how to make an elevator speech

How to Craft the Perfect Elevator Speech in 2024 (With Examples)

• The Speaker Lab
• May 6, 2024

Table of Contents

Have you ever gotten onto an elevator with someone important and wished you had more time to talk to them? Or maybe you’re at a networking event and only have a few short minutes to introduce yourself to someone you’ve always wanted to connect with. In life, there are many situations where you only have a few seconds to make an impression that lasts. That’s where your elevator speech comes in. Today, we’ll explore the art of crafting the perfect elevator pitch—one that’s clear, concise, and compelling. Here’s how to make every second matter so that you’re unforgettable to anyone lucky enough to cross paths with you.

What Is an Elevator Speech?

You’ve probably heard the term “elevator speech” thrown around, but what exactly does it mean? An elevator speech (or elevator pitch) is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to introduce yourself, your product, or your company. In addition, you should also try to provide a short overview of your own background and experience.

As the name suggests, your elevator speech should be short enough to present during a quick elevator ride. Practically, that means you only have about 30-60 seconds to communicate your unique skills and what you can offer to a company or organization. The goal? To share your knowledge and credentials quickly and effectively with people who don’t know you.

Importance of Having a Strong Elevator Speech

Think of an elevator speech as a personal sales pitch. Having a strong, well-crafted elevator pitch can help you stand out from the crowd, whether you’re at a networking event, job interview, or just meeting someone new. It’s a great way to make a positive first impression and leave people wanting to know more about you.

You can use your elevator pitch in a variety of situations, such as:

• Job interviews
• Career fairs
• Networking events
• Professional conferences
• Social gatherings

Basically, anytime you need to introduce yourself professionally, an elevator pitch comes in handy. It’s a valuable tool to have in your career toolkit.

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Key Elements of a Memorable Elevator Speech

So, what makes a good elevator speech? All told, there are several key elements, such as clarity, an explanation of your unique skills, a call to action, and confidence. Let’s break down these key components and look at them more closely.

Clarity and Conciseness

Firstly, your elevator pitch should be clear and concise. Avoid using industry jargon or complex language that might confuse your listener. Keep it simple and to the point.

Unique Value Proposition

What sets you apart from others in your field? Your answer to this question forms your unique value proposition (UVP). In your elevator speech, highlight your UVP—in other words, anything that makes you stand out. For instance, maybe you have a special skill, experience, or perspective. Focus on what makes you memorable and valuable.

Call to Action

End your pitch with a specific call to action. What do you want the person to do after hearing your pitch? Do you want them to visit your website, schedule a meeting, or connect on LinkedIn? Make it clear what the next steps are.

Confidence and Enthusiasm

How you say it is just as important as what you say. Accordingly, deliver your pitch with confidence and enthusiasm. Smile, make eye contact, and speak clearly. Let your passion for what you do shine through.

Crafting Your Elevator Speech

Now that you know the key elements of an elevator speech, let’s talk about how to actually craft one.

Identifying Your Target Audience

Before you start writing your pitch, think about who you’ll be delivering it to. Are you targeting potential employers, clients, or investors? Understanding your audience will help you tailor your message to their needs and interests.

Highlighting Your Skills and Experiences

Your elevator pitch should showcase your most relevant skills and experiences. Think about what makes you unique and valuable to your target audience, then use specific examples and achievements to back up your claims.

For example, instead of saying “I’m a great communicator,” you could say “I have five years of experience in public relations, and I’ve secured media placements in top publications like Forbes and The New York Times .”

Tailoring Your Pitch to the Situation

You may need to slightly adjust your pitch depending on the situation. For example, your pitch for a job interview might focus more on your work experience and career goals. In contrast, your pitch for a networking event might focus more on your personal brand and interests.

Practicing and Refining Your Pitch

Once you have a draft of your elevator pitch, practice delivering it out loud. Time yourself to make sure it’s no longer than 60 seconds. Along the way, pay attention to your pacing, tone, and body language.

Ask a friend or colleague for feedback and keep refining your pitch until it feels natural and compelling. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel delivering it in real-life situations.

Delivering Your Elevator Speech Effectively

Once you’ve crafted a killer elevator speech, it’s time to deliver it with impact. But how do you do that? Below we have some tips for perfecting your delivery.

Body Language and Nonverbal Communication

When giving your elevator speech, your body language can speak louder than your words. Stand up straight, make eye contact, and smile. Use hand gestures sparingly in order to add emphasis to your points. Finally, avoid crossing your arms or fidgeting, as these can make you appear nervous or closed off.

Speaking Clearly and Confidently

Speak at a moderate pace and enunciate your words clearly. Vary your tone and inflection in order to keep your listener engaged. Most importantly, project confidence even if you’re feeling nervous. Remember, you know your stuff!

Engaging Your Listener

Tailor your pitch to the person you’re speaking with. For instance, use their name, ask them questions, and try to make a personal connection. Show genuine interest in their thoughts and feedback. The more engaged they are, the more likely they’ll remember you and your message.

Being Prepared for Follow-up Questions

Your elevator speech is just the beginning of the conversation. Once you’ve shared about yourself and your work, be ready to expand on your points and answer any questions the person may have. Anticipate common questions and have thoughtful responses prepared.

If you don’t know the answer to something, don’t give in to nervousness! Instead, be honest and offer to follow up with more information later. The goal is to keep the conversation going and build a relationship beyond the initial pitch.

Examples of Effective Elevator Speeches

Crafting an elevator speech can be tricky if you’ve never done it before. To help you out, we’ve come up with a few example pitches. While they might not match your situation perfectly, they’ll definitely give you a good place to start.

For Job Seekers

“Hi, my name is Sarah and I’m a recent graduate from XYZ University with a degree in marketing. During my internship at ABC Company, I led a social media campaign that increased brand engagement by 25%. I’m passionate about digital marketing and I’m excited to apply my skills to help companies grow their online presence. I saw that your company is looking for a social media coordinator and I think I’d be a great fit. I’d love to schedule a time to discuss further how I can contribute to your team.”

For Entrepreneurs

“Hi, I’m Tom and I’m the founder of 123 App, a mobile app that helps busy professionals manage their time more effectively. Our app uses AI technology to create personalized schedules and to-do lists based on the user’s goals and habits. We launched only six months ago but have already gained over 10,000 active users. Our user engagement and retention rates are three times higher than the industry average. We’re currently seeking investment to scale our marketing efforts and expand our team. I’d be happy to share more details about our growth plans and revenue projections.”

For Professionals Seeking Career Advancement

“Hi, I’m Maria and I’m a sales manager at XYZ Corporation. I’ve been with the company for five years and have consistently exceeded my sales targets by an average of 20%. Last quarter, I led my team to close the biggest deal in the company’s history, bringing in $2 million in new revenue. I’m looking for opportunities to take on more leadership responsibilities and eventually move into a director role. I’m particularly interested in your company’s plans for international expansion and I think my experience could be an asset. I’d love to grab coffee and discuss potential opportunities.”

For Students and Recent Graduates

“Hi, I’m Alex and I’m a senior at XYZ University majoring in computer science. Last summer, I interned at ABC Tech where I worked on developing a new software feature that reduced processing time by 30%. I also served as the president of our university’s coding club, where I organized hackathons and coding workshops for over 500 students. I’m passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems so I’m excited to start a career in software development. I admire your company’s mission and the innovative products you’re creating. I would love the opportunity to learn more about your team and any entry-level positions you may have available.”

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Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Elevator Speech

In addition to including key elements to your elevator speech, it’s just as important to avoid common mistakes. For instance, being vague, talking too fast, and failing to practice your pitch are all things you want to avoid.

Being Too Generic or Vague

Avoid using buzzwords or generic statements that could apply to anyone. Instead, focus on what makes you unique and provide specific examples to back up your claims.

Talking Too Fast or Rambling

You only have about 60 seconds to make an impression in your elevator speech. However, that doesn’t means you should try to talk fast so you can say more. Instead, speak clearly and concisely, and don’t try to cram too much information into your pitch. In addition, practice beforehand and time yourself to ensure you’re staying within the appropriate time frame.

Failing to Tailor Your Pitch to Your Audience

One size does not fit all when it comes to elevator pitches. As such, make sure you’re tailoring your message to the specific person or audience you’re speaking to. Do your research ahead of time in order to find common ground or shared interests.

Neglecting to Practice and Refine Your Pitch

Whatever you do, don’t wing it. The more you practice your elevator pitch, the more natural and confident you’ll sound. Seek feedback from friends, colleagues, or mentors and keep refining your pitch until it feels authentic and compelling.

Adapting Your Elevator Speech for Different Situations

Your elevator pitch is not a one-and-done deal. You’ll likely need to adapt it for different situations and audiences. Below, we’ve laid out some common scenarios where you might use a slightly different version of your pitch.

