magine you are on an elevator. You recognize the other passenger as the owner of a 10-store chain you'd give your eyeteeth to land for your portfolio. The elevator stops at his floor. He gets off.

The door closes, and you realize you just missed a great opportunity because you didn't think on your feet. Or, maybe you jumped at the chance but said something bordering on incoherence.

Here's another scenario: You call on a merchant for the first time. She's harried and half-listening. You introduce yourself and tell her you are sure you can lower her Visa and MasterCard bills.

She says you're the third Visa guy she's seen this week, she's very busy and she'll call you if she decides to make a change. As you leave, she throws your business card and fancy four-color collateral materials in the trash.

Sound bites R us

We live in a sound-bite society. Life moves at a frantic pace, and the average attention span is short. Our news is delivered in brief, distinct 30- to 60-second sound bites, and advertising comes to us in equally clipped commercials.

Given this reality, if you don't have a 30-second sound bite of your own, you will miss golden opportunities. Actually, you should have several sound bites prepared to fit different situations that commonly arise.

Succinct success

It's not difficult to create a sound bite; it just takes a little preparation. The five basic steps are:

1. Write out a first draft of the sound bite.
2. Edit until you think it sounds good.
3. Test the sound bite either with a friend or in front of a mirror.
4. Hone the sound bite.
5. Practice, practice, practice.

While it may not be necessary, I strongly recommend that you write down the sound bite. It will result in a better bite: You get to critique it both in print and when you later verbalize it. It's also a good idea to let the draft sit for a day between edits. The next day you will see things that you previously missed.

It's best to test the sound bite on another person so you get two opinions. However, talking in front of a mirror can be very effective.

Practice the sound bite until you can deliver it smoothly and consistently. But be careful not to sound like a recording or someone reading from a script. Change your inflections, emphasize different words and vary the wording ever so slightly each time. This will keep it fresh.

No soliloquies needed

So what should you say in your sound bite? First, keep in mind your prospect's point of view. You are trying to get the listener's attention and make a stellar impression. It's all about the listener; your feelings are irrelevant. Salespeople often err by talking about what they think is important and not about what matters to their prospects.

It's also crucial that you be original. Don't repeat what the prospect has already heard from three other merchant level salespeople this week. If you sound like them, your prospects will tune you out. So, break the mold, but not so completely that you go off the deep end.

Pique their interest

Start by introducing yourself. In a friendly manner, greet your prospect and state your name, title and the name of the company you represent.

The prospect will likely reciprocate with an equally brief introduction or acknowledgment. Follow this by telling your prospect a little about yourself, but be brief. Here's an example of a good follow-up:

_ I live in the area and specialize in Visa and MasterCard processing for family dining restaurants. I have been in the bankcard industry for 15 years and service most of the family dining restaurants in this county. I am a regular customer and noticed that your payment terminal seems to be a bottleneck.

You will notice I haven't played the lower-rates card yet. Once you play that card, you can't take it off the table. The next step is to differentiate yourself from your competition. Again, focus on issues that are important to your listener.

Here's an example:

· I provide my merchants with a very personal level of customer service. If you have a problem with your terminal, I can be on site to help you resolve your issue. Now hook 'em Next you want to use a hook, which is a key point that will get the prospect's attention and give you credibility. You may want to use two or even three hooks in a sound bite, but be careful. If you use too many, you won't be effective. Examples of good hooks are:

· I have helped other family dining restaurants in town increase their business by 15% with a customized loyalty card program.

· From the bad checks on the wall, I can see you have trouble with returned checks. How would you like to turn those types of checks into guaranteed payments that go directly into your bank account just like credit cards?

· I have helped other restaurants in town save as much as 25% on their processing costs.

You may think the last statement plays the lower-rates card. Not necessarily. You can save a merchant money by adding PIN debit or setting up an account in a different way. It's not only about lower rates.

Now that you have your prospect's attention, you can move into the sales process. Next month we'll explore a consultative sales approach that flows very well from a sound bite.

Ken Boekhaus is Vice President, Marketing and Business Development for Electronic Exchange Systems, a national provider of merchant processing solutions. Founded in 1991, EXS offers ISO partner programs, innovative pricing, a complete product line, monthly phone/Web-based training and quarterly seminars. For more information, please visit EXS' Web site at www.exsprocessing.com or e-mail him at kenb@exsprocessing.com . EXS is a registered ISO/MSP for HSBC Bank USA, N.A.