The Elevator Pitch: First Contact
An elevator pitch isn’t only useful when you’re in an actual elevator. Instead, think of it as a quick, high-level introduction to who you are and what you do, used as an ice-breaker in any professional context—from networking events to interviews and job fairs. The point of your elevator pitch is to give just enough information about your company or yourself that the other person wants to learn more about what you do and why they should hire you or buy from you.
What is an elevator pitch
What is an elevator pitch
The elevator pitch is a short speech used to quickly introduce an entrepreneur’s business idea. It should take no more than about 30 seconds. The goal of an elevator pitch is to quickly and concisely explain what a company does in a way that intrigues investors or potential partners. Because you don’t have much time, it’s important to focus on what makes your company unique and any advantages you may have over your competitors.
Why do I need one?
Why do I need one?
Your elevator pitch should be simple, memorable and tailored to each specific audience. For example, if you were meeting with a venture capitalist for your business idea, your elevator pitch would contain financial projections. If you met with a marketing specialist to get feedback on an ad campaign idea, you would mention how effective that ad campaign is at achieving its goals (or how much it costs). In short, your elevator pitch is an overview of who you are and what it is that you do. You should be able to say it within 30 seconds so someone unfamiliar with your field can understand what it is that you do and why they should care about it in 2 minutes or less.
How do I create it?
You’ll need to do your homework on what makes for a good elevator pitch, but once you’ve determined that, practice and perfect it until you can say it in under 10 seconds. When you’re ready, find an actual elevator and try it out! But be careful…if you ask someone if they’d like to hear your pitch more than once they may start getting annoyed with you. Once your pitch has been heard by one person, ask that person if they know anyone else who might be interested in hearing more about what your company is up to.
Tips for making an outstanding elevator pitch
keep it short, simple and to-the-point. One or two sentences is all you need to convince your listener that your idea is great. The elevator pitch should include a description of what problem your business intends to solve, and how you plan to go about it. Follow with a brief outline of why investors should believe in you and trust your team’s expertise. Last but not least, don’t forget to end on an interesting note that piques interest – if investors know what they can get out of funding your idea, they will be more willing to consider it. Good luck!
