“If you got a problem, yo, I'll solve it.” - Vanilla Ice
“If you got a problem training your organization on the most recent cyber threats, yo, I'll solve it.” - Me
In his 1990 smash hit “Ice, Ice Baby”, rapper Vanilla Ice is selling solutions. Whatever your problem, Vanilla Ice has an answer. His elevator pitch is distinct and confident. It is also based on simple IF/THEN programming. IF you have a problem, THEN I will solve it.
There is a lot to be learned by Vanilla Ice's bravado. As a job seeker, I struggle with selling myself. Exploring elevator pitch advice makes me think others struggle with it too. Whether due to lack of confidence, insecurity, or indecision on what to say, developing an elevator pitch can be overwhelming. Personally, I know my biggest struggle with elevator pitches is focusing too much on what I have done in the past, not what I can do in the future.
Talking about your past is wonderful for a memoir, but it is a bad way to sell yourself as a solver of problems. There is no IF / THEN. Vanilla Ice didn't talk about his past. He told you what he would do.
If you need a complicated heart surgery, you need a doctor who will tell you what he or she will do. A doctor who spends his time telling you his or her life story may not assure you that your heart will be operated on correctly or that they are doing the correct procedure. You want to know what they are going to do to solve your problem.
That is not to say backstory or credentials aren't important. Remember the old Holiday Inn Express commercials in which someone claims expertise because they stayed at a Holiday Inn? They proposed solving a problem, but were rebuffed when their lack of credentials were discovered. Staying at a Holiday Inn Express was not enough.
A better approach might be to briefly mention credentials, while keeping the focus on the problem. For example, introducing yourself as a certified heart surgeon would assure someone who needs heart surgery that you are the person to solve their problem. It is also important to address the problem in your pitch to make sure you and the potential client are on the same page on what needs to be addressed.
Here are a few examples in the theme of Vanilla Ice:
“I am a certified heart surgeon. If you need heart surgery, yo, I'll do it.”
“I am a licensed electrician. If you need your house re-wired, yo, I'll do it.”
“I am a certified organizational trainer and continuity planner. If you need your organization trained on the latest cyber threats, yo, I'll do it.”
and finally,
“I am a multi-platinum album rapper. If you need someone to perform their biggest 90s hit, yo, I'll do it.”
In most cases, you might want to drop the “Yo”. But that's personal preference. Remember IF / THEN, have confidence, and Go, Vanilla, Go!
