From the course: Preparing for Successful Communication

Compose a successful opening

From the course: Preparing for Successful Communication

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Compose a successful opening

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- I had the privilege of being the pitch coach for Springboard Enterprises, which has helped entrepreneurs receive $8.8 billion in funding. One of my Springboard clients, Kathleen Callender, said, I've got good news and I've got bad news. I asked, what's the good news? She told me, I have an opportunity to pitch to a room full of investors in New York. That is good news, what's the bad news? I'm going at 2:30 in the afternoon, and I only have 10 minutes. You can't say anything in 10 minutes. Actually, Kathleen, you don't have 10 minutes. Those investors will have already heard 16 presentations. You have 60 seconds to win their favorable attention. How is that possible, here's how that's possible. This is the opening we crafted that not only helped Kathleen receive funding, she was named one of America's most promising social entrepreneurs in 2010. Did you know there are more than 1.8 billion vaccinations given every year? Did you know up to a third of those are given with reused needles? Did you know we're spreading and perpetuating the very diseases we're trying to prevent? Imagine if there were a painless, one-use needle for a fraction of the current cost. You don't have to imagine it, we've created it. In fact, and she was off and running. Do you want to know more? That means Kathleen just got PharmaJet in your mental door. Now let's put this in perspective. Before we crafted this opening, Kathleen opened her communications by explaining that PharmaJet was a medical delivery device for subcutaneous inoculations, huh? This more compelling opening got eyebrows up, a sure sign of intrigue, and smartphones down. Here's how you can do the same. Step one, open with three did you know questions. What startling research can you introduce that would cause people to think, really, I didn't know that. What recent statistics could you reference about the problem you're solving, the issue you're addressing, the need you're meeting? Step two, link the word imagine to three benefits of your product. The word imagine pulls people out of their preoccupation. They're seeing what you're saying. Kathleen asked people to imagine these three benefits, a painless, one-use needle for a fraction of the current cost, and distilled it into one succinct sentence that caused people to think, who wouldn't want that? Step three, segue into what's next by saying, you don't have to imagine it. Now, introduce evidence to prove this isn't speculative, it's a done deal, and you and your team are ready to deliver it. Why does this opening work so well? Because the quickest way to have people at hello is to introduce something they don't know. They're now smarter than they were a moment ago. If you want to have people at hello, use this did you know opening. It will help get your communication in people's mental door and motivate them to say, tell me more.

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