How To Create An Elevator Pitch

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON FORBES FEBRUARY 5, 2013 | READ THE ORIGINAL POST

Whether you’re trying to raise capital, cold call or network, it’s essential to have an elevator pitch. The term “elevator pitch” it basically refers to giving a synopsis of your business in a condensed version – short enough to get your concept across to a person in the time between floors in an elevator. Although some of us know the importance of having a concise description of what you do on the tip of your tongue at a moment’s notice, most people never really check to make sure that what they say during that brief window is actually being communicated clearly. Here are some things to keep in mind when formulating, practicing (because you should practice it) and delivering your elevator pitch.

1. It’s OK for it to sound a bit sales-y as long as the concept is clearly communicated. It is OK to use words like: original, pioneering, certified, leading and dominant.
   • Example: “My company is cellphonesarecool.com. We are the number one, national distributor for all cell phones and carriers, online. We sell every type of cell phone available as well as provide very competitive service pricing. We are the leading, online, cell phone provider in the United States and Canada.”
   • This pitch is short, concise and clearly states what the name of the company is and what they do. I would not have any further questions about what the company offers, after hearing this elevator pitch. Being this clear allows the person you are speaking to think about ways they may be able to use your services or refer business to you, etc.
2. Check for “stop” words, or words that make the person you are speaking to take pause.
   • Example: “My company provides integrated solutions to clients world-wide.”
   • What?! That is internal language that means nothing to someone outside of the company. If someone said that to me, I would be thinking, ”Why do they think that I should already know what they are talking about?” Not only do I not get what you do, I have no idea what you may have said after that because I’m having internal dialogue. Try telling your pitch to someone who is a complete stranger, have never heard of your company and have no clue what you do – if they get it, you’ve done it.
3. Avoid buzzwords or corporate jargon whenever possible. By definition, buzzwords are showy and frankly can come off snob-ish if the person is not familiar with the terms you are using. Try to avoid terms like: outside the box, streamline, synergy and paradigm shift. Keep your messaging clear and concise.
4. Try utilizing a question in your pitch.
   • Example: “Have you ever purchased a cell phone online? {wait for answer} Well, my company is cellphonesarecool.com. We are the number one, national distributor for all cell phones and carriers, online. We sell every type of cell phone available as well as provide very competitive service pricing. We are the leading, online cell phone provider in the United States and Canada.
   • Asking a question can act as an attention grabber and an attention gauge. It is important to not only capture the attention of the person you are speaking to but to also gauge how interested they are in the conversation. If they seem very interested in learning why you asked them the question you did, you can tailor your messaging to meet their interest level.
5. Know your business. There is nothing worse than hearing a fabulous elevator pitch but when prodded for more information, you find that they were just reciting lines and don’t really know much about the subject matter. It’s true that everyone in your organization should know and understand your elevator pitch but the CFO and the Director of Sales need to both understand exactly what is behind the pitch as well.
   • Example: “That is fantastic that you are the number one, national distributor! How many distributors are there?”
   • As long as you understand why you’re ranked number-one and out of how many, you should be good to go.

The bottom line is that an elevator pitch is extremely important and worth taking the time to develop so it is easily understood and projects exactly what it is that you do. It may mean that you try out many elevator pitches until you find the right fit but it’s worth it. You never know whom you may run into in an elevator!