Professional service marketing often means promoting your services at live networking events. And that thought leads to the next: “How do I craft an elevator speech?” We tend to think of elevator speeches as being short. We talk about the 11 seconds you’re stuck in an elevator.

But I’d recommend looking at other components of the elevator experience.

You’re crowded into an elevator with a lot of strangers. Would you want to carry a big box that jostles everyone around you? Or an object that’s not clearly a box or a suitcase but something they’ve never seen before (so they get all nervous and wonder, “Um…what’s this guy carrying?” Or you get into the car with a big fuzzy cat or a medium-size dog and … trust me, you’ll get a reaction.

Like your elevator baggage, your elevator speech should leave nothing to the imagination When I write about my services I sometimes talk about creating a fabulous online presence or being a copywriting detective. But I’ve learned (the hard way, as always) that a stranger’s eyes will glaze over when I get too metaphorical or esoteric.  Someone suggested I introduce myself as a “wordsmith.” Well, I guess I am but will these strangers relate?

So I vote for going against all that advice you’ve heard about leaving off your title.  Suppose you say, “I work with women to overcome their fears and create a 6-figure business that still leaves them time for family.” My next question is, “So are you a therapist? A life coach? Business coach?”

One piece of conventional wisdom is, “People have stereotypes. If you say you are a coach, they will bring up all their negative feelings about coaches.”

I say, “So what?” At least they’re talking to you. You have an opportunity to defuse their objection if there’s any hope at all. And if their stereotypes are firmly entrenched, who’s got time to turn them around?

I absolutely won’t work with certain types of professionals. I don’t trust them. I never will.  I won’t write copy for them because I don’t believe the premise of their profession. It’s the equivalent of someone jumping off the elevator because I just entered with my adorable mutt. For some folks, all dogs are scary ferocious Rottweilers or – worse – potential generators of non-stop sneezing.  You can’t argue.

However, for some professionals, I’m willing to listen and even be converted to a client. If they spin a good story I might hire them. They’re like people who tolerate well-behaved dogs and will even break down and go all ga-ga over my adorable dog (which happens on a daily basis).

But the worst thing you can do (IMHO) is find a new name for your profession.  When you say, “I’m a creative instigator …” you’re bringing a mysterious object into the elevator. These days we all shrink back a little. “OMG! What’s that? Is it dangerous? Or just something totally irrelevant to me and I won’t pay attention for the duration of this trip?”

That’s like bringing your dog onboard,  all decked out in some outrageous finery from the doggie clothing store … or your own closet. Everybody knows there’s probably a dog under there but nobody wants to get close enough to find out. Let the critter stand tall and revel in its mutt-hood, I say.

We’ll cover this topic in LOTS of detail in the forthcoming workshop – Fast Lane To Your Niche. Or ask me about consulting and writing services.

I am sure some of you will disagree so please comment below.

Once you study copywriting, your brain starts to move in new directions. At least mine does.

Recently I attended an enjoyable networking event. But my copywriting radar picked up some communications that should have set off alarm bells among the attendees.

(1) Introducing yourself.

You get just 3 minutes at this event. Use those minutes to communicate what you offer so listeners can decide if they need your services (or if they have a friend who desperately needs help).

What’s the killer opening on your home page? What’s your headline? Start there.

I bet you don’t open by sharing your story of twists and turns (“I considered this…and then I considered that…”). That’s what a couple of people shared. Frankly, I don’t remember what they offer. I just have a blurred image of confused people – great if they needed a coach, less than great if they wanted more clients.

(2) Creating  content for your business card.

First, why would you use white type on a dark background (or green type on brown)? Think of dim lights and imperfect vision. Some cards needed a magnifying glass and a spotlight.

Second, your card should inspire interest. List the services you offer and maybe ask a couple of provocative questions. (One marketer has no fewer than three questions on the back of her business card, but I can never get mine to fit without looking crowded.) It’s not the place to share, “10 years experience in project management” even if you’re in transition.

(3) Interacting with the people you came to meet. One marketer paid for a table to display her products. I wandered over and was actually interested in her offerings, a unique form of gift baskets.

The prices were good. Every so often I need to send a gift and here was a nice alternative to ProFlowers.

So what’s the problem?  The marketer hid behind her table, talking in hushed tones with someone she seemed to know. I waited for a few minutes. She ignored me. I got that “What am I – chopped liver?” feeling, reminiscent of my days as a strident New Yorker. I decided I could live without the product and moved on.

Marketing coaching can fine-tune your own radar. Want to create a compelling message offline as well as online? Check out my services here.

