By Publisher
An elevator pitch is a term used to refer to a sales pitch of sorts that you make with an important person in a matter of moments that you have to spend with them. More often than not, it happens inside an elevator, where you coincidentally happen to be with them. Before they get to the floor they’re going to in seconds, you have to convince them that you have an idea that’s truly worth listening to.
It can be pretty easy to mess up an elevator pitch considering how little time you have to give it and the anxiety you might feel while talking to them. But, if you can prepare beforehand, you should be able to pull it off quite nicely and that’s the entire point of today’s article.
Things to Remember for Your Next Elevator Pitch
1. Don’t waste time, show them what you can do
Whether you’re representing an individual or a company, the last thing you want to do in an elevator pitch is to waste time on unnecessary chitchat. With more time on your hands, this is actually great for lightening the mood. However, in an elevator pitch, you don’t have the luxury of time. So, introduce yourself immediately and tell them what you can do.
“Hi, my name is John Doe and I am a Digital Marketer with 7 years of experience in my field. I specialize in helping companies and individuals improve their SEO game to increase sales and profit at least 300%.”
2. Disarm them
The truth is that an important man or woman like this has probably had the chance to meet several other people like you. Much like a woman who raises her guard after getting toyed with by several men, these important people will raise their guards. So, after introducing yourself and sparking interest, let them know you’re not just there to sell something to them. Instead, tell them what they can benefit from you. This is the basic rule of communicating value in marketing.
3. Hint on potential connections you might have
Considering how important they are, there’s probably a bit of information about them online. You must’ve done your research before taking this step. If you read online that this person is from your part of the country, you can drop a hint that you’re from there too. Don’t get too informal. Instead, mix it into what you’re trying to convince them to do.
“Ever since I started schooling in so-and-so, I’d always wondered what more I could do to help the local businesses in my area and that was when I got this brilliant idea.”
4. Set yourself up for future conversations
Don’t try to close a sale immediately you get there. If you can, it’s fine. But, it’s a lot more effective to talk to them instead and then try to get them interested in talking to you in the future.
“I understand that you must be a very busy person. It can’t be easy running one of the biggest companies in so-and-so field. But, if you’d like to have one less thing to worry about, perhaps I could find sometime into your schedule and see how I can help you with that.”
Conclusion
One thing you must remember about elevator pitches is that they don’t necessarily need to happen in elevators. You might as well meet your “pitch person” at a party or a service or a conference of sorts. Regardless of the venue, however, ensure that you make the most of it.
Finally, we should mention that there is a slight limit to the places you can make these pitches. For example, if you happen to be standing in the next stall to the person you’re pitching to at a public restroom, that’s definitely not a time to make a pitch.
