If you were to have the sole attention of your most desirable potential customer within the confines of a lift for 60 seconds could you make them buy into you and your company? 

An Elevator pitch is a high-level and basic introduction to whatever it is that you are selling, giving the audience just enough information that they will have a sense of what you are about and want to know more. Despite general understanding you do not have to ‘close the deal’ with an Elevator Pitch, think of it as a ‘conversation starter’.

As the expert in your field you know what you are talking about and, given the opportunity, could probably talk in detail about it all day long. The trick is to boil your message down to captivate and convince, while solving the needs of your audience. Ensuring you keep and maintain their attention .as to how what you are selling will help them.

In order to develop an Elevator pitch there are certain key elements to consider:

Exactly what is it that you do? Create a single sentence. Be direct, literal and to the point. Keep it punchy.

Solve a problem, this can carry even more weight if you relate it directly to the customer – do some investigation.

Provide evidence that you have done what you say, be specific and tangible. Citing case studies, references or statistics will prove highly convincing.

The fact is people buy from people not companies so sell your team. Convey why they are the best, be it experience, skills, motivation, attitude or dedication.

Stick to the facts, avoid assumptions or embellishing on the truth – you need to demonstrate integrity in your message.

Make the pitch easy to understand; avoid any technical jargon or acronyms that your audience may not understand.

Don’t forget to adjust the pitch to the person who is listening, and refine it as you and your business continue to grow and change.

Be prepared for the unexpected questions … just because your pitch has been developed you still need to ensure you have a response specific to their needs or topics not covered by your pitch. 

Have a practice to ensure you remember it! In the past I have developed reminder cards for sales teams creating a list of killer points … a little memory jolter before a pitch.

Have a strong close. Know what it is you want to get out of the pitch. Use a call to action, maybe take a card, arrange a meeting, but try to keep the ball in your court to instigate the next move.