Here are some guidelines (regularly used by good copywriters) for preparing your pitch:
1. Begin with a problem. Nothing pushes buttons like pain. But the trick is to make your audience identify the problem themselves.
You can do this by asking questions… This makes people come up with the answers themselves, even if it’s only in their heads.
2. Help your audience to identify why they still have this problem.
Ask the question and see what answers you get, or, list some answers if you already know what the common ones are.
3. Help your audience imagine how life would be different when you have solved their problem. Paint a picture, use a testimonial, tell a story.
4. Then, offer your solution, mentioning the problem in the solution pitch.
5. Finally, tell the prospect what to do now. i.e. ask for specific referrals.
If you’re a chiropractor, don’t say: anybody with a spine. It’s not specific enough.
The final element of a good 60 second is your memory hook.
Guidelines for a good memory hook
Isn’t it funny how fragments of phrases, jokes, songs and rhymes remind us of people, places and events?
“Ehhh – what’s up Doc?” Recognise it? Bugs Bunny of course!
In his book, Seven Second Marketing, Dr Ivan Misner, says the key word in memory hook is MEMORY, and the best way to make it MEMORABLE is to make it vivid and short.
* Let your memory hook appeal to the basic senses – sight, smell, touch, hearing….
For example: “How Kiwis SEE the world” – is a good local one from House of Travel.
* Make people laugh. Humour breaks down barriers and makes your memory hook memorable. Inject humour into your memory hook, like this one from a woman solicitor:
– “I can’t wait to get my hands on your briefs”.
Or this example from a dentist…
– “Be true to your teeth or they will be false to you.”
4 comments
Great article, Colin. I would even suggest this is a great way to do your 10 minute talk as it helps members identify problems and offer possible solutions – which then means more referrals.
As you stated, good copywriters use this formula for a reason – it works!
Thanks Colin.
This is a subject frequently not used correctly by many members, even by those who have attended MSP training.
It is all about doing “the basics” well, which when used correctly always produce great results.
If you don,t have a memory hook ask your chapter for help or look up the link on this page.
agree it is an important aspect of the meting and the ability to grab other members attention and then for them to have someting for them to take some action to obtain a referral is whole purpose of bni.
to add some spice to the meeting is to give another members 60 second which shows how well members listen to other members 60 seconds . when they then talk on someone else it gives feedback to the member how much info is actually taken in by the other members.
Great article – I am standing in for my partner at BNI tomorrow and I was starting to panic! This is a great framework to start!
Thanks
Matt
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