An elevator pitch is a brief 30 – 60 second presentation that clearly tells your prospect what you do and how you can add value to them and their organisation. The objective of an elevator pitch is not to sell anything, but to impress your prospect and secure an appointment to discuss your value offering. You have only one chance to make a first expression, so make sure it delivers. Your elevator pitch must be brief but so compelling that your prospect would want to know more.

Here is an example of an elevator pitch:

“Hi, my name is Peter and I am the owner of Think Aspects, where we specialise in marketing solutions for small businesses.

We find that most small businesses are dissatisfied with their marketing results, because old techniques just don’t work anymore, and most advertising agencies are just too costly.

So instead of just proposing the usual techniques and tools the way it has always been done, we have adopted a different approach. We first spend some time analysing what makes our client different to his competitors. We then have a look at our client’s target market and get an understanding of how our client’s product or service can add value to them. It is only when we know these critical things that we can use our marketing experience to design an effective marketing tool that speaks directly to the prospect.

For the past 7 years we have assisted over 2000 small and medium sized businesses on the West Rand get better value from the money they spend on advertising. I am sure that we could do something similar for you. Why don’t we get together and see how we can improve your marketing results?”

As you will see from the above example, there are a number of elements in an elevator pitch.

1.       Who are you?

Introduce yourself and your company in such a way that it is clear to the listener who you represent and who you are in the company. This makes your presentation personal and makes the listener feel more at ease.

2.       What does your company do?

It may be obvious to you what your company does, but don’t assume that it is equally obvious to your listener. You work with your products and services on a daily basis and probably have an expert’s insight into your field and your business. Your listener may not be that familiar with your world, and if he doesn’t understand the basic service you offer, you may never get any further with your presentation.

3.       Create credibility

You need to convince your listener that you know what you are talking about and that he can trust you. You do this by referring to your backup team, your years of experience, your accreditations or your proven track record. The more specific, the better. Vague or misleading statements will not impress anyone and may actually backfire on you.

4.       State a problem

Present a typical problem you solve for your clients. If your prospect is a typical member of your target market, and if you have correctly identified the issues you can solve for your target market, then it is highly likely that your listener faces the same problem. The more your prospect identifies with the problem, the better your chance for success.

5.       Explain your value

Describe to your prospect how you provide a solution to the problem and what is unique about your service, product or approach. You want to show your prospect how you will be able to add value to him and make it worth his while to listen to you. This needs to appealing and convincing. Just stating that you print attractive business cards isn’t enough. Isn’t that what all printers will say? You need to be unique and explain to your prospect how you manage this, as in my example above.

6.       Call to action

Lastly in your elevator pitch you will want to make it perfectly clear to the prospect what must happen next. You must remain in control of the presentation at all times, so take the initiative and make it perfectly clear to your prospect. Ask for an appointment or whatever action it is that you want to happen.

Not all situations are the same, and not all prospects will react in the same way to your elevator pitch. Your level of success depends largely on how well you have prepared and how confident you are in your delivery. The value you offer is also a compelling reason for a prospect to allow you the opportunity to meet. So, develop your elevator pitch, practise it and try it out a few times. Then make adjustments until you get to a version that delivers the results.

The last step for you is to make sure that everybody in your company knows the elevator pitch. Practise with them until you are all comfortable. Then use your elevator pitch every time you have an opportunity and watch the appointments come in…