Networking Events and Career Fairs

At networking events and career fairs, you’ll have the opportunity to meet a lot of people in a short amount of time. Your pitch should be brief and memorable, focusing on your key skills and career goals. Be ready to follow up with a request to connect on LinkedIn or grab coffee to discuss further.

Job Interviews and Career Conversations

In a job interview or career conversation, you’ll have more time to expand on your elevator pitch. Be prepared to go into more detail about your experiences and accomplishments, and how they relate to the specific role or company you’re interested in. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) in order to structure your examples.

Social Settings and Casual Encounters

Not every elevator pitch will be formal or business-related. For instance, you might find yourself chatting with someone at a social event or in line at the coffee shop. In these casual settings, focus on building rapport and finding common interests. Your pitch might be as simple as “I’m a graphic designer who loves working with startups. What about you?”

Online Platforms and Virtual Interactions

In today’s digital age, your elevator pitch might take place over email, LinkedIn, or even Twitter. When crafting an online pitch, focus on brevity and clarity. Use strong subject lines, bullet points, and clear calls-to-action. Include links to your website, portfolio, or LinkedIn profile for more information.

No matter the situation, remember that your elevator pitch is a starting point for a larger conversation. So be authentic, be memorable, and be ready to adapt on the fly. With practice and refinement, you’ll be able to craft an elevator pitch that opens doors and helps you achieve your career goals.

FAQs on Elevator Speeches

What is an example of an elevator speech.

“I’m a digital marketing expert with 5 years boosting website traffic by 70%. Let’s chat about skyrocketing your online presence.”

What are the 3 parts of an elevator speech?

The three parts: Hook them in, showcase your value, and close with a call to action.

What is a good 30 second elevator speech?

“I blend tech skills and sales insight to increase B2B software sales. I’ve helped my current team exceed targets by 40% for two years. Want to know how I can do this for you?”

What is the elevator speech approach?

This approach means selling yourself or your idea quickly and effectively during brief encounters—think making big impacts in short chats.

A strong elevator speech is a powerful tool that you can use to build strong connections and grow your career or business, but creating one is harder than it looks. If you follow these simple tips, you’ll end up with an elevator speech that will open doors, spark conversations, and leave a lasting impact. It’s time to go be great!

• Last Updated: May 6, 2024

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Business tips

11 actually great elevator pitch examples and how to make yours

There's a trope in late '90s movies where a motivated, ambitious main character does everything they can to get on the same elevator ride as the CEO of some powerful company.

It usually ends the same way. Our protagonist makes a nervous, fast-paced speech that the CEO ignores while repeatedly pressing the elevator button, and we get a five-second scene with sad music of our main character watching them walk away.

That nervous, fast-paced speech is an elevator pitch example—a bad one, because otherwise, those movies would be nine minutes long and uninspiring. In the real world, an elevator pitch can make a powerful impression and pave the way for business ventures, employment opportunities, and networking. It won't get you a corner office and a fancy title one week into your new job, but it can be an important step in the right direction. 

To highlight that difference—and to really dismantle "The Pursuit of Happyness" as a plot—I've put together some elevator pitch examples and a guide on how to write one that actually works.

Table of contents:

What is an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch is a concise speech in which you introduce yourself and a few key points about what you're pitching, whether it's to acquire investors, promote a product, advertise a business, or even sell yourself as a potential employee. If it takes longer than a minute to get the point across, it's getting too long.

You're not trying to convey your entire business strategy or all your selling points. Your goal here is to raise interest, make a connection, and facilitate an opportunity for business in the future.

Let's say you're in the fintech industry and are attending a networking event full of bank representatives and decision-makers. Instead of spending an hour going through your company's history and how it's aiming to be carbon-neutral by 2157, you'd find more success introducing it concisely, pointing out one or two key features and how they could serve your audience's interests. 

Components of an elevator pitch

The pitch begins with a hook to draw your audience in, veers into the value you offer, provides some proof to support your statement, and wraps it all up with a display of what makes you different.

It's relatively easy to incorporate these elements into a short pitch. The difficulty lies in choosing a good hook and phrasing your proposition in a way that appeals to the other side of the conversation.

The hook: This element doesn't need to be fancy or complicated. Make it simple and get straight to the point. For example, if you're pitching a time management tool, your hook can be a personal story like: "When I first started my business, it felt like there was too much to do and not enough time to do it." It can also be a statistic. If you're pitching an online collaboration tool, your hook can be something like: "73% of all teams will have remote workers by 2028."

The evidence: The person you're talking to may be nodding, but that doesn't necessarily mean your point is getting across. Some proof of past success or stats that speak to your success could make that nodding a lot more genuine.

The differentiator: Let them know that you're different—that your product or service isn't just another iteration of what came before. You get brownie points for originality and not quoting any movies.

11 elevator pitch examples done right

I rewatched "The Pursuit of Happyness" to see if there was anything I could salvage, but all I walked away with was frustration at the misleading lesson that passion can overcome anything. Passion cannot, in fact, overcome a busy decision-maker who can't wait for you to stop talking.

If you're at all like me, you'll find the following examples a much better use of your time.

1. Startup pitch example

Everyone's got ideas for [shared goal] . But ideas aren't enough.

We took [shared goal] and turned it into a reality.

We developed [solution] at [company name] that's [list of qualities] . We made it possible for [target audience] to [shared goal] .

What sets us apart is our [differentiator, followed by brief overview] .

If you're passionate about [high-level goal] and interested in [benefit of collaborating with you] , let's connect.

This elevator pitch example demonstrates how to approach potential business partners and investors with a clean energy project. The hook is simple. It leans on the issue and the harsh reality of how little the world does to achieve utopian sustainability. Then it introduces the solution as the company's proactive effort to change the status quo. It pitches efficiency, reduced costs, and access to a larger customer base. Finally, it addresses how ease of use sets the solution apart from the competition and invites further collaboration. 

This example is ideal for startups in that it focuses more on the product, what makes it unique, and the features that set it apart, rather than the company's past achievements, success stories, or revenue metrics. It can easily be used to pitch investors and potential clients alike.  

You can follow this example by making the problem the centerpiece of the hook. Open with the issue, and position your company's service or product as the solution.

2. Job seeker pitch example

It took me [period of time] to [achieve goal] .

It's always been my priority to deliver [high-level result] , but I want to put my [expertise] to use making [high-level goal/impact] .

At [company name] , I [past experience] that [measureable results] .

I love what I do. But I [differentiator, high-level goal] .

If you're looking for a [position/title] who's [differentiator] , let's chat. I'm eager to explore how I can help your organization achieve its [field] objectives.

Since tropes are only a good idea when I propose them, I've decided that our job seeker would be making a pitch to GreenCorp, the company from our previous example. Will Smith will not be playing this role.

In this example, the author of the pitch isn't trying to sell a company or a product; they're trying to sell themselves. The hook addresses their background, expertise, and goals. It then veers into past performance results and highlights the key skill set. The uniqueness factor here speaks to GreenCorp's mission, showcasing that the author shares the company's grand goals, empathetic mindset, and desire to help build something positive. 

If you're ever job hunting, open your pitch with a concise and direct overview of your background, share your most impressive achievements, and do your research into the company you're pitching.

3. Sales pitch example

Most people [relevant statistic, followed by explanation] . 

At [company name] , we've taken the [pain point] out of the equation. 

Our [products] are designed for [value proposition] .

They're more than just [product] . They're [differentiator, followed by supporting evidence] . 

We're not just salespeople; we're [differentiator] .

So, are you ready to find [product selling point] ? Let's [CTA] .

In this example, a guitar shop is pitching its unique guitar design to potential customers. It recognizes a very common problem and ties it to a feeling that most guitar enthusiasts know all too well: giving up too soon. It later positions the author as an expert and fellow musician and utilizes customer reviews as supporting evidence.

4. Networking pitch example

I'm a [position/title] at [company name] , and I've worked on [past experience] . 

Over the past [period of time] , I've had the privilege of working with diverse industries, from [industry] to [industry] , and what truly excites me is [shared interest] . 

I'm here to connect with other professionals who share my enthusiasm for creative and innovative [field] ideas. I really want to explore new [differentiators and shared interests] .

Let's connect on [communication channel] . I have quite a few compelling [field] resources to share and talk through.

This networking pitch resembles the job seeker pitch with one major difference: the audience shifts from an employer to a colleague. The objective changes, and that affects the entire approach. 

Ahead of your next networking event, tailor your pitch so that it speaks to your expertise and knowledge without going into too much detail.

5. Investor pitch example

At [company name] , we [business concept offer] , plain and simple.

We [value proposition] .

Our portfolio contains [supporting evidence] .

Why us? Well, we [differentiator] .

We roll up our sleeves and get involved. 

