How to Use an Elevator Pitch (With Examples)

How to Use an Elevator Pitch (With Examples)

Introducing yourself is one way of getting your foot in anything you want. Of course, everyone can introduce themselves, but what sets you apart? The best answer to this question is an elevator pitch. Many people struggle with this topic, and that is why we are here. We are going to breakdown everything to do with elevator pitches and even give you examples.

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short and quick summary of yourself. The name comes from the quick elevator movement as it goes from one floor to another. It is more of an opportunity to close more of your prospect’s attention and time.

It is usually thought to be a friendly and engaging firm of conversation. This means it can be pitched at any place. Whether you meet people in a networking event or you are in a conference, you can use an elevator pitch and make it work.

How to Create/Use an Elevator Pitch

Since we know what an elevator pitch is, let us look at how you can actually create/write it.

1. Who are You

The first part of your elevator pitch should contain details of who you are. Therefore you need to do is write down a short sentence about yourself. This is because the person/people you are going to be pitching to need to know who they are conversing with. A good way to do with would be describing who you are. If you are working at a certain company, it would be best to state what role you play there.

2. What Does Your Company Do

In the event that you have stated the company you are working for, make sure to talk about it briefly. What does your company do? This should be the first question you address in your elevator pitch. It is important to describe in proper detail to your audience what exactly your company does.

You can do this by stating the products and services it offers. You can also include the goals, mission, and vision your company has. Basically, the more detailed information you have about your company, the better. This is because it will be much easier for the information to flow while delivering your pitch.

3. Grab Their Attention

Your next job is to craft a way in which you are going to captivate their attention. A good way to do this would be to bring up a story about your company for the founders. You can also go ahead and throw in a fascinating fact or statistic.

Grabbing the other party’s is critical in getting them to focus on what they are saying. You do not want a scenario where your audience is lost/is not paying attention. This could greatly hinder the delivery and reception of the message you are trying to convey.

4. What is Your Goal

Now, this is where you seal the deal. Of course, when you are making a pitch, you have a goal you want to achieve. This is where you make clear what you want. In most cases, this is referred to as the “ask.” The ask could be a job opportunity or even an internship spot

The “ask” however, comes with a catch. You need to state what the other party will benefit from this kind of interaction.  Now, this is where you put most of your attention and focus. This is because someone would most likely deliver your “ask” if he/she gains something.

5. Finish With a Call-to-Action

A call-to-action, in this case, entails asking for what you want to happen next. This is where you determine the next steps to be taken. A good example would be to asking for a meeting to discuss the details of your conversation further. It could also be a request to set up a call, later on, to talk more on the subject.

Delivering an Elevator Pitch

Now, you have carefully crafted your elevator pitch, and it all boils down to your delivery. There are certain things you need to keep in mind before actually giving out the elevator pitch. Here is a guide to help you with that.

1. Be Brief

It is important to restrict your elevator pitch to about 30 to 60 seconds. Remember, it is not a complete detailing of your entire life. It is just a short summary of a few key points about your work and career objectives.

2. Be Persuasive

Even though you plan on being brief, it is important to tune it in such a way that it will spark something in your audience. This goes a long way in helping you get your goal what you want from the pitch).

3. Speak Slowly

In most cases, you will have a limited amount of time to deliver your elevator pitch. Even so, it is important to talk slowly so that your message is heard with ease. It also gives your listeners time to absorb the messages.

4. Use Simple Language

This is one of the most crucial parts of delivering elevator pitches. Make sure that you convey your message in the most simplified form for easy comprehension. The use of acronyms and short forms could easily hamper your pitch quality.

Note: Practice a lot

Delivering your pitch requires you to be relaxed, comfortable, and composed. You can only get this from practicing your pitch over and over again. Basically, you need to practice your pitch often until it flows naturally. Also, it will help you deliver it with ease when you are outside networking with other people.

Importance of an Elevator Pitch

1. It is important in an interview setting as it acts an ice breaker to the conversation. It also provides a framework as you prepare to tell the interviewers about yourself.
2. It helps you take the lead in a conversation. You do this by showing your assertiveness in displaying what you have to offer.
3. With a nice elevator pitch, you get to connect and interact with other “great minds” easily.
4. You can easily convince people to contact you once an opportunity comes around.

Examples

For you to understand all these points, it is important to put them into practice by looking at a few examples. Here are some great elevator pitches you can use to guide you on crafting and delivering your own.

1. An Entrepreneur’s Elevator Pitch

Hi, my name is John Tata. I work at Left Goss Company (Who You Are). Our company specializes in developing and designing online sales funnels. This entails ensuring online customers have a seamless user experience. This also entails providing automated solutions to our clients. These solutions go along way in boosting their sales. (What your Company Does).

Over the past years, we have been operation we have helped over 300 company’s boost their sales by over 110%. (Facts/Statistics). I would like to bring such incredible services to your company (Goal). Can I get in touch with your office so we can set up a meeting next week and discuss these issues further? (Call to Action).

2. A Graphic Designer’s Elevator Pitch

Hi, my name is Pam, and I am a graphic designer working at Leos Group (Who You Are). My company makes logos for a wide range of business needs and clients (What Does Your Company Do?)

Did you know that a badly designed logo can bring immense damage to a company’s branding? In my nine years’ experience out of all the 700 contracts, I have secured, only one company has asked for its logo changed. (Facts/Statistic). It would be my pleasure to design your company’s logo (Goal). Can I have our contact details so that I can talk to our, later on, to discuss further? (Call to Action)

3. A Student’s Elevator Pitch

Hello, I am Sam and a recent graduate with a degree in English and Literature. I am also a freelancer who has worked with numerous local businesses (Who You Are). I have written numerous blog pieces. Many of these pieces have helped these companies grow their online presence (Fact/Statistic).

I would like to write a piece for you if you are open to the idea. This will help your company/firm boost its online presence. (Goal) Can I visit your office to book an appointment to talk more later on? (Call to Action)

Note: In this example, you can see that there is no company mentioned. If you do not work at a certain company, it is okay. You can just remove the art that talks about your company and what it does.

Conclusion

If you are trying to make a mark on people, it is good for you to have an incredible elevator pitch. For you to get here, it all starts with how you write it. That is why you need to follow the tips keenly to help you tackle such a situation. Do not forget that having the pitch in writing and delivering is another. Make sure that your points are put across slowly and with a lot of eloquence,

Meta Description

Making clear and concise introductions can really put you ahead of everyone else. To do this, you will need to properly craft an elevator pitch.