Most sales people have an elevator speech that was created by marketing – the answer to “what does your company do?” that can be delivered in an elevator before the door opens. An elevator speech is very important to security companies for the audience and the sales person. When someone hears you say that you’re a security business, they might think of guards or the company that set up their house with an alarm system – your elevator speech helps you distinguish what you do.
However, what do you say if they show interest? What happens if you exit the elevator and while standing in the lobby they ask: “I’m familiar with electronic security. What makes you different?” Now, you’ve got a challenge. This is what I call a Lobby Speech - the answer you give in the lobby after the elevator doors open and you’re asked “what makes you different?”
A crisp lobby speech will separate you from your competition. A lobby speech is composed of two to three brief and objective differentiating statements. “Great service” or “best people in the industry” don’t count. These statements have to be meaningful, true, and objective.
If you don’t have one, get your team together and conduct this exercise: Finish the statement “There are a lot of companies like ours, but what makes us different is…” List everything you can, and then review using the “meaningful, true, and objective” filters.
