The document discusses rebranding an "elevator pitch" as a "professional promise" when talking about yourself. A professional promise is a 30-second conversation that answers who you are, what you do, and how you do it. It provides examples of key ingredients to consider like role descriptors, experience, outcomes, and differentiators. The document emphasizes practicing your professional promise out loud and focusing on conveying one brilliant thing about yourself, as the brain processes information best in small amounts.

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+44 (0) 7976 751 095 dan@danbeverly.com http://danbeverly.com
Forget Your Elevator Pitch.
Work on Your Professional Promise. 17 November 2016
Redefine your elevator pitch as your professional promise. And never again feel
uncomfortable talking about who you are, what you do and how you do it.
One of the issues I often tackle with my clients is an
awkwardness around their pitch. Their answer to the
dreaded “what do you do?” or “tell us about yourself”
questions.
We feel embarrassed and flustered when asked; and
clumsy and uncomfortable in the delivery. The result: a
forgettable experience – for everyone involved.
So let’s imagine now a different scenario. One in which
you’re delighted to be asked; followed by a confident and
engaging delivery, full of balance and poise. How do we
get to that?
Rebranding the pitch
as a promise
For those that perhaps struggle to talk about themselves,
let’s start by rebranding our “pitch” as a “promise”.
A pitch most-often makes us think of an “elevator pitch” –
which is just one type of pitch and for a very specific
dynamic. When we’re talking about ourselves, it’s more
helpful to focus on creating a “professional promise”.
A Professional Promise is a 30-second conversation
encapsulating our promise of future performance.
It answers 3 fundamental questions:
1. Who are you? What are you really about?
2. What do you do? As presented in a frame of your
choosing.
3. How do you it? Your key competencies and
differentiators.
Some key ingredients
To get you thinking creatively about your Professional
Promise, here are a few key ingredients to consider:
 Role Descriptors: what would others call you?
 Employer/Client Wants and Needs: what problems
do you solve?
 Stand-out Differentiators: what sets you apart?
 Experience: how long have you been doing all this?
 Stakeholders: who do you work with and for?
 Delivered Outcomes: what do we get from you?
 Your #1 Result: what does it all lead to?

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+44 (0) 7976 751 095 dan@danbeverly.com http://danbeverly.com
These are just a few thought-provoking ideas. But in the
end, it really comes down to just one question:
What are you really about?
Make it a social pitch
When we’ve got some ideas together, we want to start
combining those into a short, succinct Professional Promise
that is direct, clear, joined-up and – above all – YOU.
Here’s an example:
“Senior business development manager, described as an
agile, strategic thinker who’s not afraid to implement the
changes. 15 years’ hard-earned leadership experience with
FTSE 100 corporations, predominantly in Financial
Services. Known for cultivating successful client
relationships, bringing new products to market and
growing market share.”
Of course, whilst this might be useful for your profile
summary, you probably wouldn’t say this out loud in
answer to the question: “so, tell us about yourself.”
So, the key ingredient: PRACTISE. Out loud.
Turn the on-paper version into a conversational “social
pitch” with softening phrases like: “so, I’m all about … “,
“clients might describe me as … ” or “what I really bring is
… ”
And get so used to your Professional Promise – and all its
variations – that it becomes natural, free-flowing and
devoid of awkwardness.
Less is more
A final (brain-based) tip: less is more.
The human brain is easily overwhelmed with information.
And for the record: it doesn’t sum the total of everything it
knows about you; it averages it. So say one brilliant thing
about yourself. Not one brilliant thing and three mediocre
things.
Less really is more.
Dan Beverly is a leadership and performance coach helping ambitious, high-
achieving professional women land their perfect career.
His mission is to inspire possibility in others for a career that leaves us feeling
fulfilled in our work, confident in ourselves and balanced in our life.
Go online to book your “Session Zero” with Dan – and start capitalising on
your pivotal career moments today.
http://danbeverly.com/session-zero