What Do You Do?
The age-old question that deserves a new answer.
BYU Football Quarterback Zac Wilson responded with the same answer in a new way – he added his commitment to it.
BYU Pro Days were this past week and 30 of 31 teams were there to see the workouts and scout for needed players. Zack did a great job and was the talk of Social Media for at least a day.
Some thought a couple of teams were going to trade for the No. 2 pick at the draft next month so they could pick Zack. Whether that happens or not, there’s a lot of talking going on about his passing ability. So much so that one of the reporters, in the aftermath interview, asked him the ultimate question before the What Do You Do. He asked him to what he attributed his success in Football.
His answer? “ I love football. I’ve lived it all my life. I eat and sleep football and have no desire to do anything else. Football is my life.”
His passion, his history, dedication, and his commitment all in one Elevator Pitch for all to see and hear. One line - no one needed to ask, “What Do You Do?” Can you do as well?
For most of us, our stories are a little more complicated than that, but we can at least try to simplify our pitch and add our commitment. How can we do the changes without getting too long and confusing?
Add your purpose, and then add your commitment with firm boundaries to your pitch. Start by including the sentence I commit to ____________.
That could be donating unused items to ____________
Buying organic ______________________
Buying from small businesses in my community _% of the time.
Or any of those promises you’ve made but haven’t carried out.
It’s easier to add clutter to business presentations that it is to eliminate unnecessary details and condense them. Focus on a few simple steps –
Keep it short. Your pitch should be easy to say and easy to remember.
Identify one thing you want your audience to remember. The “one thing” should cater to the needs of your audience.
Keep it one line long. If you can’t communicate your pitch in one short sentence, don’t give up. Sometimes the language will come to you immediately, other times it might take more practice. Be patient. Once you master the one one-liner, you will be able to easily clarify your ideas and help the audience retain, remember, and act on them. You can always add to it when they respond – “Tell me more”.