Preparing for Your Workshop
Get the most from your Elevator Speech Training session
This preparation is completely optional, but participants who prepare tend to get deeper insights and leave with more polished communication skills.
How to Prepare
First, watch the 3-minute framework overview video on the bottom of this page and download the one-page reference guide using the download button also on the bottom of the page. These will give you the foundation for understanding what we’ll be practicing.
Then, spend just 5-10 minutes thinking through the two questions below. Having answers ready will make your workshop practice much more productive:
Question 1: Your Curiosity Hook
What’s one claim about your work that would make someone say “Wow, that’s interesting—tell me more?”
- Focus on your advantage, unique approach, or surprising capability
- Think about what would appeal to a funder, partner, or community member’s self-interest
- Consider starting with “What makes our work different is…” or “We’ve found a way to…”
Question 2: Your Trust-Building Nuggets
What specific details could you share to make that claim believable?
Consider concrete examples involving:
- A specific time and place: “Last Tuesday in our downtown office…” vs. “recently at our location”
- An exact number: “374 families” vs. “hundreds of families”
- A person’s name and quote: “Maria told me, ‘This changed everything'”
- A vivid visual detail: Something that helps people “see” your work in action
🎨 Creative License Encouraged!
For workshop practice purposes, feel free to creatively enhance or even invent compelling details. We’re focusing on technique and getting comfortable with the framework, not perfect documentation.
Need to claim your approach is twice as fast? Go for it! Want to invent a powerful quote from a board member? Absolutely! This is your safe space to practice without constraints.
What to Expect in the Workshop
Your 90-minute session will include:
- Framework demonstration with live examples
- Interactive breakout sessions to practice each step
- Peer feedback and collaboration
- Live coaching for volunteers who share with the group
- Take-home resources you can use immediately
Remember: Even if you don’t prepare at all, the workshop is designed to be valuable and engaging. But if you do take these few minutes to think through your content, you’ll be amazed at how much more you’ll gain from the experience.
Looking forward to working with you!