It's time for season two. During this season of the Theory of Marketing Relativity, I'll be taking a deeper dive into some of those hot button marketing topics we covered in season one. So who am I? I'm Epic Marketing Consultant, Social Media Director and your host Jess Burton. So let's dive right in. This week on our podcast, we have our communications director Amy Warrington in with us. So thank you for joining me, Amy.
Amy:Why thank you for having me Jess I'm excited to be here again.
Jess:Absolutely. So we've been talking a lot about pitches. We talked last time with Whitney about how like, who to pitch, how to find how to pitch yourself, that kind of stuff. And you actually created something for a client of ours that I was like, Oh, my gosh, I feel like more people need to know how to do this. Um, those like short, little snippets of like, how you talk about yourself? So that's why we invited you on so we could kind of get a rundown of how to do all of that.
Amy:Yeah. Okay. What do you want to know first?
Jess:Um, so I know that you had done like a short, medium and long type of pitch. So can you just break down for us what you think maybe the key points of a self pitch contain?
Amy:Sure. So I usually break it down in three different categories, you have your 5 10 second pitch. This is like you barely have time to get your name out there, you only have a couple of seconds to impress somebody, what are you going to say? How are you going to be memorable? What are you going to do that sticks in their mind and tells your brand succinctly and accurately, but most importantly, memorably. And then you've got your 30 second pitches, you don't have all the time in the world. But you've got a little bit more time to go into a little bit more about what you do. And really highlight some of those key aspects that make you you or your brand what your brand is. And then you have your 60 second pitch. So say you are in a high rise with somebody and they are stuck on that elevator with you and you've got a full minute of their attention. What are you going to say? How are you going to use that time? And how are you going to use it wisely, so that they understand who you are, what you do, why you do it better than anybody else? And why your audience and your clients trust you and keep coming back? So those are kind of the things that you need to keep in mind. So go from the idea of most most most important and expanded to Yes, most important. You can cover all those different timelines, if that makes sense to my little glowing cloud visualization help.
Jess:Yes. So like, a like, and this is like super, super basic. So it would be like I sell shoes would be like the short version, like you want to keep it short, concise, crisp, and get your message across?
Amy:Well, more than that, you don't have to sell shoes. So you sell ecologically sustained or recycled, curated? What makes your shoes different than somebody else's shoes. So what am I going to remember about your shoes, say it's just say that there's nothing special about your shoe, say you are just a wholesale reseller, you don't have your own brand, whatever, why somebody's coming to your wholesale store, like, I sell the top selection of women's dress shoes on the East Coast, you know, or we specialize in strange sizes. So you know, what is it? What's that hook? What's that thing? What's that memorable little element about yourself for your brand? That you can leave with that person?
Jess:Ooh, that's a good one. Yeah, cuz you want to be descriptive, but not overly descriptive, right, then like, the next step up, you would just elaborate on another part, or even that one little description that you have.
Amy:Right? Exactly. If that's the most important thing about you. The next thing you want to do is go into why that's the most important thing about you. So you know, we sell awkward women sizes. The reason we do so because we saw a need in the community, I have an awkward shoe size, I can never find a shoe blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So we decided to fill that need for women. And then, you know, we offer great customer service, custom fittings, free returns, whatever that is, like, that's how you kind of build on those important elements, like what's the next most important element that you can build on and get in. So it's kind of like your pyramid of importance, or Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Let's bring in some except like inverted a little bit. And that's kind of how you want to structure it. So your five seconds is that pinnacle of the pyramid, what's that's the most important thing. You want to make sure that you get out there and that they hear, you know, and then when you have a little bit more time, what are those next layers really add up to what makes you you. And then what are those other layers that other people probably have, but maybe you do a little bit better, you know? And then finally, like, what are those elements that you know you didn't need to get out there, but it's nice to round out your story.
Jess:I think it's so funny that you mentioned like, what makes you different because I there's like a company on TikTok that I totally like, bought her stuff because her like 32nd tic tock, like hooked me, it's like, I love them. She's from Canada. She sells they're called pony back hats. And the whole back seam of the baseball hat is like magnetic. I'm like, I hate wearing low ponytails because I feel like I look bald. And I like, well, I rock a messy bun. Like I think we all do and whatever. But like, I can't wear baseball hats. So I bought one. And I was like, This is genius. It's magnetic. So like, because the other ones I've seen how elastic, they have weird snaps. And I'm like, what happens if the snap falls off? What happens if the elastic gets stretched out? But this one's like literally magnetic. So I bought one and I got one. And I wear it at least two to three times a week. But yeah, her like 30 second little tick tock where she was explaining what her brand does was enough for me to like, go and purchase it. Um, so it is funny that you say like addressing the need, because like, I definitely had a need that I that I didn't even know that I needed filled?
Amy:Well, exactly. And that's kind of like that whole idea of reactive versus proactive marketing. Like, when you're proactively marketing your product, you are trying to make them find that once you're trying to figure out who that person is, what their psyche is, and how are you going to present your product in a way where they're like, holy crap, I didn't even know I wanted it. And now I need it. So that's what kind of why I love seeing those really weird and really targeted ads come up on my Instagram. Like sometimes I'm offended and like, Why the heck did cuz I don't know if I sent it to you. But I was getting all of these audible self help. Like it's okay, you'll be all right. Targeted books. And at first I thought it was kind of funny. I thought it was a joke or something like a meme page came up. And then I realized it was an ad and it was all of the things will be all right audio books. And I was like, why did I bother? Like, how did I fall into this targeting category? I was a little nervous.
Jess:Oh my gosh, sometimes the ads I get I'm like, What am I clicking on to this part of the world?
