reating an elevator pitch

Cesar Joel Castellanos Aguilar

(Also known as an Elevator Speech or Elevator Statement)

Stand out with an effective elevator pitch

You've just bumped into a former client at the airport. After exchanging pleasantries, he asks you
what your new company does. You open your mouth, and then pause. Where on earth do you start?

Then, as you try to organize your thoughts, his flight is called, and he's on his way. If you'd been
better prepared, you're sure that he'd have stayed long enough to schedule a meeting.

This is one situation where it helps to have an "elevator pitch." This is a short, pre-prepared speech
that explains what your organization does, clearly and succinctly.

About the technique

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what your
organization does. You can also use them to create interest in a project, idea, or product – or in
yourself. A good elevator pitch should last no longer than a short elevator ride of 20 to 30 seconds,
hence the name. They should be interesting, memorable, and succinct. They also need to explain
what makes you – or your organization, product, or idea – unique.

When to use an elevator pitch

Some people think that this kind of thing is only useful for salespeople who need to pitch their
products and services. But you can also use them in other situations. For example, you can use one
to introduce your organization to potential clients or customers. You could use them in your
organization to sell a new idea to your CEO, or to tell people about the change initiative that you're
leading. You can even craft one to tell people what you do for a living.

Creating an elevator pitch

It can take some time to get your pitch right. You'll likely go through several versions before
finding one that is compelling, and that sounds natural in conversation. Follow these steps to create
a great pitch, but bear in mind that you'll need to vary your approach depending on what your pitch
is about.
1. Identify your goal

Start by thinking about the objective of your pitch. For instance, do you want to tell potential
clients about your organization? Do you have a great new product idea that you want to pitch
to an executive? Or do you want a simple and engaging speech to explain what you do for a
living?

2. Explain what you do

Start your pitch by describing what your organization does. Focus on the problems that you
solve and how you help people. If you can, add information or a statistic that shows the value
in what you do. Ask yourself this question as you start writing: what do you want your
audience to remember most about you?

Keep in mind that your pitch should excite you first; after all, if you don't get excited about
what you're saying, neither will your audience. Your pitch should bring a smile to your face
and quicken your heartbeat. People may not remember everything that you say, but they will
likely remember your enthusiasm.

Imagine that you're creating an elevator pitch that describes what your company does. You
plan to use it at networking events. You could say, "My company writes mobile device
applications for other businesses." But that's not very memorable! A better explanation would
be, "My company develops mobile applications that businesses use to train their staff remotely.
This results in a big increase in efficiency for an organization's managers." That's much more
interesting, and shows the value that you provide to these organizations.

3. Communicate your USP

Your elevator pitch also needs to communicate your unique selling proposition, or USP.
Identify what makes you, your organization, or your idea, unique. You'll want to communicate
your USP after you've talked about what you do. To highlight what makes your company
unique, you could say, "We use a novel approach because unlike most other developers, we
visit each organization to find out exactly what people need. Although this takes a bit more
time, it means that on average, 95 percent of our clients are happy with the first beta version of
their app."
4. Engage with a question

After you communicate your USP, you need to engage your audience. To do this, prepare
open-ended questions (questions that can't be answered with a "yes" or "no" answer) to involve
them in the conversation. Make sure that you're able to answer any questions that he or she
may have. You might ask "So, how does your organization handle the training of new people?"

5. Put It All Together

When you've completed each section of your pitch, put it all together. Then, read it aloud and
use a stopwatch to time how long it takes. It should be no longer than 20-30 seconds.
Otherwise, you risk losing the person's interest, or monopolizing the conversation. Then, try to
cut out anything doesn't absolutely need to be there. Remember, your pitch needs to be snappy
and compelling, so the shorter it is, the better!

Here's how your pitch could come together: "My company develops mobile applications that
businesses use to train their staff remotely. This means that senior managers can spend time on
other important tasks. Unlike other similar companies, we visit each organization to find out
exactly what people need. This means that, on average, 95 percent of our clients are happy
with the first version of their app. So, how does your organization handle the training of new
people?

6. Practice

Like anything else, practice makes perfect. Remember, how you say it is just as important as
what you say. If you don't practice, it's likely that you'll talk too fast, sound unnatural, or forget
important elements of your pitch. Set a goal to practice your pitch regularly. The more you
practice, the more natural your pitch will become. You want it to sound like a smooth
conversation, not an aggressive sales pitch.

Make sure that you're aware of your body language as you talk, which conveys just as much
information to the listener as your words do. Practice in front of a mirror or, better yet, in front
of colleagues until the pitch feels natural. As you get used to delivering your pitch, it's fine to
vary it a little – the idea is that it doesn't sound too formulaic or like it's pre-prepared, even
though it is!
 Tip 1:

You may want to keep small takeaway items with you, which you can give to people after you've
delivered your pitch. For example, these could be business cards or brochures that talk about your
product idea or business.

Tip 2:

Remember to tailor your pitch for different audiences, if appropriate.

Key Points

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you can use to spark interest in what your
organization does. You can also use one to create interest in a project, idea, or product.

It needs to be succinct, while conveying important information.

QUESTIONS

According to tip 1, what should you give your audience after delivering your pitch?

Keep small takeaway items with you, which you can give to people after you've delivered your pitch. For example
cards or brochures.

Why do you think it is necessary to do what tip 1 recommends?

Does your pitch have to be the same for all audiences? why?

Not necessarily because when you get used to delivering your pitch, it's fine to vary it a little so it doesn't sound too
formulaic or like it's pre-prepared

Besides sales, what other use can you give a pitch?

You can also use one to create interest in a project, idea, product or service.