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Inspiration
Making the most of networking opportunities
F or many ISOs and merchant level salespeo- speech," The Green Sheet, Feb. 9, 2009, issue 09:02:01,
ple, January is a good time to take stock and payment veteran Biff Matthews wrote, "For those who
then set goals and action steps for the coming need a quick refresher, the elevator speech, or pitch, is
year. Often, deciding which industry trade- a 30-second personal commercial developed to help you
shows to attend is part of that process. There are the promote yourself, your company and your solutions." He
regional acquirer meetings, the Electronic Transactions offered the following four guidelines for preparing this
Association's Transact show, the newer and growing vital piece of communication.
Money20/20, as well as shows focused on specific aspects
and interest groups within payments and banking, shows 1. You have 30 seconds, or less, to make your case.
focused on promising verticals, gatherings that explore
fintech partnerships, and more. 2. Your speech should be crisp and concisely
focused on how you help customers and what you
After weighing the options, payment professionals make help them achieve.
decisions and book airlines and hotels for the shows that
best fit their business objectives and budgets. But that's 3. Use only layman's language. Avoid industry-
just the beginning of the preparation needed to make specific terms and alphabet soup. Forcing your
tradeshow attendance pay off. listener to guess what you're saying because you've
used jargon and acronyms is counterproductive.
In addition to rich educational offerings, these events Craft your speech so that, whether your listener is
provide extensive opportunities to network with potential a professor or a janitor, your meaning is clear.
partners and clients. In Good Selling!SM: The Basics, Paul H.
Green posed the question, "If you're attending a conference 4. Answer the question, but leave your listener
or seminar, or simply having lunch with some colleagues, wanting to know more.
how do you identify the people who can help you and are
willing to do so?" Lend a hand
Prepare well Of course, while networking, it is vital that you listen
intently first before you talk about yourself. "Even if you
The answer, Green stated, is to do some detective think you may be at a dead-end and neither of you can
work. "Treat the event as you would treat a prospecting help each other, give it some time. You may learn that
opportunity for sales," he wrote. "Find out all you can this person really can help you reach your goals," Green
about the people who will be there. Ask around among wrote. However, he cautioned that "networking isn't just
your associates, go online and do a simple search under about what the contact can do for you; you can be a very
proper names or companies, or read local papers (online valuable and interesting contact for him or her."
or print) and see if any of the attendees have been in the
news lately and why." LinkedIn and Facebook are also So prepare well, and then focus on extending a helping
potential sources of useful background information on hand while networking this year. This approach will
attendees. not only lead to many enjoyable conversations and new
connections, it will also pay surprising dividends to you
Next, brush up your elevator pitch, so you'll be prepared over time.
when people ask you what you do. In "Revisit that elevator
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
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