What is an elevator pitch?
A pitch is a short way of introducing yourself, your services or your company. The idea comes from the elevator pitch: a 30- to 60-second speech meant to convince a board member or CEO to hire someone or invest in their idea.
Why so short? The concept assumes that this is roughly how long an elevator ride takes from the ground floor to the top floors of a skyscraper, where senior management usually has their offices. In practice, an elevator pitch is about 80–150 words.
Types of pitches
Elevator pitch: a short introduction of yourself or your idea, for example when you meet someone important by chance.
Investor pitch: a presentation of your business idea to investors, usually longer and supported by slides. Learn how to write a business pitch in 10 steps.
Networking pitch: a quick answer to “What do you do?” at business events.
Self-introduction: for example at the start of a job interview or a meeting with new people.
Short pitches aren’t only for situations where you want the CEO of a big company to invest a fortune in your start-up. They come up far more often than we think, in everyday situations. At a job interview, you’ll hear: “Tell us about yourself” or “Why should we hire you?” At business events or social gatherings, people ask: “What do you do?” Instead of talking about yourself in a boring way, think of an interesting story from your life or a memorable way to introduce yourself.
How to write an elevator pitch
In my work with clients, I follow one rule: the shorter the presentation, the longer the preparation. In a 90-minute lecture, going off on a tangent or talking a bit longer about something doesn’t make much difference. In a one-minute speech, every word is worth its weight in gold. Writing a pitch may seem simple, but summarising your skills and strengths in a few sentences can be a real challenge. Before you start, ask yourself: “What is the goal of this pitch?”Then build it from these elements:
- Who you are and what you do, explained simply and clearly
- The problem you or your company solve
- Your unique value: what makes your product, service or approach different
- Content tailored to your audience and their needs
- A question or call to action that invites the other person to continue the conversation
Elevator pitch example
This is how I could introduce myself and my work as a public speaking coach:
“My name is Magda. I help people who speak in public do it with pleasure and without stress. Thanks to many years of stage experience and my background in psychology and business, I combine practice with theory and offer original methods tailored to each client. How do you feel about public speaking?”
Notice the question at the end. It turns a monologue into a conversation.
How to deliver your pitch
Besides well-thought-out content, a few more elements will make your message stronger and more credible. Make sure you rehearse:
- Body language
- Tone of voice
- Managing stress
- Eye contact
- Gestures
- Storytelling
Common elevator pitch mistakes
Reciting your CV. A pitch isn’t a list of jobs and certificates. Choose what matters to this particular listener.
Using jargon. If the other person doesn’t understand what you do, they won’t remember it.
Talking for too long. If your pitch takes three minutes, it’s no longer an elevator pitch.
No call to action. End with a question or a clear next step.
Summary
A good elevator pitch is short, clear and tailored to your listener. Explain who you are and what you do, show the problem you solve and your unique value, and end with a question. Then practise until it sounds natural, not memorised.
Let’s stay in touch. Contact me to get more information about the program, working methods, and pricing.
Author:
Hi, I’m Magda Kern. I’m a psychologist, the top 11 public speaking coach worldwide, a lecturer, working for companies from the Fortune 500 list, a business trainer with 12 years of experience, a TEDx coach, and an ex-vocalist based in Switzerland. I help people prepare and deliver unforgettable presentations and deal with stress.