We're currently prospecting [target audience] to join us on our journey. If you're ready to be part of the next [field] disruption, let's talk about how [company name] can help.

Investors have heard it all a million times over. It's why their faces are so hard to read—set in unimpressed silence. So it's best to make your hook short and to the point. "We do X to achieve Y" can be a breath of fresh air when your job is listening to entrepreneurs pitch their ideas five days a week.

In this example, YZTech Ventures aims to secure investors for promising companies. The hook is straightforward and simple, slowly veering into an overview of the company and why it works.

6. Nonprofit pitch example

Every day, [pain point] .

[Company name] is working to change that.

We're a nonprofit dedicated to [high-level goal] . We've already provided [supporting evidence/achievements] .

We don't want to treat the symptoms; we want to face the root cause of [pain point] . But this will be a losing battle if we're fighting it on our own.

We're always looking for individuals who share our vision and drive to build a better world where [high-level goal] .

If you're ready to make a difference, let's discuss how you can be part of the solution.

Empathy is the name of the game here, and charities and nonprofits can use it as a unique selling point. The good news is there's very little risk of doing this wrong. The example outlines the cause, its aim, and the efforts being made to find a solution. 

If you're pitching a nonprofit or a charity to potential donors, lean heavily on the charity's message and accomplishments.

7. Personal branding pitch example

I'm [name] , and I'm a dedicated [title] . I've helped [past expertise and achievments] .

I do what I do by [value proposition, followed by differentiator] .

I'm here to [offered value] .

There's " [position] " in the title, but I'll be [differentiator] .

Let's schedule a meeting and discuss what you can do.

Personal branding comes into play when you're pitching yourself, the individual. Just as companies share their unique idea, proposition, and values, the life coach does the same at a personal level. 

If you're ever writing a personal branding pitch, approach it as you would a business. The key difference is to showcase your values and what makes you unique as a person rather than as a corporate entity.

8. Product launch pitch example 

I'm very excited to share with you [product selling point] .

At [company name] , [products] aren't just a [basic nature of product] . We see them as a game-changer in [selling point] .

This is why we developed our [product] , a cutting-edge [product overview] .

Imagine all of your [value proposition, followed by key features] .

Our product has already received rave reviews during beta testing, with users reporting [survey results] .

[Product] is now available for preorders! [CTA].

This example focuses less on the company and more on the newly revealed product. The new release speaks for itself and the business at the same time.

The hook immediately positions the product as the future or "the next best thing." The pitch dives into what makes the new product unique, utilizing a hypothetical to paint a picture of what it can achieve.

If you're writing a product launch elevator pitch, focus on the product and let it speak for the company.

9. Rebranding pitch example

We've done great things as [company name] . We've helped businesses [services and past achievements] .

We've since been on a journey of transformation, and it's time for a fresh start.

Our company has grown, adapted, and innovated in response to changing market dynamics. We've [outlined change] . Now, [company name] is about to become [new company name] .

Why the change? We've rebranded to [rebranding reasons] .

With [new company name] , you can expect the same quality, expertise, and dedication you've come to trust. But now, we're adding a fresh perspective and a dynamic spirit to our brand.

We invite you to join us in this exciting phase of our journey. [New company name] is ready to [service/value proposition] .

Let's schedule a meeting and explore how our renewed brand can better serve your evolving needs.

In this example, the hook immediately delivers the reasoning behind the change. 

Instead of a value proposition, the pitch offers an assurance that the rebranding won't have detrimental effects. It's designed to address stakeholders and clients as well as provide context.

10. Consulting services pitch example

At [company name] , we specialize in [value proposition] .

With a team of seasoned experts in [field of expertise] , we've successfully guided organizations to [high-level goal] .

Our approach is all about partnership. We take the time to deeply understand your unique market and audience. From there, we [differentiator] .

[Company name] can be the catalyst for your business's transformation. Whether you're looking to [goal] or [goal] , we're here to help.

Let's schedule a virtual meeting to discuss where your company stands and where we can take it.

This pitch is designed to attract clients for a consulting service. It takes a collaborative tone in its approach and focuses on areas of growth that pretty much every decision-maker worries about. It makes the solution the centerpiece of its hook instead of the problem, and goes on to briefly outline how the firm's process is structured. 

11. Technology solution pitch example

[Relevant statistic].  

That's how it goes for your [pain point] .

Imagine you didn't have to worry about [pain point] .

Our [product] is designed to enhance [process] . We help businesses [value proposition] .

One of our recent success stories includes helping a [supporting evidence] .

The thing is, [differentiator] ; we make sure our [product] is specifically customized for your organization's needs. 

Are you available to meet next week for a personalized demo?

In this example, the hook is a statistic that lays the foundation for the problem and the value proposition. It's a powerful hook that captures the audience's attention and helps you transition into what you really want to say.

How to write an elevator pitch

You can be an optimist and decide to improvise an elevator pitch. But you'll likely end up taking too many pauses under the guise of sipping your water, and stumbling over your words mid-pitch might waste a precious conversation.

It pays to be prepared, and writing an elevator pitch beforehand can make a big difference.

1. Outline a clear objective

Your objective will help you pinpoint the information you want to mention in your pitch. 

Tip: Establish success metrics relevant to your objective. Investors will want to know how much revenue your business can generate, while potential clients will want to know the benefits of your product or service. Make sure your success metrics speak to your audience's concerns.

2. Define your audience

One speech won't work across the board. Hollywood says the up-and-coming manager likes to be impressed with a Rubik's cube, while the CEO likes to hear your heartfelt speech about how much this job means to you and how you're expertly overcoming odds. 

Both those things are wrong, but the point remains that identifying who your listener is and what matters to them is a nice way to tailor your pitch so that it speaks to their concerns, needs, and bigger pain points. The more you resonate with your audience, the more impactful your pitch will be, and the closer you'll get to a tearful Will Smith movie ending.

Defining your audience goes beyond knowing the name and nature of what might make a potential client. 

Tip: Conduct in-depth audience research by diving into your chosen market, competitors, user data, and digital marketing analytics. Then comb through that information to define your audience's pain points and how you're uniquely positioned to address them.  

3. Craft a hook

You know what you want to say and why. Now you need an opening statement—a hook that grabs their attention and gets them invested in the rest of your pitch. You want to set the stage for the elements that come next. Make it clear and engaging, but keep it concise. The goal here is to get an attentive listener, not a bored one.

The hook needs to spark the audience's interest. You need to speak their industry's language, show knowledge and expertise, and put your audience research data to good use by pointing out the difficulties and issues they face.

Tip: Use a personal story, a statistic, a fact, or an interesting hypothetical to draw your audience in.

4. Explain your value proposition

Once your audience is paying attention, it's time to dive into the proposition and the value within. What do you and your idea bring to the table? What problems do you solve, and how does that make your listener's life better? How does your solution differ from those they've heard pitched a thousand times before?

Point out the differentiating factors that make you and your business unique, whether it's the groundbreaking tech you've patented or the better pricing options your competitors can't keep up with. 

Tip: Write down all the aspects that make your business different, and choose the most compelling ones for the pitch.

5. Support your pitch with evidence

Who doesn't like real-life measurable data? Well, Hollywood doesn't, but that's just because no amount of Hans Zimmer music can make your 325% ROI cinematically engaging. You can be confident that your audience will want to hear success stories that support your proposition.

Have a few successful case studies from former and current clients ready to drive the point home and turn a semi-interested listener into an engaged party.

Tip: Draw on your own expertise, and use performance statistics and relevant metrics from previous projects. 

6. Keep it concise

It's called an elevator pitch for a reason. You have under a minute to get your entire pitch across to a busy decision-maker who doesn't have all day. Cut the fluff, and only say what you feel certain will convince your recipient to take your side.

Tip: Practice reading your pitch out loud in the mirror. Use a timer to measure how long it takes to deliver it comfortably.

7. End with a clear call to action

Since the point of an elevator pitch is to generate interest, you'll want to end it with a clear call to action—one that evokes a response and maybe a more in-depth conversation.

If you're pitching a service, you can offer to schedule a meeting to further outline your services and how they can help the listener. If you're pitching a product, you could offer to schedule a demo to prove it can improve their business. Get creative here, and aim to turn that interest into a meeting.

Tip: Lead your audience to connect with you beyond the pitch. Schedule a meeting or a coffee chat, exchange contact information, and make sure there's room for a longer discussion.

8. Prepare to answer questions

You can't just deliver your pitch and then hit the open bar at the networking event. Be ready to answer questions.

Questions at this stage mean your listener is intrigued, curious, and interested. At this point, feel free to provide as much context in your answers as you'd like. The elevator pitch has already ended, and it served its purpose. Go in-depth and provide context.

Tip: Write down a few questions based on your own market research. Ask yourself what your customers, investors, and audience might be curious about. Prepare your answers so you're never surprised.

