Do You Have a Winning Commercial?

Last night I was one of 6 Corporate Partners who hosted a round-table discussion for the Denver chapter of NAWBO. My topic was--what else--marketing. The best question/problem that was brought up at my table was the question of "How do I know if I have a winning commercial?" (Also known as an elevator speech, 10-second commercial, audio logo, or as I call it the What Do You Do? Commercial) I think this is a question many small businesses wonder and struggle with.

The keys to a successful What Do You Do? Commercial are:

1. It gives just enough information to whet the appetite of the prospect.
2. It speaks to the prospects' 3Ps -- pain, problem or predicament
3. It makes the prospect ask the all important question of "Really, tell me more..." or "How do you do that?"

And #3 is really the key to knowing if you have a winning commercial.

If the person you are talking to doesn't say: "Tell me more..." or "How do you do that?" or some other variant, you need a commercial make-over. Bottom line: no "Tell me more..Response, no winning commercial.

Jeanna Pool
Author, When Your Small Business is YOU Marketing Handbook