How to Write an Effective Elevator Pitch

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An elevator pitch or elevator speech is an overview of your company that is presented in a clear and concise matter. Your goal is to introduce your company to potential clients in 1-2 minutes or, as others describe it, long enough for the elevator to go from one floor to the other. Ideally, the length of your pitch should be 150-250 words. It should be interesting and memorable.

An elevator pitch can be used in a number of occasions like cold calling, selling an idea to your boss, introducing your work to people you just meet and even when you are catching up with an old friend or colleague. Nothing beats someone who has a prepared elevator pitch because you’ll never know when a great opportunity will come your way.

Your elevator pitch should have 6 important information:

1. Relevant statement or question that ignites interest
2. Describe yourself or the company you work for
3. Describe what you do
4. Identify your clients or customers
5. Explain what makes you or your company stand out
6. State what you wanted to do next (schedule a time to talk or explore how you can work together)

Now, once you have all these information, put it all together to create your draft. Then, you have to read your pitch again to check the length, accuracy, and grammar. Don’t use “stop words” or words that would make your listener pause and think about what you have said. Tailor your pitch for different audiences so that you can communicate with a wide range of people.

Another thing that you should do is to practice. Speak clearly. Pause when necessary. Use the correct pronunciation (sound of the word), enunciation (articulation) and intonation (rise and fall of the voice) to clearly deliver your pitch. Read your pitch aloud and record your voice. Play it back to see how well you did during practice. You can also ask a family or friend to listen to your pitch and give you feedback.

You should also be aware of your body language. Talk in front of the mirror and observe your gestures. Are you using your hands more frequent than you should? Are you rigid? Do you sway your body too much? Be mindful of your movements. It should be natural – don’t be too stiff and don’t move too much.

And lastly, keep some small takeaway items with you like a calling card or a key chain with your contact details to help your listener remember you and your pitch. If ever they are interested or needed your services, they can contact you right away.

We hope that we’re able to help you draft an effective elevator pitch. You can use this blog as a reference if ever you decide to make one. Just let us know if you did and share your experience in the comment section below.