This is the first Friday in October, which means that it is once again time to deep dive into a “gift” to improve your tennis life. This month the topic is all about why you should develop a few 30-60 second “elevator” speeches on tennis topics that are important to you. This is a fundamental tool of business development and career networking that can be leveraged to the benefit of the tennis ecosystem.
The basic idea behind an elevator speech is that 30-60 seconds is the amount of time people spend in an elevator, or otherwise generally have with a person in a chance encounter. It fundamentally boils down to the ability to convey information about something that is important when opportunity arises.
Years ago, I became convinced of the absolute necessity of elevator pitches after flubbing an opportunity at my day job. I had been named “Star of the Day” which meant that I would receive a “Challenge Coin” directly from the executive Vice President of the program that I was working on. It is kind of a big deal that even comes with a commemorative photo. You’re probably wondering how I managed to screw that up.
It simply did not occur to me in advance that the VP would make small talk during the photo shoot. That oversight included the obvious question about what I generally did for the program. It was arguably one of the most inarticulate moments of my life. Ever since that time, I have maintained a short list of the potential questions that people are likely to ask me. I now have a few sentences ready to go on a variety of topics when the opportunity arises.
All tennis players should have an elevator speech at the ready that extolls the virtues of tennis. For example, if an acquaintance laments that they would like to try tennis but don’t know how to get started, it is a chance to be an ambassador for the sport. I plan on spending the rest of the “Unplugged” series this weekend enumerating potential tennis related elevator pitches that we should all add to our arsenals.
As it turns out, I was named “Star of the Day” on a second occasion not terribly long after the first. I was much more prepared to be more articulate that time around. It was not meant to be. The VPs administrative assistant delivered me the second Challenge Coin along with his apologies. He was running hopelessly behind that day and hoped that I would accept an aircraft simulator ride in lieu of a second meeting and photo. There was nothing else to do, but graciously accept.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Elevator speeches are a valuable tool to maximize your opportunities and impact.
The Full List of “Gifts” Originally Shared in 2021.