Just ran across a cool post about a business card for fitness trainers. You can read it here.

The post identified key areas of business cards:

Contact Information

Your website URL

A call to action (such as, Call for a FREE 15-minute consultation)

Armand Morin, a source of solid advice, says your card should always include your photo.

But what I liked best was the way the blog post said, “Hey, don’t put too much emphasis on business cards. You have to hand out a thousand or so to get one client. Work on other things first.”

Some top experts don’t even have business cards. Very few people base a hiring decision on a business card. If funds are tight, a high-flying business card will not be your most critical investment.

Okay, if you’re attending an event with a very targeted group, you could offer introductory calls and maybe get some nibbles. But you haven’t qualified these prospects and you’re spending a lot of time with people who will often turn out to be deadbeats.

Usually, though, I agree with networkers who say, “The only reason you have a card is to get their business card. Once you have someone else’s business card, you now have some control. You can email the person to introduce yourself and perhaps extend a special offer. You  can make notes on what you talked about and then remind them at the point of the call.”

There’s only one possible exception. If you are in a design field, you need to have a knock your socks off card. It’s your sample.

But otherwise, who cares? You’ll get a comment, “Great card!” and then nothing happens.

What’s your take on business cards? Please add a comment below.

Often I get asked if I’ve been to any of Ali Brown’s live events. The answer is no, but I met Ali briefly at one of Lorrie Morgan Ferrero’s events. Ali impressed me with her down-to-earth, no-nonsense style. She wasn’t a prima donna. She was friendly and warm to everyone. It was like talking to someone I had always known.

Ali was a guest at Lorrie’s workshop and she was amazing. She totally knew how to command the microphone (something a lot of speakers don’t). She also decided we were too brain dead and she led us in a rousing Chicken Dance. I’ll never forget.

Even when I don’t attend Ali’s events (and someday I will), I learn something on every call. If nothing else, Ali has her pulse on the world of business and the Internet. She was one of  the first to say, “What kind of lifestyle do you want?” and suggest we plan our business that way. She’s not afraid to break the mold of what an Internet marketer should look like. She and her gal pal Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero actually made the business glamorous! (Come on: didn’t you think copywriters were total nerds before you heard of Lorrie?)

Just found out Ali Brown is hosting another FREE  call on September 22nd. This time she’s talking about the basics of business for newbies. She promised to cover .

Ali will talk about the basics: cash flow, structure, marketing…and even whether being a business owner is right for you!

Learn more and register for this FREE call on September 22 HERE

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While reading a really good book, Consequential Strangers, I came across a particularly wise section (pp. 187-190).

Relationships with people we hire are rarely symmetrical. We work with a coach (the book refers to therapists) and we feel a special bond. We remember the coach’s words as we move throughout our week. Meanwhile, the coach has up to 20 or 30 clients. She might think we’re special, but we aren’t really friends.

In my own experience, friendship with a client or mentor often ends badly. When I became friends with clients, there was always an awkwardness if we were chatting “as friends” and the client talked about her business. If I made a comment, was I speaking as a friend or as an expert? It’s awkward to say to the former client, “Can we just talk about social things, like cats and clothes?”

One client began to branch off in new directions so there was no danger of an overlap. I didn’t understand his business. But one day he started talking about blogging and other aspects of social networking. I realized I could help but at this point, he didn’t want me to be a mentor. I could only watch helplessly as he invested big bucks with advice that seemed useless. My role was ambiguous.

What do you think? Click on Comments below to share.

Sometimes I get asked, “How did you manage to get such good guests for your teleseminars? How can I network and partner with ‘famous’ people?”

The answer goes back to copywriting and marketing concepts. When you’re asking someone to invest time in your venture, ask, “What will I bring to the table? How will this joint venture benefit both of us?”

You expect your potential partner to ask the Magic Marketing Question: “What’s in it for me?”

For example, suppose you want to get interviewed on a radio show or teleseminar. Why would someone want to host you? You might have:

• a great product with a proven track record and conversion record
• an affiliate program so your host can benefit from sales of this product
• a responsive list where you can promote the event and introduce your host to a new group of prospects

Remember that every time someone works with you, they’re investing not just time with you, but also opportunity cost. For instance, I can send emails to my list only so many times before they protest and start signing themselves away. Recently I was asked to introduce a small product to my list. The product was a simple ebook selling for $19. My commission would be $9.50.

I decided not to move in this direction. I’ve got products to sell with a much higher commission and more importantvalue.

If this product had an amazing value so I would say, “Wow – I’d expect it to  sell for $49 and it’s just $19!” I might do it, because i know the author can produce much more. The price could go up. But right now, it’s just an ordinary product, barely worth $19.

