Use the Tornado Technique to Get People Excited About What You Do

Colin Bovet
Aug 9, 2017 · 2 min read

Last night I watched a video that had a profound impact on how I view my company and my work. In the video, entrepreneur Stephen Meade explains a method called the “Tornado Technique” for effectively describing what your business does. Behind the gimmicky name is a great concept:

Describe your business first in terms of the benefit you provide your customers, and expand from there.

This five-minute video had me nodding along in agreement — see what you think:

When people ask me what my company does, I typically describe it in literal terms.

Enplug is in an industry called digital signage. Our technology helps businesses use TV screens to show different types of content in their business for marketing to their customers and communicating with their employees.

This unwieldy description might get someone to understand what we do, but it certainly doesn’t get them excited about it.

While watching The Tornado Technique, I was struck with a much more powerful description, based on the structure in the video. My new description for Enplug is:

Enplug exists to help businesses communicate effectively with their customers and employees. We do this by providing a device that connects to TV screens in business locations and streams engaging content. We’re working with some great companies in retail, hospitality, technology, and education.

This approach reminds me of Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why.” By starting with why, then moving to how, then what, organizations and leaders can inspire action. Sinek uses this model to explain how Apple sets itself apart from its competitors. Their marketing message starts with why — “Think Different” — which is accomplished how — by making intuitive software and beautiful products — which is embodied in what — every product they sell.

While I’ve seen Sinek’s talk many times, it took the more concrete examples in “The Tornado Technique” to make this click for me and help me apply the technique to my business.

So, what’s your elevator pitch? Will you try “starting with why” the next time someone asks you what you do?

Head of Marketing and Partnerships at Enplug — helping businesses communicate with their customers and employees. Running, cooking, beach volleyball, reading.

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