Make a unique first impression

Opportunities are fleeting, especially when businesses are launching every day. In an oversaturated environment, an elevator pitch can help you make an impression that lasts. And who knows, you might just have what it takes to inspire a 50-million dollar movie that Will Smith can "misty-eye" his way through.

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How to Create an Elevator Pitch (With Examples)

Examples of the Best Elevator Pitches

When and How to Use an Elevator Pitch or Speech

What to say in your elevator pitch, what not to say and do during your elevator speech, tips for virtual elevator pitches, elevator pitch examples.

Hybrid Images / Cultura / Getty Images

What is an elevator pitch, and how can it help your career? An elevator pitch—also known as an elevator speech—is a quick synopsis of your background, experience, and purpose. It's called an elevator pitch because it should be short enough to present during a brief elevator ride.

This speech is all about you: who you are, what you do, and what you want to do (if you're job hunting) or are doing (if you're simply networking).

Your elevator pitch is a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively with people who don't know you.

Done right, this short speech helps you introduce yourself to career and business connections in a compelling way. It can help you build your network, land a job, or connect with new colleagues on your first day of work.

Key Takeaways

• Keep your elevator speech short and sweet, aiming to deliver your message in 60 seconds or less.
• Say who you are, what you do, and what you want to achieve. Your goal is to focus on the essentials. 
• Be positive and persuasive with your limited time. Focus on what you want to do, not what you don’t want to do. 
• Deliver your speech to a friend or record it to ensure your message is clear. The more you practice, the better your speech. 

If you're job searching, you can use your elevator pitch in person at job fairs or career expos, and online in your LinkedIn summary or Twitter bio. An elevator speech is a great way to gain confidence in introducing yourself to hiring managers and company representatives.

You can also use your elevator pitch to introduce yourself at networking events and mixers. If you're attending professional association programs and activities, or any other type of gathering, have your pitch ready to share with those you meet.

Your elevator pitch is just as useful in virtual networking events, interviews, and career fairs as it is during in-person gatherings. 

Your elevator pitch can be used during job interviews, especially when you're asked about yourself. Interviewers often begin with the question, " Tell me about yourself ." Think of your elevator pitch as a super-condensed version of your response to that request.

Maddy Price / The Balance

Your elevator speech should be brief . Restrict the speech to 30–60 seconds. You don't need to include your entire work history and career objectives. Your pitch should be a short recap of who you are and what you do.

Be persuasive.  Even though it's a short pitch, your elevator speech should be compelling enough to spark the listener's interest in your idea, organization, or background.

Share your skills.  Your elevator pitch should explain who you are and what qualifications and skills you have. Try to focus on assets that add value in many situations. This is your chance to brag a bit. Avoid sounding boastful, but do share what you bring to the table.

Practice, practice, practice.  The best way to feel comfortable about giving an elevator speech is to practice it until the speed and “pitch” come naturally, without sounding robotic. You will get used to varying the conversation as you practice doing so. The more you practice, the easier it will be to deliver it at a career networking event or job interview.

Practice giving your speech to a friend or recording it. This will help you know whether you're staying within the appropriate time limit and delivering a coherent message.

Be positive and flexible.  You often aren’t interviewing for a specific position when you deliver your pitch, so you want to appear open-minded and flexible. Don’t lead with the stuff you’d rather not be doing. (For example, if you don’t want to travel a lot for work, that’s completely legitimate, but you shouldn’t volunteer that information immediately.) This is your chance to make a great first impression with a potential employer. Don’t waste it.

Mention your goals.  You don't need to get too specific. An overly targeted goal isn't helpful since your pitch will be used in many circumstances and with many different types of people. But do remember to say what you're looking for. For instance, you might say you're looking for "a role in accounting," "an opportunity to apply my sales skills to a new market," or "the opportunity to relocate to San Francisco with a job in this same industry."

Know your audience and speak to them.  In some cases, using jargon can be a powerful move—it demonstrates your industry knowledge. But be wary of using jargon during an elevator pitch, particularly if you're speaking to recruiters. They may find the terms unfamiliar and off-putting. Keep it simple and focused.

Have a business card ready.  If you have a business card, offer it at the end of the conversation as a way to continue the dialog. If you don’t, you could offer to use your smartphone to share your contact information. A copy of your resume, if you're at a job fair or a professional networking event, will also demonstrate your enthusiasm and preparedness.

Don't speak too fast.  Yes, you only have a short time to convey a lot of information. But don't try to fix this dilemma by speaking quickly. This will only make it hard for listeners to absorb your message.

Avoid rambling.  This is why it's so important to practice your elevator speech. While you don't want to over-rehearse, and subsequently sound stilted, you also don't want to have unfocused or unclear sentences in your pitch, and you shouldn't get off-track. Give the person you’re talking to an opportunity to interject or respond.

Don't frown or speak in a monotone way.  Here's one of the downsides to rehearsing: it can leave you more focused on remembering the exact words you want to use, and less on how you're conveying them through your body language and tone. Keep your energy level high, confident, and enthusiastic.

Modulate your voice to keep listeners interested, keep your facial expression friendly, and smile.

Don't limit yourself to a single elevator pitch.  Maybe you're interested in pursuing two fields—public relations and content strategy. Many of your communication skills will apply to both those fields, but you'll want to tailor your pitch depending on who you are speaking to. You may also want to have a more casual, personal pitch prepared for social settings.

All of the same guidelines apply to a virtual elevator pitch. You may have an opportunity to give an elevator speech at a virtual career fair, a job interview over Zoom, or during a networking event. Follow the dos and don'ts listed above. 

Plus, keep these tips in mind: 

• Check how you look.  You'll want to have a clean and professional background. Plus, make sure you're well-lit and aren't in any distracting shadows. 
• Make eye contact.  Try practicing beforehand so you get accustomed to looking at the camera, which will help you appear to make eye contact with the person on the other side of the video chat. Just avoid overdoing it or staring!
• Aim for high energy.  As with in-person pitches, you'll want to avoid speaking too quickly. Also important: modulate your voice (to avoid a monotone) and keep your energy high. It's easier for people to be distracted during video meetings, and you'll want to keep their attention. 

Use these examples as guidelines in crafting your own elevator pitch. Make sure your speech includes details on your background, as well as what you'd provide an employer with:

• I recently graduated from college with a degree in communications. I worked on the college newspaper as a reporter, and eventually, as the editor of the arts section. I'm looking for a job that will put my skills as a journalist to work.
• I have a decade's worth of experience in accounting, working primarily with small and midsize firms. If your company is ever in need of an extra set of hands, I'd be thrilled to consult.
• My name is Bob, and after years of working at other dentists' offices, I'm taking the plunge and opening my own office. If you know anyone who's looking for a new dentist, I hope you'll send them my way!
• I create illustrations for websites and brands. My passion is coming up with creative ways to express a message, and drawing illustrations that people share on social media.
• I'm a lawyer with the government, based out of D.C. I grew up in Ohio though, and I'm looking to relocate closer to my roots and join a family-friendly firm. I specialize in labor law and worked for ABC firm before joining the government.
• My name is Sarah, and I run a trucking company. It's a family-owned business, and we think the personal touch makes a big difference to our customers. Not only do we guarantee on-time delivery, but my father and I personally answer the phones.

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How to Create an Elevator Pitch with Examples

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How to Write a Perfect Elevator Speech

“What’s an elevator pitch, and how can it help your career? An elevator pitch —also known as an elevator speech—is a quick synopsis of your background and experience. The reason it’s called an elevator pitch is that it should be short enough to present during a brief elevator ride.

This speech is all about you: who you are, what you do, and what you want to do (if you’re job hunting).

Your elevator pitch is a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively with people who don’t know you.

Done right, this short speech helps you introduce yourself to career and business connections in a compelling way. It can help you  build your network , land a job, or connect with new colleagues on your first day of work.”

Read the full article at thebalancecareers.com.

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• Job Interview Tips

9 Elevator Pitch Examples to Ensure You Stand Out

You know the concept of an elevator pitch: a short, braggy speech you’re supposed to deliver in front of some big shot when you inevitably wind up in an elevator with them for 30 seconds.

Nowadays, it’s like an automated, generic LinkedIn message. It’s inflated, overly self-promotional, and incredibly outdated. This kind of approach just doesn’t resonate in today’s business landscape.

So what do you do if you need an elevator speech? You have hopes to sell yourself, land a job, get a client, or sell a product.

Well, you need to learn a better way to create and present an elevator pitch. It doesn’t require a lot of work, only a new angle.

In this article, we’ll talk about:

• What’s an elevator pitch and how to make it
• What a modern-day elevator pitch should include
• Elevator pitch examples for different situations
• The key to writing an elevator pitch that stands out

Don’t waste days compiling overused interview techniques. Get original answers to every single question you could expect.

