THE HANDSHAKE CLUB: The Elevator Speech From Hell

The Handshake Club
with J.D. Gershbein

As an experienced keynote speaker, I like to think of myself as a poised, confident, and quick-on-my-feet articulator in front of an audience. I’m jazzed from start to finish and play off the energy of the room. Nerves? Me? Not a factor. However, when I am in a networking setting, and we’re all taking turns standing up to deliver that 15-second elevator speech, it’s a different story altogether.

I feel it start to come on when there’s about a half-dozen or so people to go before me. Oh, it’s quite the physiological response ~ palms sweating, heart rate increasing, abdominals tightening, blood sugar dropping, and head lightening. What if I go blank? What if I can’t remember what I do? What if nobody takes me seriously?

All of a sudden, I’m next up. I knock down a small sip of water then shift to laser-focus mode, taking those last few moments to oxygenate and collect my thoughts – stand up straight; show a hint of smile; project voice; don’t forget to mention the company name; E-NUN-SEE-ATE!

Finally, it’s show time. I propel myself out of my chair, give the room a quick scan, and let a last-second adrenaline surge guide my speech. Somehow, I always get through it. And when I sit down, it’s never as bad as I thought. I’ve learned that the key to the powerful elevator speech is to not appear rattled. That can be difficult, nearly impossible, for some.




J.D. Gershbein is the President of Owlish Communications, an Internet Marketing firm based in the Chicago, Illinois suburb of Vernon Hills. When he’s not helping his clients shine on LinkedIn, J.D. creates business cartoons and comic strips that brand businesses and make them memorable. He is the creator of the comic strip, The Handshake Club™, which features such notable characters as Will Banter™ and Brandy Share ™.

For more information, please visit J.D.'s TNNW Bio.

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THE HANDSHAKE CLUB: The Elevator Speech From Hell

THE HANDSHAKE CLUB: Will Banter Has the Time for All This Social Media

The Handshake Club with J.D. Gershbein

Will Banter, President of Banter Media, is a study in multi-tasking. As if keeping up with his own Social Media obligations wasn’t difficult enough, Will is constantly taking on new work, helping a multitude of entrepreneurs gain a stranglehold on the search engines and broadcast their message on the various platforms. That he is able to keep all his plates spinning with all that is hurled at him is nothing short of miraculous. And the guy always exceeds expectations and delivers the goods ahead of schedule ~ which begs the question: How on earth does he have the time? “I just love to create buzz for people,” he states.

For Will, no assignment is too small; no campaign is too daunting. Take Essie, for example. She recently approached Will about helping her advance her passion of sharing information with the boomer marketplace (this sounds remarkably similar to a certain contributor to TNNW, doesn’t it?).

J.D. Gershbein is the President of Owlish Communications, an Internet Marketing firm based in the Chicago, Illinois suburb of Vernon Hills. When he’s not helping his clients shine on LinkedIn, J.D. creates business cartoons and comic strips that brand businesses and make them memorable. He is also the creator of The Handshake Club ™, a comic strip that takes jabs at Social Media. Follow Will Banter™ and the other wacky inhabitants of The Handshake Club as they network their way into your heart and psyche.

For more information, please visit J.D.'s TNNW Bio.

Published by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER Newsletter. All rights reserved. Subscribe Free - Click HERE.
The National Networker Companies

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THE HANDSHAKE CLUB: Will Banter Has the Time for All This Social Media

THE HANDSHAKE CLUB: Will Banter Loves LinkedIn

The Handshake Club with J.D. Gershbien

Will Banter is everything that is good about Social Media. He is a firm believer in promoting people online and helping them brand. Will is constantly on his laptop, multi-tasking like crazy. He effortlessly blazes through an endless stream of e-mails.







He is a world-class blogger. He enjoys the volley of dialog within his Facebook community. He’s never too far from his Tweetdeck (he can tweet in his sleep!). Then there’s the weekly podcast. But, in the battle for Will’s attention span, it’s LinkedIn that emerges triumphant. It’s on LinkedIn where he takes his networking to another level. He is never too busy to help someone tweak their LinkedIn profile, make a quality introduction, or write a glowing recommendation. “I’m awestruck by this machinery,” explains Will, “It’s simple in its complexity, yet complex in its simplicity.” Yes, Will digs Social Media. Constantly bouncing from one site to another, he gets more stuff done before lunch than most of us can hope to get done in a week. Amazingly, he’s got the bandwidth and the time for it all.


J.D. Gershbein is the President of Owlish Communications, an Internet Marketing firm based in the Chicago, Illinois suburb of Vernon Hills. When he’s not helping his clients shine on LinkedIn, J.D. creates business cartoons and comic strips that brand businesses and make them memorable. He is the creator of the comic strip, The Handshake Club™, which features such notable characters as Will Banter™ and Brandy Share ™.


For more information, please visit J.D.'s TNNW Bio.



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THE HANDSHAKE CLUB: Will Banter Loves LinkedIn

THE HANDSHAKE CLUB

The Handshake Club with J.D. Gershbein

In my initial posting in last month's blog, I introduced TNNW readers to Will Banter of Banter Media. Will is the amicable, over-extended, over-caffeinated and eminently accessible Networker Extraordinaire. He is the linchpin of The Handshake Club, my cartoon universe of Social Media types, entrepreneurs, business owners, corporate misfits and displaced transitional folk. We can identify with these people. They have flaws and idiosyncrasies. They are bogged down in minutiae. They are pressed for time. Yet they confidently make their way through the world—frequently achieving by accident—and are fully aware that we are now in the "relationship economy."

The members of The Handshake Club need a place to meet that is conducive for business. The Runny Yolk, or simply, "The Yolk," is that place. It is where the hot coffee flows, the food fills the tummy and the Wi-Fi is free. Walk in at any time during the day and you will see people engaged in the Fine Art of Networking with their eyes glued to their laptops and scribbling on legal pads. This is Will's domain. They know him here. This is where he first sits down with Brandy Share of the Cliché Marketing Group:

J.D. Gershbein is the President of Owlish Communications, an Internet Marketing firm based in the Chicago, Illinois suburb of Vernon Hills. When he’s not helping his clients shine on LinkedIn, J.D. creates business cartoons and comic strips that brand businesses and make them memorable. He is also the creator of The Handshake Club. Follow Will Banter, Brandy Share and the other wacky inhabitants of The Handshake Club as they network their way into your heart and psyche.


*******
Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

You are also invited to click our buttons:




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THE HANDSHAKE CLUB