Great leaders are great communicators. Not just giving guidance, feedback, or even setting the vision. At its core, communication is about transmitting a fully understood message to the intended audience, no matter how complex or new the topic is. Let’s review one aspect of the importance of clear and careful communication. Specifically, we will talk about communicating what you do for a living in 60 seconds or less.

What is the origin? Well, here is how the old “sales story” goes… A sales rep is going on a call to a large company. He gets into an elevator, and guess who steps in next to him? The CEO of that company!!

The sales rep has just 1 minute (60 seconds) before the elevator hits the top floor. What does he tell the CEO? Hence the 60-second elevator pitch was born. It simply states that you must be able to clearly articulate to someone what you do and how you provide value in one minute or less. I argue that the best people have a good 30 and 60-second pitch. 

This is not just for sales reps and CEO. Think of how often you have met someone at an event or even a casual party, and they struggle to explain what their company does or, even worse, have a hard time explaining their specific job. Frustrating.

The components of a good 60-second pitch are here.

• Who we are
• What we do
• How we do it
• Who we do it for
• Why are we different
• Some cool statistic or fact to grab their interest (start or finish with this – or both)

By the way – it should be only 60 seconds. That is the point. Quick, clear, and concise. Once you have it written down, practice it and rehearse it. Out loud. To a friend, or a mirror, or just sitting at your desk. It doesn’t have to be exact each time – but if I ask 50 different people at your company what you do – they should all be about 90-95% the same content and messaging. These 6 points are easy to remember and keep people on message.

Having a photo booth business means you can go to many events and meet all kinds of people. This gives you a unique and great opportunity to rub shoulders with people you would never have on a regular day while you live and shop for groceries. This is why you need to be able to have a quick one-minute itch that is memorable and information-packed.

Information packed doesn’t mean that you have to cram in all the numbers and details. You must ensure all the relevant information is included in your quick pitch. Information that will leave enough for the person to approach you later on, knowing exactly what you do and how you can assist them. This is why it’s important to practice your pitch to avoid stammering or becoming anxious.

Personal 60-Second Photobooth Pitch

Considering your business is about photography and having a photo booth means most likely you are the only one running the business. You need a personal 60-second pitch for people you meet or a potential venue or vendor partnership. “Tell me about yourself”? This question will come up regularly in your line of business. Here I think the following are critical:

It may seem obvious, but in the heat of the moment, we can forget to introduce ourselves and have anxiety about saying what we assume is most important-what we do. Your name and business name are important because, sometimes, someone may forget everything but remember your face and name.

Everyone and anyone will only buy into products, services, or ideas if they stand to gain or benefit. Humans are naturally self-centered, so use that to your advantage. Ensure they understand how they can fully gain from using you over your competitors.

We live in a day and age of instant gratification. People have less time and attention spans to be still for long. This works in your favor, as getting straight to the point will not be rude. By the time the person you are pitching to leaves, they must have gained something relevant from you. It could be your contacts, and now they know photographers who may have contacts with vendors for events. Always show you can add more value beyond your actual business.

Not an easy task. It will take some time and practice to get it just right. Anyone can ramble on and on and eventually stumble upon the points. The best communicators hit them quickly and clearly. Also, remember to avoid completely, like the plague, any sort of acronyms or jargon. It can put people off and make you seem unrelatable and a bit of a show-off.