Ok we get it! The Elevator Pitch is nothing new. It has been a cornerstone piece of marketing tips and tricks for years, and we are not suggesting that we have waved a magical wand that will make our suggestions in this article well... magical. What we are suggesting is that you rethink your Pitch and be sure it is well crafted and yes, crafty! You have less than 15 seconds to capture the attention of the person you are talking with on an elevator; the grocery clerk; a contact at a business or social function. And you have less than a minute to tell them about your business in a way that they will remember and most importantly want to become a customer when the need arises.
Creating a powerful and concise Elevator Pitch will provide you with the best opportunity to turn a new acquaintance into a customer!
When we coach our clients through the process of developing their unique and powerful pitch we ask them to use these guidelines:
Keep it short & concise
Write it down and Practice, Practice, Practice
Use words that will cause the listener to stop their brain from whatever they were thinking about and pay attention to what you are saying
Avoid trendy buzzwords or industry language that could make the listener confused or annoyedInclude a question early in pitch to help capture their full attention
Repeat the company name and general location 2 times during the pitch
MOST IMPORTANT is to be sure you include the aspects of your business, services, and products that make you UNIQUE from your competitors so you stand out to the listener
End by asking them if they might be able to use your services or if they could refer business to you AND hand them a business card as you are asking this question
Practice makes perfect. You should take every opportunity to use your elevator pitch when encountering a new contact. You will find that the more you use it the easier it becomes. Don't worry if it is a bit uncomfortable at first, it get's better and easier. As you say it a few times you will probably find ways to improve on it, to make it more impactful. Be sure to edit the written version so you have the current version written down.
Share a copy of your Elevator Pitch with all of your team members. Enthusiastic employees are one of the best walking billboards you can have for your business, so you want to be sure they have your version and encourage them to include their own personal aspects so they are ready to provide a powerful and concise Elevator Pitch for your business!