Amy:Exactly. But yeah, those little differentiators, those little things that can connect to the person you're talking to, are really what's going to set you apart and make the difference between somebody remembering your name and somebody forgetting it.
Jess:Absolutely, I think it's like, I think it's super important, especially when you're like pitching yourself. So like, I know that like, it's always easier to like pitch like a product or like a tangible item. But especially like working in marketing, sometimes it does get a little bit difficult because like, I can't, I mean, I can literally on my phone hold Facebook, like I can hold Facebook in my hands. I can't hold like Google ads in my hands. So I think sometimes being able to be to really hone in on what you're good at helps you pitch yourself and it helps you like raise your voice the word professional. I think I'm gonna make up a professionality is that a word? Or am I making that up?
Amy:You know what I like it professionality It's a combination of your professionalism and perssonality professionality
Jess:Exactly. And make that a word. Now I'm going to work that into my vocabulary
Amy:Copywrite, go ahead and put it in an urban dictionary.
Jess:Yes, the next networking event, I guess I'm gonna work for professionality into my my personal pitch,
Amy:you know that in urban dictionary, if you create a word, you can buy merch, or you can buy merch for any word. So like, if that is if that if you create it, you can go ahead and get all of this merch and start selling it and that can be your own.
Jess:Oh my gosh It's crazy when people make money out of, um, anyway, back to pitches. Um, so when you pitch yourself? Well, I guess Let me think of my question, because I'm all like discombobulated because I'm making up words. I know I do it all the time. I just combine them. Um, so like, for example, at a, I'm trying to think because like, it's been so long since I've done a networking event because you know, hashtag pandemic. But as we move into it, move as we move out of it. Words, as we move out of it, those things are starting to pop up. Um, what do you think are some things that people should be prepared with it when they're going to like in person events versus like, you know, I always think of like pitches as like, I was telling Whitney this, I always think of pitches as like, when people like, messaged me on LinkedIn. And I'm like, excuse me get out of my DMS. Um, you know, what do you think are like key points that people should consider maybe topically or just like approach wise for using their short, medium long pitches at like in person events, okay,
Amy:when you're going to an in person event, like when you're doing anything and you want to try and meet someone, always show interest in the other person first, don't just go up and start spewing your 60 second elevator pitch, because all of a sudden, you know, some CEO found themselves trapped with you, and now they can't get away. That's what it's for kind of thing. Um, so whenever you go to a networking event, keep in mind some of the following things. Most people are just as eager for somebody to come up to them as you are for somebody to come and break the ice with you. Everybody's probably just as nervous. And the ones that are out there going and introducing themselves to people either already figured out that it's okay to do it and that other people want them to, and they're feeling the same as you are, everybody's probably faking it. And even if they're seasoned pros, they're still nervous, like, um, my boyfriend and I, we watched the Black Widow movie yesterday. So good, highly recommend it. And it's like, even though she always knows what she's doing, you know, when she looks at that screen, and she sees like, 50 armed men coming at her with guns. She's like, holy shit, what do I do? Okay, I've got this, let's go. So like, even though the execution is calm and collected, everybody's always nervous whenever they're going up and introducing himself to somebody else. show interest in the other person, especially if it's somebody that you want to meet, if it's somebody that you are there specifically to try and get an introduction to go up to them and make sure you've researched them say something about them that you recently saw that they put out, if you're trying to introduce yourself to journalists be like, Oh, my gosh, I saw your recent article about blah, blah, and I really, really liked it. Talk to them about that, ask them questions, when they seem interested in you. Go ahead and pitch yourself for your five to 10 second pitch, if they seem interested in you move up the ladder, pitch wise, that's how you build it that way. So as somebody continues to show interest, and you continue to show interest in them, you're able to build your brand story, and you're able to follow this progressive path. So you're making sure to cover all your big points. But if you can't get to them, they at least know that most important part that you wanted them to remember
Jess:Ooh I like that one, I think that's so important that like, if you start with your short one, you can build on it as the conversation builds. So it's not always like, you're not always going to come out swinging with like your minute long pitch.
Amy:Exactly.
Jess:Just start by introducing yourself and saying, Hi, my name is this is my business, this is what I do. And if they show interest, then move on to that next level where that added information so that you can kind of get to know each other. And don't forget to like, ask the other person what they do.
Amy:Right I think that like the most important thing to come out of COVID and having everybody be working from home is that you kind of got to see that other people are people too. You know, other people have everybody in the background bothering them. Other people have stuff that they forgot to clear out of their back zoom background, you know, people forget they're muted. People do this, people do that. And so when you finally do go out and you are in those in person events, remember that everybody else is a little nervous. Everybody else is a little freaked out, but everybody else is also a person and you have friends, you can make business friends, it's the same type of principle.
Jess:Absolutely um, Amy, thank you so much for joining me today and helping hopefully everybody listening craft the perfect elevator pitch for themselves and their business as we get back to in person events and meeting people and having to be what I like to refer to as forcibly social.
Amy:Well, I think that we just came up with the title of this podcast how to write your professionality pitch.
Jess:Ooh, I'll have to let A n kn
Amy:professionality pitches hashtag
Jess:Love it. If people want t get in touch with you, wher can they reach
Amy:You can always reach me through Epic through any of epic social media channels and Amy@ep cmc2.com
Jess:Awesome. Thank you so much for joining. I will have to have you back sometime.
Amy:Yes, thank you. I always have fun when I'm on here with you.
Jess:Absolutely. Thank you all for tuning in this week. We hope this theory is relative to your marketing needs. Make sure you subscribe to get notified of our latest episodes.