Shifting the Perspective on Elevator Pitches

An elevator pitch or elevator speech is a 30–60-second long speech that informs listeners about you, what you do, and why it’s relevant to them — whether you’re trying to sell a product, services, or yourself as a candidate for a job.

You can use it to quickly introduce yourself in a job interview, at a job fair, during conferences, networking events, or other semiformal job-related gatherings.

But like we said, the standard elevator speech is slowly becoming outdated because people make it sound salesy and robotic.

This is why there’s a shift of perspective: the modern-day elevator pitch should be conversational, natural, and focused on human connection and authenticity. Otherwise, it might not have the power you’re expecting.

You should still introduce yourself, state what you do, what your mission is, and hint at how someone could benefit from that. But your main goal is to get the conversation started, so both parties (you and the person you’re speaking to) can exchange ideas and see if there’s space for collaboration.

How to Create an Elevator Pitch: General Template

Before we begin, we’d like to point out that this article will walk you through the basic structure of an elevator pitch. Then it’ll show you how to adjust it for different purposes (for a job interview, a networking event, and other job-related social gatherings).

We’ll also provide specific examples based on different situations.

Here’s what the general structure of such an elevator pitch looks like:

A “hook” or an attention-grabber

Finding a relevant topic, a common pain point, or an interesting question could be a casual, natural conversation starter. This makes for a perfect hook or an attention-grabber for an elevator pitch.

From there, you can gently steer the conversation in the direction of your expertise and create an inviting atmosphere for people to share their experiences with you.

For example: Imagine you’re attending a seminar/conference about Google updates and how they affect content marketing. You can start a convo by mentioning an interesting initiative you took regarding content update best practices, and how it helped you keep the traffic during turbulent times.

You can expand then, mentioning what you do and how somebody could benefit from that. Potentially, a decline in traffic is someone’s pain point, and that person would be interested in what you have to say right away.

You could start a conversation by asking: “How did you fare after the last major update?” It’s a nice way to put them first and show curiosity about their situation.

Then, you could say something like “My last client’s blog traffic took quite a hit. At first, they were reacting the same way everyone else was, just kind of freaking out. Once I came on, we identified 5 specific things that could help them with authority and their traffic shot back up.” This would grab their attention and give them something to relate to. Plus, it would present you as the solution to the problem, and they would be more than interested to hear about the 5 ways to increase traffic.

Which brings us to our next step.

A quick explanation of what you do

In this part of your elevator pitch, you can speak more about your work and how you solve different pain points.

It shouldn’t be bragging, but an honest, realistic story about your relevant experiences. If you can back them with hard data (maybe one key accomplishment, because you need to be short), even better. You can also mention some of your biggest clients, your mission and vision, or any other relevant detail.

The space for questions

Every good elevator speech will leave enough room for the person you’re speaking with to ask questions. Perhaps they’ll ask for more details about your expertise and company. That would be the perfect opportunity for you to elaborate and show how you could potentially solve their problems and contribute to their success.

Perhaps they’ll ask for recommendations, be it for software, strategy, or people. That’s a nice way to start building relationships.

Or, someone might straight up ask you if you could help them because they’re facing the same problem, and then the case is closed. You “sold” yourself during the elevator pitch purely because you were able to strike up a valuable conversation and provide value.

The questions you ask

You can ask questions in your elevator pitch! We’re moving away from sales-dudes-bragging pitches. People don’t want to listen to the monologue you learned by heart and recited to five people in the room. They want authentic conversations now.

Use the opportunity to ask relevant questions to keep the conversation going.

You can ask about how their company is dealing with the topic at hand, if they heard about a recent event in the industry, or anything else that would help you connect with and understand the person you’re speaking with.

✅ Pro tip: Elevator speeches don’t have to follow the same pattern . The more your elevator speech sounds like a natural part of the conversation, the more success you’ll have. If you can make your elevator speech a chameleon, perfectly blended with the rest of the talk, people won’t recognize that you’re “pitching” anything. What they will recognize is your expertise and authenticity, and they’d be drawn to you.

Elevator Pitch Examples for Different Scenarios

Elevator pitch examples for a job interview.

If you’re looking for a job, you’ll likely hear “Tell me about yourself” in every interview. This is the perfect opportunity to bring out your elevator pitch and start a conversation.

Here’s how to create an elevator pitch for a job interview:

A recent graduate offering fresh perspectives and motivation to learn

A career switcher who shows transferable skills and eagerness to evolve, a seasoned professional highlighting vast experience and adaptability.

Elevator pitch examples for a networking event

Notice how these elevator speech examples will be a lot more conversational and a lot less rehearsed than the ones for job interviews. You should be as natural as possible when networking — focus on creating a connection first and a collaboration second.

An industry expert pitching unique insights and records of accomplishments

An aspiring leader focusing on the vision and leadership potential, an eager student highlighting the desire to learn more and make valuable connections, elevator pitch examples for social gatherings and other semi-formal situations, a freelancer discussing flexibility, bespoke solutions, and diverse experiences, a hobbyist-turned-professional conveying passion and talking about their unique journey., an introverted specialist emphasizing deep knowledge and precision in specific areas, elevator pitch examples: popular opinion vs. expert advice.

The internet is full of all kinds of advice — terrible, alright, and some that’s actually pretty solid. Let’s see if popular opinion moved away from seeing elevator pitches as highly structured, salesy, learned-by-heart pieces of text to deliver.

Zak7062 from Reddit said:

“I’m better at writing software than I am at writing elevator pitches” is what I usually go with. Usually, it gets a laugh and is a decent icebreaker that gets me more time to talk to them.

Career expert comments:

If the occasion is not too formal, this is the perfect icebreaker that will set a positive tone right away and start the conversation in the right direction. My immediate reaction would be to inquire more about this person’s coding skills, so I guess the hardest part of their job is done. But bear in mind this is just a hook, an ice-breaker, and not a real elevator pitch. So make sure to prepare at least a few bullet points describing your skills and the value you’d bring to their company. It’s cool to have such a nice ice-breaker, but you need to follow up with something substantial.

From ConsulIncitatus :

“My job is to make us look good and I do that by measuring results and improving them. That’s also good for the company. I’m the ears and mouth for my teams and occasionally the brain. I believe in servant leadership. I clear the path for my technical staff to build our vision for our products. I focus on their growth and that in turn grows us.”

One might argue that this is a nice overview of the duties of this person. But not me. There are 6 pieces of general information here that don’t reveal anything about the person’s skills and ability to accomplish results. Everyone who has a job has to measure results and improve them.

This, if heavily edited, could be the middle part of an elevator pitch where a person briefly explains what they do and their key skills.

In that case, the person would have to narrow down their choice of information. If they want to highlight they’re result-oriented, they need to pick an example of when they improved poor performance and back it up by % or $. If they believe in servant leadership, they need to quickly elaborate the principles. And so on.

Bottom line: Pick one or two key things/values/principles/achievements and prove them. Don’t list generalizations — you’ll risk blending in with every other candidate.

From Gordon Miller on Quora:

A mentor of mine taught me “a pitch is complete not when nothing else can be added, but when nothing else can be taken away.” Another mentor told me “It is all about the ONE THING. You need to figure out what the one thing is.”

Career expert comments: 

This is a nice way to look at it. I’m not saying you should focus on only one thing in your elevator pitch, but having a differentiator, a single thing that makes you different and potentially better from the competition is a nice thing to build your pitch around. Everything else you add should complement that differentiator, prove your worth, and hint at how you can help others who have the same problem.

Tips to Make Your Elevator Pitch Stand Out

Let’s see how you can make your elevator pitch more fun and engaging.

Personalize your pitch to show your unique value

A generic elevator pitch, the one you’d learn by heart and recite to anyone you meet, would blow your chances because it wouldn’t be relevant or valuable to the person you’re speaking to.

That’s why an elevator pitch needs to be personalized.

Creating a new elevator pitch for every person you’re speaking to makes no sense. But coming up with a nice basis and then adjusting the details each time might work pretty well.

If you know in advance who you’ll be speaking to, make sure to research their company so you’re in the loop with their initiatives and potential pain points. Then, highlight your specific achievements that directly relate to the company’s needs. Identify their pain points and address how your skills and experience could be the solution.

✅ Pro tip: If you don’t know who you’ll be speaking to, try to ask questions while you speak (if the situation allows it), or personalize the pitch to the company they work for.

Here’s a story my friend told me. One of her professors, who was also a hiring manager for Mondelez, often manned booths at career fairs. He said he used to hear thousands of bland elevator pitches with students listing their accomplishments, each similar to the previous one.

The ones who actually stood out always knew something about the company. He gave an example of one guy who started a conversation about Mondelez’s sustainability efforts in hazelnut production. The guy talked about how he was passionate about that and pitched some other ideas of ways they could improve these processes.

