We’ve all heard the term elevator pitch, but what exactly is it?
Let’s start with what it’s not. It is NOT a sales pitch. It IS a short, memorable, and easy-to-understand explanation of who you are and what you do. Typically, it is used to introduce yourself at industry, business, or networking events. It is the answer to the question, “Tell me about yourself,” or “So…what do you do?” It also makes a great intro for your LinkedIn page.
The goal of an elevator pitch is to create enough interest in who you are and what you do with your audience that they want to hear more. What you are trying to do is set the stage to engage in future conversations that can be more detailed and, depending on the situation, sales focused.
How long is the ride?
Named for the average length of an elevator ride, your pitch should be between 30 and 60 seconds. This isn’t a lot of time to grab someone’s attention and convey all the information you think they need to want to continue the conversation with you. Crafting an effective elevator pitch takes time, creativity, and patience.
What are the key buttons to push?
Your elevator pitch should answer questions like who you are, what you do and what value you can bring to a prospective client.
Start at the top floor
- Keep your elevator pitch high level. Talk about what you can do on a macro level like helping families protect their loved ones, or plan for the future.
Descend to the middle floor
- Talk about a specific issue or problem that you can help solve. For example, “A lot of people think they can’t afford life insurance, but I help them see that life insurance can be affordable enough for everyone.”
Hit the ground running
- Ask for a meeting, if your audience is showing interest in what you do and how you can help them. Keep it casual like, “I’d love to talk to you more about what I do and how I might be able to help you and your family. How does coffee next week sound?”
Don’t get stuck between floors!
Make sure your elevator pitch is concise, rehearsed (but not robotic!) and not full of jargon. You want to capture and hold your audience’s attention and, when you’re finished, you want them to want to learn more. But to be clear, an elevator pitch isn’t a tease. It’s not some clever commercial. It is an invitation to learn more about what you can offer that will help the person you are speaking with..
Disclaimer
This article is intended for general information purposes only and should not be considered specific advice, nor is it a substitute for advice from a qualified professional. The article may contain information obtained from third-party sources. While reasonable efforts have been made at the time of publication to ensure that the contents of this article have been derived from reliable and accurate sources, including third party sources, ivari provides the information “as is” and ivari does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein.
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