What is an elevator speech?
An elevator speech is you talking about your business in public in an inspirational way. To elevate means to raise or lift higher and this is what this speech is all about. You may be talking for one minute or longer at a networking event, introducing yourself to business colleagues, or giving your opening speech at the start of a presentation. An elevator speech should build you and your business up and motivate your audience to want to find out more.
Why is having one important?
There are many opportunities to talk about your business with others. If you want to inspire sales then you need to get used to talking yourself and your business up. Once you are confident with the content of your elevator speech it can be a relief. You will know what to say in any situation when you are asked to describe what you do.
Your challenge
Do you find describing what you do difficult? Is building your business up in a positive way even harder? What is it that you find challenging? It can be hard to be succinct and powerful at the same time, especially when you know your own business well. It can be overwhelming when there is so much that you do. How do you choose what to say? Selecting exactly the right words and delivering them with passion and enthusiasm is the challenge. Knowing your business is very different from selling your business.

What makes a guarantee successful?
A strong guarantee can draw attention to your confidence in your product or service. If it is really powerful it can inspire action. It needs to be a guarantee that you are completely comfortable delivering. It needs to completely take away any perceived risks of purchase. It needs to demonstrate full confidence in your service. It should be specific and include full claim details. It needs to be both meaningful and measurable. Your guarantee could be your unique selling proposition and attract a lot of attention to your business.

Sample guarantees
The internet-based survey software company offers you the opportunity to try their service free of charge for a full 30 days completely free of charge. Business growth workshop – guarantees to refund the full 100% course fee at lunchtime on day two if not completely satisfied. Business consultant guarantees to pay his consultancy fees back in full if his clients do not make an additional £12,000 within 12 months of using his service and implementing the actions set. A company selling e-books and CDs guarantees a full 100% money-back in addition to allowing you to keep the products.

GUARANTEE CREATOR ^ SPECIAL RESPONSE CHECKLIST
- Look at your competitors’ guarantees and note down any really good ones.
- Guarantee strengths. What do you do particularly well that you know your customer's value? Would you be able to guarantee any of it100%?
- Guarantee results. Look at all the problems your customers want solutions. What are the results that are most important to them? Could you guarantee any of these results?
- Choose a ¢nancial payback that has high perceived customer value. Could you exceed even the 100% money-back guarantee and o¡er to compensate them for their time and e¡ort in going through the buying process with you?
- Consider how you could make your guarantee memorable.

How to use this information
Your guarantee can be one of your most powerful marketing tools. Once you have created one you think has an impact you need to test it. Measure its impact on your conversion rate. Integrate your guarantee into every piece of sales and marketing literature you have. How you word your guarantee will make all the difference. Here are some strong words and phrases that will add some power to the communication of it.

- Unconditional money-back guarantee.
- We stand behind our promise of . . .
- My 110% ‘call me crazy’ guarantee.
- Absolutely no risk to you.
- 100% no-hassle, no-questions-asked refund.
- I personally guarantee it.
- 100% on the spot refund.
- Better than risk-free.
Think guarantee and take away buyers’ reservation