Small Message, Big Impact: How to Put the Power of the Elevator Speech Effect to Work for You [Hardcover]

Terri Sjodin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2011

A note from the Author:

Big news! Small Message, Big Impact has been picked up by a ''Big 6'' publisher, Penguin/Portfolio!

The new edition is scheduled for release August 30, 2012! You can order the new edition by typing in: Small Message, Big Impact: The Elevator Speech Effect on your search bar.

Please review the press release announcing the acquisition Click here to see the press release. As you might imagine, I am thrilled to be part of the Penguin/Portfolio author family!

Thank you for being a ''first edition'' reader of SMBI! You have been a part of this amazing journey with me, and I truly appreciate your support!

With sincere gratitude,

Terri Sjodin

Don't just think of an elevator speech as a generic tool you use in chance moments--consider the concept as a strategy to manage multiple talking points and to communicate more complex ideas as well.

Terri L. Sjodin's new work, Small Message, Big Impact, provides an entertaining, straightforward, and practical how-to guide on effectively communicating an important message in a short period of time. She gives readers an inspiring new perspective on the power of what she calls the Elevator Speech Effect and shows them how to employ this amazing little tool to create influence in today's market.

Perhaps you want to promote an idea, a project, or a concept. Maybe you are looking to create a more compelling message to sell a product or service that will help you access challenging decision makers. Whatever your purpose--be it professional, academic, political, philanthropic, or personal--you can learn to craft a fresh, brief, and persuasive message that generates tangible results!

In this book you will learn

• How a small message can have a big impact in helping you to communicate more effectively
• How to build a compelling and persuasive case using six of the most consistently effective arguments in today's market
• How to repurpose your existing presentations; incorporate new creative illustrations, and bring your message to life
• How to speak in your own authentic voice--it's not only what you say, it's how you say it
• How to morph your elevator speech content and employ your best material in a variety of presentation opportunities, including the internet and on social media platforms

This book includes outlines to help you craft your next talk, worksheets, a complete sample elevator speech, evaluation forms--and much more!

Editorial Reviews

Review

''... Small Message, Big Impact is an insightful yet practical book that addresses the growing challenge of communicating a vitally important message in a very short time period. If your job depends on persuading others, you'll find yourself inhaling the contents and breathing easier because your message will have more traction and you'll persuade more people to take purposeful action.'' --Gerhard Gschwandtner, founder and publisher, Selling Power Magazine

''Recognizing the importance of being an effective communicator, Small Message, Big Impact is an easy-to-read, easy-to apply how-to guide for making a positive first impression and communicating with impact.'' --Cathy McMorris Rodgers, U.S. Congresswoman (WA-05)

''...This book is the definitive how-to for the all-important three minutes that will help get your foot in the door. It will show you how to take your elevator speech from the ground floor all the way to the top!'' --Harvey Mackay, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive

''Whether you're advocating for a community cause or pitching a business idea, Terri's creative tools provide a framework for speaking with clarity and confidence while making it easy to envision the impact of a well-designed elevator speech for the right effect.'' --Andrea Reno, director of special projects, YMCA of the USA

''Small Message, Big Impact absolutely helped me organize my thoughts around a new umbrella brand that we're developing. Interesting how the principles from the elevator speech can be transferred to a much bigger context.'' ----Joe Calloway, author, Becoming a Category of One

About the Author

Terri Sjodin is the principal and founder of Sjodin Communications, a public speaking, sales training and consulting firm. For over twenty years, Terri has served as a speaker and consultant to an impressive list of companies, industry associations, academic conferences, CEO's, and Members of the United States Congress. She is the author of New Sales Speak: The 9 Biggest Sales Presentation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (Wiley). Terri lives in Newport Beach, CA

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press; First Edition edition (June 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1608321304
• ISBN-13: 978-1608321308
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.9 x 5.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,686 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Terri Sjodin is the principal and founder of Sjodin Communications.

She is one of America's most highly sought after female speakers and has trained and motivated thousands of people from all over the world. Her unique specialization is advancing the persuasive presentation skills of professionals. She is the author of the national bestselling book, Small Message, Big Impact (Penguin/Portfolio), which hit the New York Times' Hardcover Advice & Misc. bestseller list, Wall Street Journal Hardcover Business bestseller list, and USA Today Money bestseller list.

She is also the author of the highly acclaimed books, "NEW SALES SPEAK - The 9 Biggest Sales Presentation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them" (John Wiley & Sons), and co-author of Mentoring - A Success Guide for Mentors and Protégés, co-written with Floyd Wickman (McGraw-Hill).

Over 20 years ago, Terri went into business for herself, building Sjodin Communications in Orange County, CA from a spare room in her home. Today, Terri's clients include an impressive list of Fortune 500 companies, industry associations, and academic conferences. Her consulting practice has taken her from her house, to the US House of Representatives, where she has served as a keynote speaker for the US House of Representatives GOP Retreat addressing approximately 235 Congressmen and Women. This has led to additional invitations to present and coach leadership on The Hill including the House Republican Press Secretary Conference, the prestigious Heritage Foundation Resource Bank event, and the House GOP Retreat in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

In July of 2012, Terri was inducted into the NSA Speaker Hall of Fame. Admission into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame is a lifetime award for speaking excellence and professionalism. Inductees are evaluated by their peers through a rigorous and demanding process. Each candidate must excel in seven categories: material, style, experience, delivery, image, professionalism and communication.

