Originally posted on LinkedIn
When you're leading any type of organizational change, especially the type of change a customer experience (CX) leader is tasked to bring to an organization, you're constantly communicating with people throughout the organization about the nature of the work that needs to be done. Synthesizing and sharing data, uniting disconnected silos, and driving attention to customer needs on new products and business process improvements, for example, is just part of the daily work.
"You're always selling something ."
"You're always selling something," is a gem of a phrase I picked up from the boss during my Ernst & Young days. This wisdom may seem relevant only to salespeople and selling in a traditional sense. But it actually relates to many types of relationships in the business world, and it definitely applies to CX leaders as a fundamental skill that is needed in order to gain executive, organizational buy-in for projects and programs that will help customers.
So... what is your elevator "sales" pitch?
In its simplest sense, an "elevator pitch" is a succinct speech designed to persuade someone to buy, partner, or join you in a business deal, delivered in the length of time it takes to travel a few floors in an elevator. An elevator pitch lasts 30 seconds or less, because that may be the only time and place your listener has to hear out your "CX commercial." You have to be ready to deliver the pitch, on the spot.
What should be in your CX elevator pitch? Here are some ideas to get you started:
- The customer problem you're working on, explained in simple terms.
- Why it's a problem. Emphasize this if staff feels pain due to this problem, as well.
- The solution you're advocating for, or considering proposing to a broader audience.
- Who the solution benefits. Again, emphasize this if it benefits customers and staff.
- Resources needed, such as funding, people, time, space, or talent.
- The ask. Say what you need. Is it wisdom from the listener, air cover, input from his or her team, time, or permission of some type?
When you're building the CX work, you have to take every opportunity to communicate what you're working on and why because it typically takes a team of people throughout the organization to get it done. If that opportunity to communicate and get buy-in happens to be 30 seconds in an elevator with the big boss, you can't be shy. You have to take it!
When designing your CX elevator pitch, be clear and avoid jargon. Use body language to emphasize points. The good news is, those you're "pitching to" quite likely want to do right by customers just as much as you do, which is great common ground for starting your pitch in the first place.
Feel free to comment below with any additional tips you personally have found helpful in building your own elevator pitches!
Follow me on Twitter: @stephaniethum