One of the key skills that you need to have as an entrepreneur (and, arguably, as an employee) is having a perfect pitch. The elevator pitch is, in a nutshell, a brief snippet that outlines what you do and can ideally be delivered in the span of a typical elevator ride (so, under a minute). So, how do you create a perfect pitch?
How To Create An Elevator Pitch
To get started with creating the perfect pitch answer these questions:
- What is your end goal? To generate interest in you, your product or service? To have your listener ask for more information? Keep the goal in mind when crafting your pitch.
- What do you know about your listener? Tailor your pitch to your listener if you know them and know what information would be most relevant to them.
- What problem do you solve? This is more important than who you are. Summarize the benefits you offer, don’t just share a title. “I am an entrepreneur” doesn’t really tell your listener what you do or, more importantly, what you can do for THEM.
Honing Your Elevator Pitch Into Perfect Tune
Remember that the perfect pitch isn’t cookie cutter – one size does NOT fit all. You will have a basic idea of what you will say in mind, but you will want to tailor it to your audience as much as possible.
Think of two or three problems that your product or service solves.
Saving people time and helping people save money are always good attention-grabbers. For example, “I can save you money by giving you help when you need it, without the need to spend more on office space or equipment” is something I might say in my elevator pitch.
Your pitch isn’t making the sale, it’s generating the lead.
This elevator pitch is meant to be a concise speech, so don’t try to cram everything you do into 30 seconds. Also don’t just memorize some words, make it into a conversation starter and engage your listener. Get attention and interest and try to get contact information to follow up.
The elite repeat.
Start off by saying your name and your company (and/or product) name. Wrap up with that same information. It’s more likely to be remembered if it’s repeated (think about ads on the radio or on television and how many times they repeat key information).
So, you’ve done your research, you’ve crafted your speech and you think it’s a winner. What next?
- Practice, Practice, Practice! Practice in front of the mirror.
- Use the voice record feature on your phone.
- Practice on friends or colleagues (with permission).
Once you get to the point where your elevator pitch sounds natural and not as though it’s a “canned” speech, you’re ready. Don’t forget to make sure it’s easy for others to repeat it too. Having a human connection and not just a sales pitch is key. As Patty Farmer says “You want to build relationships that last a lifetime, not a lunchtime”.
Closing with one more thought, the perfect pitch isn’t successful without fabulous follow-up. Make sure you ace that too.
Do you have an elevator speech? Share what worked for you and what didn’t!
