3. Depending on your audience, state what you can do for others or ask for their help:

“If you or someone you know needs help with tax preparation, I can help,” or “If you know of any openings in accounting, I’d like to hear about them.” Often the chance to present yourself and your ideas lasts less than a minute. You meet a prospective customer at a party. You run into your boss on the street. You are introduced to a potential employer in a hallway. Whether networking opportunities like these turn out well or badly may depend on your foresight and preparation.

When the opportunity arises, you can make a good impression by delivering what has been called an

“elevator speech.” (This type of communication gets its name because it should be brief enough to deliver in the length of an elevator ride.) Elevator speeches can accomplish a variety of goals. Besides serving as introductions, they can be a tool for seeking help, establishing a relationship, gaining visibility, marketing yourself or your organization, getting feedback, expanding your personal network, and doing an endrun around someone who is blocking your progress.

Practice your skill at presenting yourself briefly and effectively by planning and delivering an elevator speech to your classmates. Your speech should contain four parts and take less than a minute to deliver