Updated March 3, 2025
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Say It In 30 Seconds
If you were in an elevator with a potential client, could you make a sale in 30 seconds or less? Don’t rely on your improvisational skills to set your first impression. A well-crafted elevator pitch is a simple sales tool that helps you maximize every networking opportunity. Networking is essential to keeping your sales funnel full and a clear and concise introduction to yourself and your business is the key to success. Invest a little thought and planning now to create an effective pitch and you will be amazed at the results.
An Effective Elevator Pitch is Singly Focused
The most effective and memorable elevator pitches focus on a single objective. Don’t confuse your audience with multiple calls to action. One simple, straightforward action statement is easier to remember.
The core statement of your pitch should focus on:
- Who you help
- How you help
- Benefit or problem you solve
Jargon-Free Zone
Avoid technical jargon and complex details that will confuse your audience. The pitch is a hook, not a book, about your business. Find the best way to phrase this information by brainstorming dozens of different statements. Keep them all brief, cohesive and specific. For example, “I help people who are $10,000 or more in debt and pay off their creditors and achieve financial freedom.”
Once this main point is established, you can construct the remainder of the pitch to frame and emphasize it.
You Had Me At Hello
One of the most memorable aspects of an elevator pitch is the introduction. This should be a short story, joke or surprising fact that catches the attention of your audience. To be effective, it should be relevant to the rest of the pitch. For example, a debt consolidation specialist could say, “Did you know Americans carry an average of $78,030 in debt according to Experian?”
Finish the pitch with a simple action statement that motivates the audience to complete your objective. This closing call to action should reiterate the benefits you offer and should be posed in a way that leads directly to a sale. A question like “Do you know anyone who could use a fresh financial start?” is often effective.
A quality, practiced elevator pitch helps you comfortably and confidently present yourself and your business to clients. Whether you have a golden elevator opportunity or someone just asked what you do for work, having an effective elevator pitch is an easy, effective and essential sales tool.
Remember an elevator pitch is a foot in the door. It’s just like a tweet, or a meta description. It’s designed to pull someone in so they ask for more information. You’re not expected to explain the nuances of your business in 30 seconds. Just give enough information to pique someone’s interest.
What elevator pitch have you used to break through the verbal clutter?
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