I recently joined a local BNI networking group, which has been great for getting to know other local business owners. I’ve also gotten to know a few local non-profit organizations, which has been doubly-great.
One of the things that we do at BNI is to go around the room and introduce ourselves and our businesses. Everyone gets 60 seconds to say who you are, what your company does, and what kind of business you’re looking for. The goal is to educate your fellow members as if they were your sales team, so that when they’re out running their business the rest of the week, if an opportunity presents itself, they’ll know how to talk about your business for you, generate a referral, and then pass the referral on to you for a sale. Everybody at BNI is basically a salesperson for everybody else’s business. They call it a “giver’s gain” philosophy, which I really like.
Anyway, having to present Donor Tools in my little 60-second spiel has been challenging and educational. It’s basically an elevator pitch, but it shouldn’t just be the same every week – it’s important to remember that this is an opportunity to train people as if they were my salespeople.
I put a lot of thought into my 60-second blurb, so I figured I share it here. My intent is twofold – first, to help you understand our business strategy for Donor Tools, in case you have an opportunity to talk to someone about it, and two, to get you thinking about how you can sum up your organization in 60-seconds or less.
So, here’s today’s 60-second spiel:
Hi, my name is Ryan and I own a company called Donor Tools. Donor Tools is CRM (constituent relationship management) software for non-profit organizations and churches. Every organization needs to know where their money comes from, who gives it, and why: Donor Tools helps non-profits keep track of all this, and more. We’re really interested in helping small organizations and churches. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say that they can’t afford to buy software for their organization. If only they knew about Donor Tools! Even though Donor Tools is very affordable ($30/month, with no setup costs), we still offer a limited free plan for the very smallest organizations. An ideal referral for me today would be an organization that’s just getting started, and is looking for software to help them get organized and get to know their donors. Donor Tools is easy, online, and affordable, even for the smallest organization. My name is Ryan Heneise, and I’m with Donor Tools.
That’s it – about 60 seconds. Now you know who I am, what Donor Tools does, and what kind of customers we’re looking for. We’ll change it up every week.
Now what about you? Who are you, what does your organization do, and what kind of donors are you looking for? Can you sum it up in 60 seconds?