So even though the guy didn’t know who he would be speaking to, he made his elevator speech relevant by researching the company, obtaining important info, and adding it to the speech, along with additional ideas on how to improve the processes.

Keep the pitch conversational

Nobody wants to hear about you assisting in optimizing synergistic solutions for seamless integration in the tech ecosystem. They don’t understand what it means and they don’t care.

You need to keep your pitch conversational to hold the listener’s attention. By not sounding robotic and rehearsed, you’ll be more relatable and interesting to talk to. You’ll stand out by being memorable and authentic.

Plus, you’ll create a space for you and the person you’re speaking with to build a real connection and see how you can help each other.

How to keep it conversational:

• Avoid formal language or complex and vague terms.
• Use storytelling in your pitch
• Engage the listener: ask questions and create a dynamic discussion
• Pay attention to your tone and pace of speech

Highlight the benefits of working with you

When appropriate, highlight the benefits of working with you or your company, not just your skills or what you do in general.

Having sharp skills is great, but people probably want to know how you can use those skills to help them .

Try to address the why by bringing up unique points about yourself, highlighting your strengths, and mentioning your key achievements. Make sure those achievements are somehow connected to the industry/role/pain point/challenge/goal of the person you’re speaking to.

If you can prepare in advance and do some digging on the person’s company and challenges, even better.

Summary of the Main Points

• It’s important to move away from the old-school, salesy elevator pitches that make you boring and robotic.
• Nowadays, elevator pitches need to be authentic and conversational.
• Be aware that there are differences between an elevator pitch for a job interview and an elevator pitch for seminars, conferences, meetups, and any other job-related occasions.
• Your ideal elevator pitch should have a hook or another kind of an attention-grabber.
• It also needs to explain what you do and what’s in it for them.
• It should create a dynamic conversation where both you and the person you’re speaking to can ask questions.
• Keep your elevator speech conversational, personalized, and make sure to highlight the benefits of working with you.

_____________________________

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How long should my elevator pitch be?

30–60 seconds. It should be enough for you to get your key points across and start a conversation. This makes it suitable for most networking situations.

Do I need to write my elevator speech down?

It’s not mandatory, but it might help during the initial elevator pitch brainstorming session. Writing down different elevator pitch ideas and versions will give you clarity and structure. It might also help with setting up your arguments. You could adjust, rearrange, add, or remove ideas until you get the perfect version. Plus, having a written pitch makes it easier to customize for different situations. You can adjust it based on the audience, occasion, the context of a conversation, and similar.

What is the objective of an elevator pitch?

To succinctly communicate key information about your expertise, capture attention, build a memorable impression of you, and initiate conversation, opening the door for exploration of partnerships and opportunities.

Are there any famous elevator pitch examples?

Steve Jobs’ elevator pitch to John Sculley back in 1983 when Sculley was still at Pepsi: “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?”

Airbnb’s early pitch was interesting too: “Book rooms with locals, rather than hotels,” hinting at their unique selling point — connecting travelers with locals who provide authentic lodging experiences. That’s Airbnb’s one thing, their differentiator.

What’s a good example of an elevator pitch for someone with no experience?

If you have little to no relevant experience, you can focus on your enthusiasm, potential, and transferable skills. Show enthusiasm about the field, industry, or company, showcase potential by bringing up a relevant accomplishment from the academic field, volunteer work, or internship, and highlight how you could use key transferable skills to contribute. Make sure you pick the transferable skills relevant to the speaker, depending on their company, industry, or the type of role you’re discussing. You can also demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role/company by researching and pitching interesting ideas (like that Mondelez example we mentioned above).

What to say in my elevator pitch if I don’t do anything unique and am just a solid employee?

If you don’t have a particular achievement or a unique role, you can still emphasize your hard work, reliability, work ethic, and ability to contribute. Being a solid employee is quite a desired skill and should be highlighted. Additionally, you can quantify your work to prove it. Using a number to back up your claims will spice your pitch up. For example, you could say, “I truly believe that hard work and reliability are the keys to success in this job. I’ve been working for ABC Auto for the past 5 years — I’ve never showed up late and always gotten my work done on time. My boss once told me: ‘Whenever I ask you to do something, I know I’ll never have to worry about following up.’ It’s my favorite compliment I ever received.”

Maja Stojanovic

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How To Write A Killer Elevator Pitch (Examples Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

You’re on the elevator, riding up from the lobby to the top floor to drop off your resume with Human Resources in response to a job posting for your dream career.

You’re excited, but nervous, because you know your resume is going to be just one of hundreds that the hiring manager is going to look over before even thinking about inviting anyone in for an interview.

If only there were a way to make yourself stand out. If only…

The doors open and a woman in a sharp looking business suit steps in with you. She looks over and sees the top floor button is already lit. She smiles and in that instant a current of nervous energy rips through your body. This isn’t just any generic passenger you’re sharing the ride with…this is the hiring manager you’re hoping to impress!

Your heart starts pounding, your palms are sweaty, you feel light headed…

This is your chance!

You have a 12 floor uninterrupted ride up with her and in those moments, in that tiny elevator, she’s your captive audience.

You open your mouth and turn to her with a look of enthusiasm…and speak.

Let’s hope that elevator pitch  (or elevator speech) is ready!

Here’s the deal, after you make your successful elevator pitch (which you will after reading this article!), you need to know that you will get an interview…

But here’s the thing: there are over 100 other difficult interview questions you could be asked in your job interview. Sounds stressful right?

Well don’t worry, because we created a free PDF that outlines the most common questions and gives you word for word sample answers that you can use at your next interview.

Click the link below to get your copy now!

Get Our Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet!

FREE BONUS PDF CHEAT SHEET: Get our " Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet " that gives you " word-word sample answers to the most common job interview questions you'll face at your next interview .

CLICK HERE TO GET THE JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS CHEAT SHEET

What Is An Elevator Pitch?

So what exactly is an elevator pitch?

In a nutshell it’s just what it sounds like: a short, 30-60 second well crafted business pitch telling someone who you are and why they should want to hire you .

It’s called the elevator pitch because it’s meant to represent the amount of time you’d have if you were stuck in an elevator with someone riding from the bottom of the building to the top.

“Well, this stinks. I live in a town of nothing but one floor buildings. How am I supposed to use an elevator pitch? Clearly this article means nothing to someone who doesn’t live in the heart of a big city or surrounded by high rise buildings.”

Elevator speeches are good for so much more than just catching someone in a small enclosed space. You never know who you might run into at a cocktail party, or the movie theater, or grocery store…or any other number of places.

A solid elevator pitch will allow you to distill down to the most pure form exactly who you are and what you offer, and that focus can help to set you apart from all the other candidates who are vying for the same job.

Think of it as a commercial and you’re the product . You’ve got 30 seconds to market yourself and convince whoever is listening to not only NOT change the channel, but to buy what you’re selling…you as the Perfect Candidate!!

“So where do I start? Should I lock myself in the bathroom with a stopwatch and pretend it’s an elevator? Do I need a jingle?”

Hmmm…all we’ll say is do whatever works for you…but let’s all agree to skip the singing…for now. Instead, let’s focus on answering a few basic questions by doing a little pretending.

How To Write An Elevator Pitch

Let’s imagine you’re in sales and you just got into an elevator with the CEO of a huge manufacturing company. The doors shut…it’s just the two of you…and you have 60 seconds to convince him to not only listen to you, but to consider you as a potential employee, not just a fellow passenger on a short ride upstairs. So how do you do that!?

Let’s watch…er, we mean, read:

What do you do? Can you tell someone what you do in such a way that it’s interesting? Can you turn it into a quick little anecdote or story that will capture someone’s attention?

“Let me tell you about the time I took our products all the way to the North Pole. I’m in sales. I started out selling refrigerators to moose in Canada.”

Now that we’ve got your job title, can you tell us what you do when you’re doing what you were hired to do?

“In four short years, I’ve helped lead my team to the number one spot in sales…”

Okay, great…but what’s next?! What’s your objective ? What’s your goal?

“…but I knew we could do better. That’s why I took our refrigerators all the way up to the penguins in the North Pole.”

What makes you the best at what you do? Okay, now’s your chance to shine. Why are you the Perfect Candidate?

“Did you know that broken beaks from trying to eat frozen fish is the number one problem facing penguins today? Their issue isn’t that it’s not cold enough for them to keep their fish fresh, it’s that it’s too cold. I knew that by putting their fish in our double insulated hermetically sealed refrigerators instead of the traditional snow bank, the penguins would be able to keep fish fresh longer without having to freeze them, making it easier for the penguins to eat. As a result, we’ve more than quadrupling our current sales and are not only ranked number one regionally, but nationally as well.”

What’s your hook? You’ve just told a great story, but besides being entertained, why should your audience care?

