask the members if they knew whether they were clarifiers, ideators, developers or implementors.
  3. Ask the members if they cared.
  4. Stand on a chair (I’m short).
  5. Invite them to attend a guest session of Transformation Lab.
  6. Ask everyone to stand up and lead them in a very brief example of diverging and converging.
  7. Ask for a show of hands for anyone who does not want to: make more
    money, make a greater impact, be a stronger leader, etc.
  8. Smile
  9. Present a very brief example of a client who achieved financial and leadership goals.
  10. Leave them with a definitive statement about why they should get to know me.

The more ideas I wrote down, the more creative and inventive I became. I know at least some of them are worthwhile. My goal is to test at least one of them at my next opportunity. If I continue to invent new and creative ways to present what I do, I will find some that truly resonate with the audience.

You need to do this, too. How do you use creativity in your elevator speech?

GEARSHIFT™ is published by Gail Zelitzky. It is devoted to helping business owners realign their thinking, reimagine their vision and rediscover who they are and the life they want to lead. GEARSHIFT: More Power More Precision More Profit. Contact me at Gail@GailZelitzky.com or 773-957-8582; visit http://www.GailZelitzky.com and sign up for a free consultation.