Last week, I challenged you to ask if your business is really making the impact you are looking for. The subject came up again last night, as I was moderating the monthly meeting of the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum. An excellent audience, filled with entrepreneurs, several were clearly looking to know how to “get into the heads” of target communities.

For example, I met for the first time a young couple, with whom I am about to start some business coaching sessions. Their immediate concern is how to pitch to investors.

I posed to them the following connundrum. Can they create a 45 second generic statement that contains these four points?

• We are doing XXXX.
• We are doing by using unique tech YYYY, which helps ZZZ market
• We arrived at this adventure, because of s0-and-so, …………..a unique and emotional story.
• And if this tech had been available then, they would not have had to suffer / sales would have been more significant / or whatever other strong benefit.

The beauty of this approach is that your elevator pitch now contains a ‘wow factor’. Your listener is forced to internalize and consider your offering. If the audience understands nor hears anything else, they will not forget these key messages.

Let me give you a more concrete example of what I mean. A client of mine, Sonya Davidson, pointed out to me a very powerful video on the BBC website. You cannot fail to be impressed with the results, as well as the feelings of the key players.

You clearly react to the message within about 20 seconds of the 3.5 minutes clip . The issue is right there, as is the pain. The scale of the market becomes obvious. And the cavalry – the solution – can be made available to many many others, and in real time. It is worth watching.

Creating this 45 second formula take time and practice – a lot of practice. I have invariably found that the results are rewarding. And that is called ‘impact’.