In June of 2007, Terri was named one of the top five Women in Business by the Orange County Business Journal at the distinguished WIB awards. This award is presented in recognition of exceptional professional accomplishments, including business success, contributions to industry, and the Orange County community.

Beyond her success as an entrepreneur and author, Terri is a frequent guest on radio and television talk shows throughout the country appearing on CNN, CNBC, and many major network affiliates from ABC, CBS, and NBC, FOX, cable and radio.

In August of 1999, Terri received the prestigious CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) designation. Less than 7% of the 5,000 speakers who belong to the International Federation for Professional Speakers hold this professional designation.

Terri serves on the Orange County Board of Trustees for Olive Crest. Olive Crest is dedicated to preventing child abuse, to treating and educating at-risk children and to preserving the family one life at a time.

Terri graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Speech Communication. Before forming her own company, Terri was a top sales producer with both The Achievement Group and Resource Dynamics.

Her combination of academic communication theory, field research, and practical street sales experience collected during thousands of coast-to-coast business presentations cast Terri in the leading role of advising today's professionals on becoming more polished, persuasive presenters and adapting to the changing marketplace.

Terri is a "high content" speaker - Her approach is fresh, real-world, and her style is sassy and practical. Each presentation is loaded with street-worthy ideas, methods, and tips that men and women can use immediately to get results. Many consider Terri to be today's sales professionals' speech coach.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm sold... May 30, 2011

By D. Kanigan VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This author has "cred" - she's done it - on speech and debate teams in high school and college - followed by over 20 years as principal of her own public speaking, training and consulting firm. The book offers a how-to-guide. She starts by explaining why it's important to have a elevator speech to defining your intention, to creating the basic core outline, to building a persuasive case, to bringing the message to life - - to a close which includes frequently asked questions.

Author avoids using manipulation or tricks to accomplish the intention. She uses "Monroe's Motivated Sequence" formula as providing structure to the 3 minute elevator pitch - which means that most people, when presented with a clear challenge will shift into a natural problem solving mode. The sequence contains 5 distinct steps: 1) Gain attention, 2) establish need for change, 3) Satisfy need with a solution, 4) Visualization - project audience into future where they can see themselves enjoying the benefit, 5) Action Step - or close where you tell your audience what you want them to do today.

* Book is full of anecdotes, stories and real life experiences that keep this book lively and readable.

* Each chapter is tightly summarized and transitions nicely to the next. It is well written.

* A number of resources are available to the reader including exercises, templates and web access to additional tools.

I highly recommend this book to readers involved in for-profit and non-for-profit enterprises.

Some memorable passages:

"...life is busier, more crowded, and more competitive. We must earn the opportunity to be heard in today's market...people have little time to spare. Rivalry is rampant, whether from companies offering the same products or services as yours..."

"...I've found that it takes approximately 3 minutes to establish rapport with someone and build an intriguing message. Plus a person will usually give you that amount of time if you asked for it"

"...the point is you don't have to score on every play, just advance the ball."

"...I often see people make the mistake of being overly informative rather than persuasive. The data-dump syndrome is one of the most common pitfalls..."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Title Holds True June 18, 2011

By Nathan Hangen

Format:Hardcover

As someone in the middle of preparation for a meeting with investors, this book was rather timely for me. I read it over the course of an afternoon hoping to glean what I could in order to improve my upcoming presentation, and I was amazed by how quickly I got through it.

This one cuts to the chase right away, and I found myself placing bookmarks and taking notes within minutes of starting the first chapter.

There is a nice mix of personal anecdote and broad takeaways useful for people in any profession, whether seeking VC investments like myself, or a sales person simply looking to score the next appointment.

The author breaks the elevator pitch into a series of 6 key points:

Intro
Body (3 Main Points)
Conclusion
Close

and breaks those topics even further into different types of styles and formats, such as how to be creative while still staying on point and keeping your audience engaged.

While I gleaned a lot about pacing and building a solid pitch, it would've been great to see a bit more detail, especially in the form of personal examples, but overall I'm very happy that I was given an opportunity to review this book. My single biggest take away wasn't necessarily how to format a pitch, but how to have an arsenal of pitches at your disposal, ready for use at a moment's notice. I also appreciated that Terri didn't sugarcoat the elevator pitch as an easy home run. It works, but it takes guts, which she certainly has in abundance.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Makes you think August 13, 2011

By HowardS

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

The book is well-written and easy to read. The only problem I have with it is it's focus on a 3 minute elevator speech like a presentation. From my experience, the elevator speech is an attention grabber, 1 minute or less. Longer than that becomes something else.
But there are valuable principles here, that really make you think about the components of the elevator speech, no matter how long it is.