I’ve got other things to recommend to my list, with better values for them and for me, too.

To discuss how you might get started with joint ventures, schedule a breakthrough call. We’ll spend half an hour brainstorming how you might approach others … and whether now’s the right time with the right product.

When I  work with clients on websites, I recommend creating your ezine giveaway before writing anything else for your website. I call this giveaway your Irresistible Freebie. It’s something free — an ebook or mp3 download – that your website visitors find irresistible.

These days readers expect bonuses when they sign up for ezines (or just about anything else). Develop an ebook or “Special Report” with a short, one-phrase title that communicates your solution to their painful problem. Writing your book’s title will help you focus your energies. You’ll realize what really pushes the buttons of your clients and website visitors.

“The Truth About Making Money On The Internet” has worked well for Kathleen Gage. Titles beginning “10 secrets” or “truth about” are especially valuable. Remember to focus on solutions. You can say “Don’t make these mistakes.” But readers will turn away from titles like, “Bored and Lonely.”

One of my freebies (I use more than one) is “7 Secrets of websites that really attract clients.” I found that my clients wanted websites that brought in clients.

Freebies range from a few pages up to 200 or more. Some marketers encourage you to assign a value to your freebie so readers recognize they’re getting something.

Some marketers like to send out CDs on the grounds that you are sending something tangible. The problem is that nowadays, your tangible CD will be buried under a big pile of other CDs on someone’s desk. In many markets, your readers would rather just download an mp3 file. We’re all pressed for physical space and many of us are better organized on our computer than in our live home offices.

I also don’t recommend videos. Videos can be a nuisace. You can’t multitask while you’re watching. Some downloads are shaky, even with a high-quality DSL connection.

Learn more about attracting opt-ins from my forthcoming mentoring course. Click here.

Today’s Cat Chat starts at 10 AM Pacific.

Sign up at

http://www.makewebsiteprofits.com/classapr22.html

These sites have signed up for New York Minute critiques

(not necessarily in this order):

http://www.theintentionalway.com

http://www.evelyngray.com

http://www.lanimuelrath.com

http://www.georgemain.us

http://accesscreativepower.com

http://www.Clearing-Pathways.com

http://www.jeancraiglong.com

http://BuyRealEstateInMiami.com

When you attend the Cat Chats, you can volunteer your site for a quick critique. I call these critiques the New York Minute because they’re fast and they’re very direct.  Catch the next Chat (or recording of the most recent Chat) here.

Deborah Tannen, the linguistic scholar who’s written many popular books, talks about regional differences in speech patterns. These styles go well beyond rolling your r’s or drawling out your vowels. New Yorkers interrupt, she says. Southerners never interrupt.

So when I’m on these calls, I am very, very direct. I interrupt callers. After all, time is scarce. But you can some very useful info at no charge.

Whether you get your own critique or just sit back and listen, you’ll get a pretty good idea of how I work. You’ll get a preview before you decide whether to hire me or someone else.

Of course, with clients, I spend LOTS of time reviewing your site. The Copywriting Strategy Diagnostic gives you a California hour (actually, 2 full California hours) instead of a New York minute. Learn more here.

Website copywriting lets you create relationships that can last a business lifetime.

Let’s say you’re a consultant who specializes in warehouse layout design.

Walter the Widget Guy comes to your site. Walter’s warehouse is beginning to feel crowded. He’s starting to search for solutions. But he’s still got a few feet of cubic space so he doesn’t feel desperate.

“Mm…this consultant seems like a good choice,” he says. But then he clicks away.

Two months later, his warehouse is bursting at the seams. He’s run the numbers: he really doesn’t want to buy another building. He vaguely remembers seeing a few web sites for consultants he liked…but who on earth were they?

This time around, Will might not even reach your website before he makes a hiring decision. You’ve lost a lucrative client.

But suppose your website motivates visitors to leave their names and email addresses before they click away. You offer a free Report: 5 Ways to Expand Your Warehouse Space Without Moving To a New Building. Walter starts getting helpful tips every week or two, delivered through your ezine or blog updates. Maybe you’ve sent podcasts or invited Walter to some teleseminars.

Now Walter the Widget Guy feels he has a relationship with you (if you’ve delivered helpful content in your e-zine). Just as he’s feeling desperate, he remembers your name.

You have a very good chance of getting hired. You’re almost guaranteed to be on Will’s short list of consultants to interview. In fact, if your content stands out above the crowd, you might be the only resource on Walter’s short list.

And you haven’t even eaten one rubber chicken wing.