“Now, just imagine what I can do for your products…”

Wait, who are you? D’oh! Nothing says missed opportunity quite like totally forgetting to tell someone your name.

“My name is Bob Mackrel,”

And most importantly…what do you want?

“…and I’m looking for my next big sales challenge. My I give you my business card?”

Boom. And there you have it: the perfect (if not a little outlandish) elevator pitch. In 30 seconds you’ve told your audience what you do, why what you do is important, hooked them in with what you plan to do next for their company, and who you are.

Easy, cheesy, right?

Penguins and refrigerators aside, this pitch was clearly perfect for the audience because our boy Bob knew the CEO, knew the company, and knew that his skills with sales would be a great match. Bob tailored his pitch.

“Again with the tailoring! That’s all you guys talk about…tailoring!”

That’s because it works! Again, think of our commercial analogy. When you’re watching TV, which ads do you skip over or tune out? The ones that don’t apply to you…right? And the ones you listen to and remember are the ones that DO apply to you.

“Ahh…I see what you’re saying. That does make sense!”

The nice thing about an elevator pitch is that it’s short and sweet and to the point, which means once you get the basics figured out, you should be able to use it on just about anyone in any situation…as long as you make sure to always tailor your hook to your specific audience.

Elevator Pitch Mistakes To Avoid

So now that you know what to do in your elevator pitch, let’s quickly talk about what NOT to do.

Speaking too fast.

Yes, you only have about 60 seconds, but try to avoid cramming 15 minutes of information into one minute.

Using highly technical terms, acronyms or slang.

You want your pitch to be easily understood by any audience and that means try to avoid using words that will confuse the average person. The last thing you want is for whoever is listening to you to feel dumb. Remember, think commercial!

Not being focused.

This isn’t a general conversation and you’re not discussing the weather (unless that’s your job, in which case, never mind). Keep your pitch clear and focused.

Not practicing what you’re going to say.

First, write down your pitch. Read it over. Have your friends and family read it. Does it make sense? Make sure it flows well and that there aren’t any spots that feel rough or awkward. Then practice it. Practice it again. Keep practicing it until it becomes so easy for you to pitch that you can do it at the drop of a hat.

Being robotic.

This is all about a face to face interaction with someone you want to impress. Having an easy, approachable, conversational style to your pitch will get you much further than an overly rehearsed monologue approach.

Not having a business card or other take-away with you.

Okay, you’ve sold them on you…now how are they going to get a hold of you when they decide it’s time to bring you in? Make sure you always have something on you to pass on that will allow people to not only remember you, but contact you later on.

Not saying anything.

It does absolutely nothing for you to have a killer elevator pitch if you never use it. Now it’s your turn! Here are three example elevator pitches to get you started. Remember, these are just examples! Make sure you do the work to craft one specific to you and your audience!

3 Great Examples To Use As Inspiration

Graphic designer/logo branding specialist.

Hi, I’m Pam Tone and I’m a graphic designer. Did you know it takes the average person just two seconds to look at a company logo and decide if they like it? Did you know that a badly designed logo can do irreversible damage to a company brand and that most companies go through at least three to four versions in a single year before settling on their final design, costing both time and money? Having worked for over 10 years as a professional graphic designer specializing in brand identification means I’ve built my reputation on the longevity of my logo designs. I can say that not only are my clients happy with what I’ve done for them, but my designs have gone on to win national and international logo and branding awards. I have worked hand in hand with some of the biggest advertising agencies and companies and out of over 300 contracts, have had only one logo changed, and that was as a result of a merger, not poor design. I’d like to bring that award winning history to your company. Would you be willing to meet with me for 20 minutes to go over my portfolio and see how I can help make sure your logo properly reflects your brand?

TEACHER/EDUCATOR

Mobile app developer.

Hi, I’m Chip Ohm and I’m a developer. Did you know one of the biggest challenges facing companies these days is tracking employee work time? Of course, when you have a building where your employees are required to clock in and out it makes things easier, but what about employees who work from home or are on the road? I’ve come up with an easy way for both employees and employers to log and keep track of hours using just their cell phones and an app I’ve designed. The app allows employees to log in from wherever they are and input their start and stop times at the push of a button. You don’t even need to be in an area with a signal. The program captures all the data and holds it in a file which is then automatically uploaded to the employer’s servers as soon as the user is back in signal range. The system is not only simple, but it’s tamper proof. Not only has this app helped streamline the timecard process for remote employees, but it’s reduced timecard inconsistencies and paycheck errors by 90%, saving both time and money. So, how does your company handle logging in hours for your remote clients?

So there you have it! Now that you’ve read through this article and seen a few examples, it’s time to craft your own elevator pitch. Remember, keep it simple, keep it short, and keep it tailored.

And as always…good luck!

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• Entrepreneurship

How to Create an Elevator Pitch in 5 Easy Steps (With Tips & Advice)

An elevator pitch is the traditional spiel to someone to propose an idea or solution. here's how to write an elevator pitch in five simple steps..

The classic scenario is this: You and another person step onto an elevator. As the elevator begins to ascend, you peek over at your fellow passenger. Wait, what? That’s [insert influential name here], the person who could unlock everything for you and your business idea. 

With your exit floor quickly approaching, you decide to go for it—you’re going to use these 30 seconds the universe has granted you with this person to pitch your proposal. 

You’re going to deliver your elevator pitch.

Don’t worry! In this short post, we’re going to walk you through how to write an elevator pitch effectively, including the steps to follow and tips for elevator pitch success.

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What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is essentially a short speech meant to persuade someone to take an action or consider an idea you propose. The goal of an elevator speech could be just about anything, from getting a CEO to consider you for job interviews to pitching your million-dollar idea to a Silicon Valley investor.

The traditional elevator pitch is considered to take 30 seconds or less, about the time it takes for an average elevator ride. In half a minute, the pitch needs to take a stranger and turn them into a believer—meaning it has to be practical, powerful, and personalized.

Goodwall’s “Virtual Elevator Pitch”

Here’s the thing, though: the concept of the elevator pitch has remained relatively unchanged for decades. On top of that, the standard elevator spiel is only great for pitching to a single person (or a few people); if you have an idea for The Next Big Thing, you don’t want others to overhear you and get there first. 

But what if you have an idea that’s meant to be shared, like a new way for people to cut plastic from their lives or a novel approach to reducing our carbon footprint?

Enter Goodwall’s “virtual elevator pitch.”

As Goodwall’s Omar Bawa put it, “We’ve got big problems and small problems, from climate change to finding a dog sitter. We’ve also got many solutions. But most of those solutions are trapped as ideas. For an idea to become a solution, that idea needs to be shared, it needs feedback and it needs support. You don’t need to be an entrepreneur, all you need is an idea to improve something and the courage to pitch it.”

Goodwall has launched this latest innovation—formatted as a 30-second vertical video—to inspire students and young professionals to share their ideas with the world, rather than hiding them away. When a Goodwall member creates and uploads a video onto the platform, their network connections have the opportunity to challenge the idea, offer feedback, and provide support, taking that idea from a simple thought to an actionable solution.

You can use it for almost anything you can think of, including a simple sales pitch with a call to action, a video to send out important information, or you could use virtual elevator pitches to call attention to a global problem. To see some great elevator pitch examples, sign up to Goodwall !

How to Create an Elevator Pitch

Whether you’re crafting the classic elevator speech or pitching your idea with Goodwall’s innovative vertical video, similar rules apply. To practice, try our simple elevator pitch exercise.

Here are 5 steps to creating the best elevator pitch possible:

1. Make an Introduction

In the traditional elevator speech, making an introduction is key when pitching someone who doesn’t know you. Jumping straight into a spiel as soon as the elevator’s doors shut could cause your audience to skip out floors early in annoyance. 

With Goodwall’s modern take on the elevator pitch, however, less time is needed on introducing yourself, if you choose to at all. After all, your audience will see exactly who you are and can easily click over to your Goodwall profile if they’d like to learn more about you. 

One important thing to remember with elevator pitches, throughout all these steps, is to tailor your pitch to your intended audience. A good elevator pitch is relevant to the particular party you’re addressing. Elevator pitch examples which target one VC with an innovative solution to a problem will need to be rethought for a different person, at least, if you want it to lead somewhere.

2. Identify a Problem

Before you propose a solution, use an elevator pitch to submit a problem for their consideration. And, no matter what type of elevator pitch you’re making, there’s always a problem. Here are a few example elevator pitches:

• “Your company’s growth is beginning to plateau.”
• “People want medications delivered by drone right to their homes. Until now, the government hasn’t allowed it.”
• “Forest fires in California have grown more and more powerful each year.”

When possible, give them concrete numbers, as these prove you’ve done your research and makes the problem to solve that much more intriguing and urgent.

