During my business workshops, I am often asked how to deliver a 60-second intro with impact. The pressure is on to be interesting and stand out from the crowd.
A lot to ask for in 60 seconds!
What my clients find they do is mumble or waffle instead of confidently introducing themselves.
So how can you feel totally confident when introducing yourself?
The key is to prepare your ‘elevator’ introduction so that it is relevant to the audience and elicits curiosity as well as being memorable. You also need to practice.
I have three specific tips for you, which I teach my clients.
You can use these individually or craft an introduction combining the three.
These are as follows:
- Use the ‘help’ approach to make your intro all about your clients (or potential clients). You can use this formula I help/enable …. To do or understand….. achieve this result. For example, “I enable lawyers to master their business skills so that they can serve more clients profitably”.
- Do you have any success statistics that you could drop into your introduction? One example, “my success rate in litigation is 100%”. For more examples see my blog ‘How to use statistics to position yourself as a trusted expert’. Statistics are a great way to build credibility, whether they are about your firm or you personally. Remember in your 60 second to use a maximum of two.
- The power of three. Take one service you want to promote to the audience and include three key messages. For example, I might talk about appraisal training. “In my appraisal training I teach legal managers to focus on three key factors:
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- What is the outcome you want from this appraisal meeting?
- What do you want the employee to feel on leaving the meeting?
- What do you want them to commit to and not just agree to?
This type of introduction provides tips that they can immediately use.
“And do you know the difference between agreeing and committing to?”
Then I finish with the question above to elicit curiosity, which may lead to a further conversation after the formal part of the networking proceedings.
Are you ready to take your networking skills to the next level?
If so, I have three next steps for you to improve your communication skills and self-confidence for meeting and connecting with potential clients:
- Reading: I have three blogs with further tips on networking tips:
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- ‘Three simple words to create interesting small talk at networking events’
- ‘How to use statistics to position yourself as a trusted expert’
- ‘Do You Have Power skills?’ reminds you of other skills which are necessary to your success.
- In addition, my book, Business Skills: Don’t be daft I am a lawyer! contains a lot more valuable techniques and advice from 29 successful lawyers.
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- Training:
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- If you enjoy learning in a group environment, then my short ‘Turning enquiries into instructions’ workshop is for you and your team. This interactive event helps you to learn advanced relationship-building skills and boost your confidence… all over lunch! To find out more about how this could benefit you and your team, get in touch. This can be delivered on its own or part of the ‘Power of Three’ programme.
- If you want to learn all the inside secrets to powerful and successful networking then my full-day Kick S.T.A.R.T. Relationship Connector workshop is for you. This event forms one of the days on the Business Brilliance Blueprint Programme designed for consultants, partners and legal business owners who want to accelerate their mastery of business skills. Take this course as one-off training day or join the full programme. Visit the website for more details.
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- Coaching: I offer personalised customised coaching programmes. A popular one comprises sessions to help you build your networking skills. It starts with a Get More Clients Diagnostic and Planning Assessment to ensure you are connecting with the right people. It includes how develop your individual style that is authentic and engaging and discuss costs confidently. Chapter 1.2 of my book, Business Skills? Don’t be daft I am a lawyer! contains exercises for you to identify your coaching needs. My blog, ‘You Can’t Read the Label from Inside the Jar’ describes the benefits of coaching.
If you would like to discuss any of the content of this blog or any of the training and coaching programmes, please contact me either email, ann@yorkshirecoursesforlawyers.co.uk or telephone me on 07921540039.
Happy to chat over coffee and cake on a no obligation basis to discuss your objectives and needs.
Ann Page, Business Author, Trainer and Coach for the Legal Profession
A Top 100 lawyer of the year (2003) Ann has had a successful in-house 28-year career, working mainly in the financial sector. She switched from being a business lawyer in industry to a non-practising solicitor who teaches and coaches on business subjects in 2003. Since then, Ann has trained 7500+ lawyers on business skills including leadership, management and interpersonal skills. She trained with the Coaching Academy and holds a HNLP certificate in coaching as well as being an NLP Master Practitioner. Ann is also a MiRo Accredited Trainer and has written three books. Ann has always been active in various professional committees and currently she is Treasurer of the Yorkshire Sole Practitioner’s Group, a member of the Professional Speaking Association, Professional Speaking Academy and Leeds Law Society.
This post was first published on July 5th 2017 and was significantly updated on November 5th 2022.