BEST PRACTICES OF BRANDING

• Developing a logo/brand identity
• Developing a vision statement
• Creating an "elevator speech" or positioning statement
• Crafting a memorable and compelling tag line
• Creating a great advertisement

CREATING AN "ELEVATOR SPEECH" OR POSITIONING STATEMENT.

Based on your vision statement, you can then work with your Career Academy network to develop an "elevator speech" or positioning statement. An "elevator speech" is a brief explanation of what your organization is and/or does that can be stated to someone in the time it might take for an elevator to travel between floors.

Three elements of a successful "elevator speech":
What is your service? Briefly describe what it is that your organization does or what it is trying to achieve. It is important to not get into too much detail. Who is your market? Briefly state who you are delivering the service to. Who is behind the organization? "Bet on the jockey, not the horse" is a familiar saying in the business world. Tell them a little bit about you and your network's background and achievements. If you have a strong advisory board, tell them who they are and what they have accomplished.

A successful "elevator speech":

1. Contains a "hook." Open your speech by getting the listener's attention with a "hook." A "hook" is a statement or question that piques their interest to want to hear more.
2. Is brief. Your speech should be about 150-225 words and go no longer than 60 seconds, at the most.
3. Requires that you deliver the speech with conviction and credibility.

Downloads/Links:
Sample "Elevator Speech"

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