The Three Foundations of Entrepreneur Communications
Written by Simon Hall
There are three critical elements of communication for an entrepreneur.
All help to make clear what your venture does in an instant. They also engage potential partners, customers and investors, and – perhaps most importantly - tempt them into starting a conversation about working with you.
Happily, they also feed into each other. Which, splendidly, helps to minimise your workload. I do appreciate how busy start-up and entrepreneurship life can be!
So, with all due fanfare, here they are, in order of importance.
The Headline Value Proposition
Modern life is fast, very fast. The demands are endless, and people are busy, which means you’ve got only a handful of seconds to impress and intrigue when explaining your business.
That’s quite a challenge. You’ve got to make an impact clearly and concisely, interestingly and enticingly, and in no more than 10 words. Yes, I did say just 10. And that’s a maximum. Preferably, you should use fewer.
Sounds impossible? Actually, it’s not. Because this is where your headline value proposition comes in.
How to achieve this miracle of business communication? I find a heroes and villains approach works best when I’m consulting with companies on theirs.
The villain is the problem you’re solving. The hero is you, riding to our rescue and saving us from it. Some examples:
Tap the app, get a ride (Uber)
Save money without thinking about it (Digit)
Make your website better instantly (Crazy Egg)
See how each identifies the problem and sets itself up as the solution? It also does so in a memorable way, which makes you feel good and draws you in to wanting to find out more.
Those are the critical elements of an effective value proposition.
And notice, none of those are longer than six words, yet all work beautifully. So a smash hit, slam dunk of a headline value proposition can be done. It just takes some thought.
It’s an oddity of the communication world that the fewest words often take the most work. Don’t be surprised if your value proposition demands days to sculpt into a divine masterpiece of minimal words, like those above.
But it’s time well spent, I promise you. Begin your venture’s communication journey here. Get it right, and so much of the rest of your words will flow smoothly from it.
As to how to use your headline value proposition? The answer is: Everywhere. It should be right at the top of your website, on banners at trade fairs and conferences, as part of your email signature, on the opening slide of a pitch deck, anywhere in fact you need to make a statement and get some attention.
The Elevator Pitch
Now you’ve got the heart and soul of your business nailed with your headline value proposition, you can use it to feed into your elevator pitch.
The scenario is that you’ve just met your ideal customer, investor, or even mentor in a lift, and you’ve got the time between floors to impress them.
That means 25 seconds, or about 75 words maximum. During which scarily brief period you’ve got to: Grab their attention immediately (use your headline value proposition), introduce yourself, establish your credibility, and include a call to action.
Here’s an example I might use for my company, Creative Warehouse, a complete business communication agency:
We can solve all your communication problems with style and a smile. Creative Warehouse has supported startups, established companies and organisations including the leading tech firm Arm, the London Stock Exchange, the University of Cambridge, and government departments with their communications. I’m Simon Hall, Director of the company, so if you want to give me your card, we can happily talk more.
See how our headline value proposition leads the way as the hook? And when that’s worked in engaging your victim, you can go on to expand on your story, before delivering an introduction and call to action.
There are a couple more points that I should mention:
In practice, you’d soften the start a little. Maybe with bridging words, such as: “As someone who’s interested in this field….” or “Given your position with…”.
Also, don’t forget to be calm and authoritative, not rushed and overbearing, when you deliver your pitch.
Body language and bearing are important. It’s not just your business that people buy into, it’s you as well.
Have your elevator pitch in the back of your mind, ready to go at a second’s notice. You never know when you might need it. Opportunities can arise anytime, anywhere. That’s the nature of start-up and entrepreneurship life.
Website
Finally, for our list of business communication essentials is your website. Happily, you’ve already done a lot of the work needed to make this relatively straightforward.
Remember that people are busy, and particularly impatient when they’re online. They want to know they’re in the right place immediately, so make sure your headline value proposition is prominent.
This is how the home page for my company works:
Following that, set out your credibility, much as you did with the elevator pitch. Tell us a bit more about you, who you’ve worked with, the awards you’ve won, the customers you’ve signed up, the cash you’ve raised, that kind of thing.
But importantly, don’t say too much. I understand the temptation but try to resist.
Less is more. Modern websites are text light, image heavy, as most are now viewed on mobile phones. Intrigue don’t overwhelm. People can’t take in too much information.
Remember that start-ups don’t tend to sell on a website. But you can impress sufficiently to draw someone into getting in touch and starting a conversation. And that’s the critical first step towards getting business done.
Don’t forget to include your team, your products or project, a floating contact icon to make it easy to get in touch, and that’s about all you need for an effective startup website.
In summation, working out the words to “woo” and “wow” with your work is one of the most enjoyable parts of business.
Have fun building up your essential business communications toolkit. This is an art, not a science. Drop the spreadsheet mentality and feel free to be creative.
But!
Never doubt the importance of getting your start-up and entrepreneurship communications right. If you can’t explain and engage what you’re all about in an instant, you stand far less chance of being successful.
Simon Hall
Simon Hall created and leads an award-winning course in presentation, storytelling and writing skills at the University of Cambridge. He’s worked on fundraising rounds ranging from seed to half-a-billion pounds and has taken advisory roles with several start-ups. Simon is an author, with 20 books published, and was a BBC television news correspondent for 20 years, specialising mainly in business and economics. His most recent book Compelling Communication: Writing, Public Speaking and Communication for Professional Success provides insight and resources for all those looking to build their skillset.