Every entrepreneur knows that an elevator pitch is an essential tool to have at the ready. But do you know how to go about crafting one?
When someone says to you – “So what do you do?” – how do you answer? Talking about your business is the perfect opportunity to make others want to know more. This isn’t a selling exercise (you’re not trying to sign them up for anything), it’s a teaser of how remarkable your company is. The goal is to convey – in just 60 seconds – what makes you so unique. Here are a few tips to do just that.
Solve their problem
Ruthless as it might sound, nobody cares about you, and what your company can achieve for you. What they want is a solution to their problem, or an answer to their question. Keep this in mind right from the start, and frame your elevator pitch so that it’s obvious how your company makes life better – for others.
Highlight your USP
Your Unique Selling Point (USP) is what makes you better than all the rest – and something that you’ll want to include upfront in your elevator pitch. What is it about your company that is so much better / faster / more trustworthy than your competitors? You’re supposed to believe in your brand 100%, so don’t be afraid to talk it up.
Make it obvious what you do
It’s all very well solving problems and showing how unique you are, but don’t forget to communicate exactly what your company does in your pitch. Make it as simple to understand as possible: if it’s a completely new idea, try likening it to something that already exists. “It’s a paint-by-numbers novel-writing course,” has much more impact than, “It’s an online novel-writing process that leads you through various sections to get to the end goal.” And it’s easier to remember.
Don’t forget the call-to-action
Talking about how awesome your brand is will never be a bad thing, but a truly successful elevator pitch will achieve a goal at the end of it. It doesn’t have to be a hard-sell, it can be more along the lines of, “In the next few months, these are our goals,” whether those goals are to gain new clients, investors, media exposure or growth.
Keep it short and sweet
This is what it all boils down to… You want to keep them wanting more, and the only way to do that is by cutting out all the unnecessary fluff and making your pitch as succinct and powerful as possible. You should be able to do an elevator pitch in an actual elevator, so pretend it’s only going up a few floors and keep your pitch short enough (and practised enough!) to get it out smoothly before those elevator doors open.
Do you have an elevator pitch? How smooth is it?