18/07/2012

By Alexia Leachman

Your personal pitch is one of the most important aspects of your personal brand. I say this with confidence because from my years of working with people, I’ve seen it time and time again that it’s when people HAVEN’T got it nailed, that they don’t put them selves out there. Typically, they hate networking because they claim that they don’t know what to say and they tend to site lack of confidence as a reason for not going out and networking. When what’s really going on is that they don’t have a pitch. It’s when they get the inevitable question “What do you do?” that their confidence plummets and they don’t know what to say. And the result of this is that they avoid putting themselves in situations where they may get this question. The problem with that approach is that they are missing out on all sorts of fun and games, and all the success that comes with it.

So, by fixing this simple thing, we can transform your fortunes. But, before you can begin to develop your pitch, there are some things that you need to be really clear about. Without clarity on these, you’ll find any further development of your pitch to be really hard work.

What

Simply, this is WHAT you do. You might think that you know what you do; you’re a [insert job title]. Well, let me stop you right there! Already you’ve started on the wrong foot. When thinking about articulating what you do, it’ll be much more helpful, to yourself and to others, if you can communicate in a way that fits in a sentence that starts “I [do]…” rather than I am a [insert job title]…”. Doing this will force to fully consider what it is that you DO, rather than just share your job title. When you think about what you do, think about what it is that you do that makes the difference and how to you add value to those that you work with.

How

The HOW of your pitch is all about letting everyone know about your style and approach. How do you go about doing what you do? What informs your approach and the way that you choose to go about doing your thing? What values and experiences do you bring to what you do? What strengths and talents are you blessed with that give you an edge? All of this comes together in a magical way that becomes your signature style. No one can copy this, it’s yours and yours only, and it’s what makes you unique. But, without understanding what creates this magic, articulating it is going to be tricky.

Why

Do you know WHY you do what you do? What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning? Is there some over-arching reason that you do what you do? Have you got a mission in life? Or, have you figured out your purpose? The why that motivates us is another important element in the mix that contributes to a great pitch. The story of your why could be so compelling that that alone could be what stands out and clinches it for you, whatever IT is. We see the WHY in corporate brands being used as part of their narrative… Like Apple, who wanted us to “Think Different”, or how about the young entrepreneur behind Glasses Direct and how he wanted to offer people glasses at prices that weren’t so inflated. Your WHY can be your differentiator, so take some time to figure it out.

About the author

Alexia Leachman is a Personal Brand Coach and Head Trash Liberator at Blossoming Brands. She helps entrepreneurs find their mojo by helping them to clear their head trash, tell their story, raise their profile, build their digital presence and manage their reputation. You can find out more at www.blossomingbrands.com www.headtrash.co.uk And you can follow her on Twitter at @AlexiaL and @BBrands .