How to Craft a Powerful Elevator Pitch.
We’ve spent the better part of a year nestled safely within our four walls, with few opportunities to network or strike up unexpected conversations with strangers at a coffee shop. But now that things have returned to a close semblance of “normal,” it’s time to shake off the dust and make sure you’re ready to put your best foot forward.
Whether you’re attending an industry conference or are reopening the office doors to clients off the street, having a powerful elevator pitch prepared in advance ensures you’re always ready to make a lasting impression. You never know whether the next person you come across might result in your next sale or business opportunity, and you only have a few seconds to introduce yourself in a way that’s impactful and fosters a new connection. Luckily, there’s a simple formula to creating a memorable elevator pitch, and anyone can do it.
Before we dive into the how-tos, let’s clear up one common misconception: An elevator pitch is not a sales pitch. It is not an effort to close a deal or turn someone into a new customer on the spot.
It is, however, a concise and memorable explanation of who you are and what you sell. It’s planting the seed to make a connection so that you can have another conversation at a future time. Remember, your elevator pitch is for when you meet new people. You wouldn’t try to sell someone upon your first introduction; you’d want to pique their interest and establish a relationship so you can turn them into a prospect or referral source. So, your elevator pitch should demonstrate your unique value without being salesy or pushy.
Every great elevator pitch is made up of the following elements:
Let’s break these down into a formula that you can put together.
Here’s how this might come together for someone in real estate:
Once you have these key elements nailed down, you can rearrange the pitch for a more compelling delivery. Leading with a question makes for the perfect hook:
Feel free to play around with the formula and see what delivery style feels most natural to you. Just be sure to include the three essentials: problem, solution, proof.
After every pitch, always follow through with a call to action (CTA). This is vital to establishing the relationship. But how you should weave in your CTA depends on how the conversation goes. Most likely, one of two things will happen next:
Scenario 1:
They say nothing actionable, such as “Oh, that’s nice.” This either means you didn’t pique their interest enough to prompt further dialog, or it may not have been the right timing for them. Either way, you should wrap up with a CTA.
This is still a good outcome. You explained your value proposition and gave them your contact info, so they can reach out to you whenever they or someone they know might need your services.
Scenario 2:
They ask a question, and you provide an interesting response that gets them to want to know more. The CTA is built into your response.
Soon enough, they’re texting you their email address and phone number, and you just generated a new lead for your database. Perhaps you don’t have a monthly newsletter, but you do have a handy e-book you can send. Or maybe you just don’t have time to answer their question in detail at that moment, but you’d be happy to set up a time to chat later. Think through a few scenarios and what you will say in response so that you can exchange information and establish a new connection.