What do you think the major difference is between Biz Kids with great ideas and Biz Kids who have turned their great ideas into a trail of success? Any ideas? If I were to take a guess, one huge difference is in their ability to communicate their ideas in a way that captivates people.
I just finished a book by Nancy Duarte titled, “Resonate.” Duarte’s book is a treasure trove of secrets to effectively communicating your ideas in a way that transfers your excitement and passion to your friends, family, audience, or customers.
One of my favorite quotes from the book says, “If you can communicate an idea well, you have…the power to change the world.” In business and entrepreneurship, this often means explaining what your product or service offers to the world. There are plenty of bad ideas that have caught on because they have been communicated well. That is not or goal. But neither is to have an excellent idea that fails because the customer doesn’t understand its value.
There are countless examples of communication making or breaking an entire situation. Presidential speeches can calm nations or insight wars. Celebrity tweets can win fans or result in joblessness. Presentations can earn investors or lose customers. Effective communication is vital to your business’s success. One such presentation piece is referred to as an elevator pitch.
“Elevator pitches” are 10- to 30-second descriptions of what you offer. If you can’t communicate what it is that your product or service improves in a person’s life in that amount of time, you need to devote some time to working on it. Your elevator pitch should make people hungry for more information. They should be captivated.
If you are a Biz Kid with a great idea, the first thing you should do is decide how you will communicate that great idea. How will you transfer what is in your heart and gut to those who have never heard about it? It will take practice and it will take work, but it will be well worth your time.
So what can you do today? First, write down what your idea has to offer. Make bullet points. Next, write a paragraph. Then, practice that out loud. Practice until all of the “um’s” and “likes” are gone. Practice in front of friends and family and take their feedback to heart. When people are left in awe, you are ready to start communicating your great idea.
Take it from businessman Paul J. Meyer: “Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.”