Why everyone in your organization needs an elevator speech

So, you are trapped in an elevator and have 30 seconds to sell your organization to anyone else that is along for the ride.  Who in your organization has their promo speech ready? 

Your Executive Director, for sure.  Your Development Director, if you have one, definitely.  How about your case managers? Childcare workers?  Front desk staff?  Whether or not it is defined in the job description, everyone at the organization works as a fundraiser in some capacity.  We need to prepare each and every one of them with the tools and language to maximize these opportunities.  If staff and volunteers cannot clearly articulate what the organization does and why they are involved in the fulfillment of your mission, it is a disservice to the organization and generating the resources needed to sustain your programs.   

Here’s an example….

Dinner guest, “So where do you work?”

Client advocate, “A nonprofit in Minneapolis.”

Dinner guest, “Oh, which one?”

Client advocate, “Hope House.  It’s a shelter.” 

STOP!  Missed opportunity!  Let us not blame the staff member here, let’s just accept that they were probably ill prepared to take this opportunity to promote the organization.  Let’s redo this conversation if we have taken some time to prepare each staff member with a proper “elevator speech.”

Dinner guest, “So where do you work?”

Client advocate, “At Hope House, it’s a nonprofit shelter in Minneapolis serving at-risk youth.  Have you heard of it?”

Dinner guest, “I haven’t.  Could you tell me a little more about what the organization does?” 

Client advocate, “Sure.  Everyday kids 18-24 come to our shelter to get a hot meal, have a place to sleep, or get help finding an apartment or a job.  Many of them come from really difficult situations – abuse, chemical dependency and poverty have plagued most of them throughout their childhood.  We are able to help them with some of the basic necessities as well as help them with the next steps to achieve stability and self-sufficiency.  It’s really rewarding and powerful to see the change that many of them make through their time in the shelter.  I really enjoy being able to work with them every day.” 

In which situation is the dinner guest more likely to have a favorable view of the organization?  Are they likely to want to volunteer or donate to an organization where it seems like the employees don’t have a vested interest in the work they do?  There is a lot of power when someone who has a firsthand experience with the organization can discuss the impact the nonprofit is having on the lives of those they work with. 

Take the time to work with your staff and board on creating an individualized “elevator speech” for each one of them.  Team up in a staff or board meeting and have the pairs try their speech on each other.  Practice is really the key here.  Most likely, everyone will feel uncomfortable the first few times they have to do this exercise.  But it’s better to be uncomfortable with your colleagues than when you are actually in a setting where you need to give your speech! Investing the time in preparation will be well worth it in the end.