A well polished Elevator Pitch can turn a chance meeting into a very profitable business deal. The great things about being a Firewalk Instructor is that it such a unique career and business choice it is almost guaranteed to gain some internet. But that might not be enough. In this post we are going to take you through the 6 essential steps to crafting the perfect Elevator Pitch.

STEP 1: Understand the Concept

An Elevator Pitch is not a Sales Pitch! You need to get this very clear in your head if you want to be successful with your Elevator Pitch. Get this clear in your head before you move on to the 4 parts of your Elevator Pitch:

The Lead in – spark interest
Differentiator – person/company/unique
Engagement Question – open question that gauges interest
Call to Action – arrange a meeting

STEP 2: The Lead in

As previously mentioned, Firewalk Instructors can easily stand out from the crowd by simply saying, “I am a Firewalk Instructor.” It’s a great entry, and needs to be followed up with more greatness.

We recommend using a single line sentence:

• Tell a story about one of your customers
• Make sure it it important
• Ensure it is quantifiable and defendable
• Make sure it is memorable

You lead in needs to be crisp, to the point and energetic.

MOST LEAD INS SUCK! They are too long, too detailed, or too abstract. Sometimes they are all three!

STEP 3: The Differentiator

Before you move into step 3 it is crucial to make sure that the person you are talking to is ready for more! If they are, talk about how you do what you do while positioning yourself against the competition. How are you unique and better? With so few Firewalk Instructors on the planet, you may not need to position yourself against the competition. Instead you can focus on why you are so good at what you do.

Only use one or two facts as most people can only remember three at the most.

TIP! How to come up with your differentiator

• Make a list
• Select two from the list
• Write a summary – no jargon!

STEP 4: The Engagement Question

All the hard work is now over! This is where you give and take. Remember to keep it simple! For example, “That’s enough about me and my business – tell me more about you and what you do”. Or, “You seem intrigued, out of curiosity, what grabbed your intention”.

There’s no need to be fancy – straight talk and no selling. Keep your questions open ended and remain curious.

STEP 5 – Call to Action

If the person you are talking to seems sceptical – “What are your thoughts on meeting up?”. And if they seem neutral – “Do you think we can again in a few weeks?”.You could be obliging – “I would love to call you. How do I get in your diary?”.

STEP 6 – Rehearse until it’s Natural

All of this can seems unnatural and unauthentic unless you practice. Practice is of no use though unless you are really get step 1, remain authentic, and are genuinely interested in the other person and making new connections.

Social Media is a powerful tool for marketing and growing your Firewalking Business. That said, if not done right, it is very easy to fall down a rabbit hole that leads to wasted time and effort. Getting results with Social Media requires a plan and some out of the box thinking. Here are our 10 Golden Rules that can be applied to any Social Media.

1. Focus on the why! The how and the what will follow.

Most Firewalk Instructors know why they do what they do, and, in most cases, it is somehow connected the development of people. It will be about adding value to communities, teams, and individuals. Of course, the specifics of this will vary from one Firewalk Instructor to another. Use Social Media to communicate this. People love to know why people do what they do. They find it to be far more interesting than how or what you do.

2. Spark ideas by telling stories. Be interesting!

People love stories. Stories have been a constant part in the evolution of man. Tell your story, tell people your why, and share stories about what you are up to. By telling a great story you will spark ideas and generate interest in what you do.

3. Get involved in the conversation. Ask questions and offer answers. Be useful.

There are plenty of Social Media sites that give you an opportunity to interact with people. Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter give you lots of opportunities to ask questions and start the conversation.  Better still, you can add value to your connections by answering their questions and solving their problems. Be useful!

4. Be different!

The internet is awash with individuals and companies telling their stories and promoting themselves. Some are brilliant at it. The important thing is to make sure you stand out from the crowd. Be different. Use your own language and certainly don’t try and mimic someone else. Being authentic will give you much more success.

5. Never ever give up!

It is very easy to give up on Social Media as a marketing tool, especially if you aren’t seeing immediate results. It’s good to remember that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Of course, there comes a time when you need to make a call if your strategy and time is working for you. That decision should always be based on how consistent you have been and if your strategy is the right one. Strategy is key!

6. It’s ok to make mistakes.

Carving out your unique voice on Social Media take time. You can expect for things to work well and sometimes they won’t work so well. It’s ok to make mistakes. The world of social media is fast moving, mistakes come and go. Remain authentic, well informed and set yourself high standards and ethics. If you do that, you can rest assured any mistakes will be minor and you will be your worst critic.

7. It’s not a numbers game. If you do it right, the numbers will follow. People will find you!

There is a common misconception about Social Media and the numbers trap is an easy one to fall into. Business owners often think that the more followers they have the better. This is simply not true, I would rather have 100 followers that are genuinely interested in what I do than 1000 who only like my page out of courtesy or because they wanted to win something.

And whatever you do, never ever buy followers, or likes! This will have a negative impact in the long run.

8. Be consistent!

Being consistent with your posts on Social Media is very important. That does not mean you need to be on it 25/7, in fact, I would encourage the exact opposite. Be sensible with your time. Don’t become a slave to Social Media but be consistent. Creating a post today and then leaving it for a few weeks before you do another one will not help you gather momentum. Remember, strategy is key.

9. Learn from others. Who are the movers and the shakers?

Spend some time and think about the businesses you follow on Social Media. Which ones do you engage with? Are there any that really stand out and you love seeing their posts? What is it that you love about them? Can you learn what they do and then do it in your own way? This is a good start to developing your strategy and voice.

10. Never ever give the hard sell. Ever.

Would you walk into a stranger’s home and start touting your services? I would think not. Don’t use Social Media to give the hard sell. It turns people off. Remember, sparking ideas and telling stories will generate interest in the people who follow you. If you do that well, they will want to buy your services without giving the hard sell.

One more thing…

A picture tells a thousand words… Not all Firewalk Instructors or Firewalk Companies like having photographers at their events. And not all Firewalking Events are suitable for photographing. For those that do, there is a real marketing advantage to sharing your photographs. There is nothing like a picture, or a video, for sparking interest in what you do.

Whether you are doing a course with us, receiving coaching or getting to grips with your marketing, you will have some work to do. To know where you are going (as best you can), you need to know where you are.

This might sound cliche and unnecessary to some, but it’s not. In fact, it is absolutely vital that you take stock of where you and your Firewalking Business before you can move forward. At the very least, it will help us help you with maximum effect.

To get you started, download this checklist and work your way through it. We are sure there will be plenty of learning and A-HA moments during the process. Give yourself time. Do it thoroughly. You might well find the results are revealing. Maybe even astonishing!

Let us know how you get on!