PrimeLending July Newsletter

6 Steps to Making an Effective Elevator Pitch

An “elevator pitch” is a quick but compelling description of what you do and the unique value you offer. This pitch could be delivered to a captive listener in the time it takes an elevator to get to the lobby. Selling yourself succinctly also can come in handy at restaurants, business receptions, and industry gatherings.

But if you’re like most professionals, you probably haven’t taken the time to sit down and compose your elevator pitch. When these opportunities come along, most people just wing it. OK, you know what you do and why people hire you. But go deliver this off-the-cuff pitch to a friend and see how you do. Chances are, you’ll stumble. That’s normal. Unless your business is marketing, marketing yourself doesn’t come naturally.

Here’s how to put together a simple but effective elevator pitch you can deliver with ease.

1. Remember, attention spans are very short.
The overall goal in composing an elevator pitch is to make your points in quick sound bites. Imagine you’re on TV. If you need to, you can always add a point or two later.

2. Begin with one sentence that says who you are.
For example, “I’m a CPA who specializes in small businesses.” Or “I’m a real estate agent covering the greater Springfield area.”

3. In the next sentence, summarize what you do in two or three key points.
This could be something like, “I take care of everything for an organization from keeping the books and preparing tax returns to improving their cash flow.”

4. Rehearse those two sentences.
The two sentences you’ve just composed constitute your opener. Practice them until they sound spontaneous and natural.

5. Articulate your unique, compelling story.
If the person you’re talking to seems interested or, even better, asks you to elaborate, you now can go into what makes you stand out from the competition. If you can, put these points into a little narrative, like: “I set up a separate site for each client that shows everything we’re working on. This speeds our work together and lets clients take advantage of new opportunities faster, so they can jump ahead of their competition.” Don’t forget to marry features of your work with client benefits.

6. Open the door at the close.
Before you each go your separate ways, be sure to close, but leave the door open. Pull out a fresh business card from your wallet and say something like, “Hey, it was great to meet you. Listen, here’s my card, I’d like to stay in touch.” If it feels appropriate, try something like, “Would you mind if I followed up with you in the next few weeks. I’d like to find out more about what you do, maybe over coffee or breakfast.”

The goal of an elevator pitch is to start a relationship, the foundation of most business transactions. You might do business together, or refer business to each other. Don’t get discouraged. If the other person doesn’t give you her card, just look up her contact info online. Then email an article or blog post that might be helpful, as a way to follow up. If you don’t get an immediate response, be patient. Let some time pass before you ping her again.

Take these steps and you’ll fine tune an elevator pitch that will widen your network of prospects and partners. Why not take a few minutes now and start jotting down ideas. Here’s to your success pitching your business in elevators and everywhere else, as you keep putting together your best year ever…. Enjoy a great month!