Whether you own a business, run a nonprofit, or work in marketing, you likely need an elevator pitch. We’ve all been to meetings where everyone goes around the room and talks for 30 seconds about their work. The problem is that many of us spend most of the time thinking about what we’re going to say rather than listening to everyone else. We only truly listen when someone is especially charismatic, is talking about a product or service we need, or says something that really resonates. The key to improving what we say is to think about what we hear. The people we’re listening to closely have almost always tapped into one simple trick: instead of just telling us what they do, they’re telling us why they do it.
An elevator pitch is a short statement (usually lasting only 30-60 seconds) that is supposed to pique interest in you and your work. There are certain things it must include to be effective:
- Who you are and what you do. Even if you work for a well known company, you can’t assume people know this. Make sure you explain your company and your role in clear, simple language without using jargon.
- The problem your product or service solves, and the benefits of your solution.
- Your goal and how people can help. People can only get on board if they know how. Are you looking for customers, donors, volunteers, staff, etc.? Where can people learn more?
To bring your elevator pitch to the next level, delve into your why before talking about the three things above. Your authentic reason for doing what you do will inspire people. To get to your why, think about your vision for the future. If everything went perfectly at your job, what would you accomplish and how would that benefit the world or your customers? If you work in a nonprofit, start with the story of someone you’ve helped or a statistic about how many people are affected by the issue. If you own a business, delve straight into the problem. If you open with what you believe and why you care, people will be drawn in and will want to learn more.
Formula:
[Statistic or Story Introducing Problem] [Belief Statement] [Introduction] [Product or Service] [Goal and Ask]
Examples:
Since 2001, over 110,000 American veterans have died by suicide. At [organization], we believe that society should be taking care of the people who have taken care of us. I’m [name]. I’m the Executive Director of [organization]. We provide free mental health services, housing assistance, and support animals to veterans. You can learn more about our programs and make donations at website.com.
I see a lot of business owners in the room today, which means a lot of you are big picture people. Big picture people accomplish so much! But if they aren’t careful, they can forget about details. I recently met an absolute genius whose product was selling really well, but his business was suffering because he kept forgetting day to day tasks. Too smart for the minutiae! Keeping track of bills, appointments, accounts, etc. can be hard for people who have whole businesses to run. That’s where I come in! I’m [name] and I own [company]. I’m a detail person. I’m so good at it that it has actually become my big picture. All I want to do all day is focus on details, details, details! My company provides administrative support to small businesses just starting out. We focus on the details so you can focus on the big picture. Learn more at website.com.
Substance and Style 