3. Propose Your Solution

Now comes the “pitch” part. After you’ve identified a problem which they’ve hopefully sympathized with, it’s time to segue into your idea for eliminating that problem. Let’s look at those same pain points and see some elevator pitch examples of problem-solving answers: 

• “Your company’s growth is beginning to plateau, but if you hire me … ”
• “People want medications delivered by drone right to their homes. Until now, the government hasn’t allowed it, but I’ve figured out a way to … ”
• “Forest fires in California have grown more and more powerful each year. But, what if we … ”

4. Explain Your Idea’s Advantage Over Others

You’ve now pitched your idea, but you’re not done yet. To make a good elevator pitch truly effective, you’ll have to go into detail—briefly, as it’s still a 30-second pitch—as to why the solution you put forth is in their best interest. Otherwise, your listening audience will quickly assume that any benefits to be had are all yours, effectively ending your chances.

5. Answer Any Questions & Accept Feedback

With elevator pitches, you’re making a request, and, unless you managed to inspire 100% conviction in your proposal, they’re bound to have questions. Answer any questions your audience might ask honestly and in detail. 

It may be that they don’t have questions for you but offer feedback or criticism on your idea instead. Always accept these comments graciously, thank them for their time, and use that feedback to improve your elevator speech for the next time.

Related Read : What is the Difference Between an Accelerator and an Incubator?

To Sum Up … 

Here’s a quick recap on how to create an effective elevator pitch:

• Introduce yourself to your audience;
• Identify a problem that exists;
• Pitch your idea on how to solve that problem;
• Go further into describing the merits of your solution;
• Answer their follow-up questions and graciously accept any feedback.

Even a simple elevator pitch can be quite daunting, certainly. You’re making yourself vulnerable by putting your ideas out there to complete strangers, hoping they’ll have a positive reaction .

However, if you follow our simple strategy on how to write an elevator pitch, you’ll have a powerful vehicle for delivering your ideas—the rest is up to you. 

To learn more about sharing ideas on Goodwall, read our guides on why you should share your idea with the Goodwall community and how to create a virtual elevator pitch .

Got any questions to ask on writing an elevator speech? Need help crafting an elevator pitch that gets results, whether it’s a job interview, career, networking event, or finance proposal? Let’s bring the conversation down into the comments below, and thanks for reading!

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• 15 creative elevator pitch examples for ...

15 creative elevator pitch examples for every scenario

A good elevator pitch can be the difference between landing your next big opportunity or falling short of the competition. But the reality is, people want to have meaningful conversations without the forced sales pitch. So how do you pitch yourself during a job interview or client meeting with authenticity? 

First things first: What is an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch, also known as an elevator speech, is an opportunity to share a quick summary of yourself and your product offerings. But a pitch can also be your chance at making a real connection that you can use later down the road. It’s not always an immediate benefit, but you should be prepared for any scenario in which you could be giving an elevator pitch. 

In reality, most people have given an elevator pitch whether they realize it or not. That’s because there are many different types of pitches—from interviews to new business opportunities. That makes preparing for your next pitch an important step in marketing both yourself and your company. 

When it comes to figuring out who to deliver your pitch to, you should aim for the best point of contact, not just the highest point of contact. Choosing connections that are related to or interested in what you’re offering will give you a better chance at making your sale. 

How long should an elevator pitch be?

One of the biggest unknowns about creating sample elevator pitches is how long they should be. In most cases, it will depend on what it’s about and who you’re pitching. A good rule of business etiquette is to make it as short as possible by carefully selecting the most important points. 

A study conducted by Microsoft found that the average person has an attention span of around eight seconds, meaning you’ll have to fight for that undivided attention. That’s no small task. So when it comes to a great elevator pitch, aim to keep it around 30 seconds—though the exact length can vary depending on your industry and what you’re pitching. 

When looking at pitch length based on industry, each one differs to some degree. Let’s take marketing for example. Your pitch opportunities will likely be to customers that come across your brand. And in that case, you have very little time to get your message across—whether it’s text, video, or imagery. But when it comes to sales, you may get the opportunity to expand your elevator pitch past 30 seconds. You will likely have plenty of networking opportunities where people are more than willing to listen to what you have to say. It really just depends on your medium and the audience’s eagerness to listen. 

But what if you can’t cut your elevator pitch down to 30 seconds? It may seem like your brand is too complicated to distill down to such a short timeframe, but if you’re pitching to the right audience you shouldn’t have that problem. Make sure you pitch to people related to your industry or a tangential audience that will be able to interpret your offerings. 

How to write an elevator pitch 

When it comes to writing an elevator pitch, it can be hard to decipher important facts from unimportant ones—this is why knowing how to effectively communicate in the workplace is important in the first place. For example, while it’s good to personalize your communication tactics wherever possible, it’s not necessary to give prospects an entire history lesson on your business. Only the most recent and relevant details should be included. To get started creating your own pitch, you first need to understand the basic components that make up any good elevator pitch.

Introduce yourself

All good pitches start with a short introduction. It could be as simple as stating your name and who you work for if those details apply. But the more personal you can make it, the more natural your elevator pitch will seem. Body language is also an important part of a solid introduction, as is eye contact. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when introducing yourself to a new prospect. 

Greet your audience in a way that’s appropriate for the occasion. Go formal for a business pitch or more casual for a fun event. With business meetings and networking events being held virtually, you’ll need to get creative with your introductions over video chat. You could even start with a lighthearted joke to break the ice. But whatever you do, make sure it’s relevant to your audience. 

Present the problem

All solutions start with a problem. Whatever you or your business is trying to solve, it’s important to get the point across early on in your elevator pitch to set the theme for the rest of your speech. An example problem: coordinating work between teams is chaotic.  

If possible, relate the problem back to your audience by using real-world examples. This will help make the problem more relevant and, hopefully, grab your audience’s attention. If your problem isn’t easy to explain, try using more than one example or a visual to really paint a picture for your audience. 

Offer the solution

If the problem is what draws the audience in, then the solution is what hooks them. This is your time to show them why they need your help. Here’s an example solution: Asana gives teams a system to organize and manage work so they know what to do, why it matters, and how to get it done.

The solution is arguably the most important part of an elevator pitch, so spend time perfecting it. If you’re pitching for a business, it’s likely the quick solution pitch has already been created. But again, it’s always better to personalize your pitch. So don’t be afraid to tweak it to fit your audience. If pitching for yourself, talk about the unique skills you’ve developed and why they would be beneficial to your prospect. 

Explain your value proposition

Now that you’ve piqued your audience’s attention, it’s time to seal the deal by explaining why your solution is better than anyone else's. An example value proposition is: Asana is the only platform that connects goals with the work needed to achieve them. 

The value proposition differs from the solution by focusing on why your audience should use your solution over a competitor’s. If you don’t have that answer just yet, perform a competitive analysis to compare your offerings or look to your executive summary. 

If your market is extremely niche and you don’t have a clear differentiator or significant competition, look to communication and interface capabilities. Consider why your idea or solution is original enough that someone would want to use it.   

Engage the audience

While most of the hard work is done, it’s important to engage your audience with a compliment or question before you part ways. Always err on the side of being genuine rather than delivering a scripted goodbye. 

There is no right or wrong way to engage your audience. While ending with a question can create a dialogue between you and your audience, a genuine compliment can go a long way. Think about what made you want to pitch them in the first place and use that to end the conversation. Lastly, don’t forget to swap contact information, such as a business card, if you don’t already have it. 

A foolproof elevator pitch template

Now that you know the basic components of a pitch, the next step is creating your very own elevator pitch. This template can work for just about any situation, from a job interview to pitching a small business or startup. That’s because we analyzed some of the most famous templates from industry experts—from Harvard research to Guy Kawasaki’s art of pitching—to create a foolproof template that will work in any situation. 

Plug your information into our elevator pitch template to draft a quick speech. While you won’t necessarily recite it word for word, it’s a great model to keep in mind in case you find yourself in a position where you’re not prepared with a personalized pitch.

Whether you’re looking for a pitch template for a job interview or for pitching your business, this template is a foolproof example for any situation you might find yourself in. 

General elevator pitch template

Use our elevator pitch template to start constructing your speech by adding statistics and personalized greetings where needed. This template incorporates the four parts explained above to hit all of the important details of a good elevator pitch. 

Introduction : “Hi I’m [name], a [position title] at [company name]. It’s great to meet you!”

Problem : “Since you work with [company name or industry] I figured you’d be interested to know that [problem + interesting statistic].”

Solution : “The great part about working at [your company’s name] is that we’ve been able to fix just that problem by [solution].”

Value proposition : “In fact, we’re the only company that offers [value proposition].”

CTA : “I think our solution could really help you. Are you available this week to speak further on this?”

Don’t be afraid to change up your pitch template based on your personality and professional expertise. We’ve also included personalized 30-second elevator pitch examples below to inspire personal facts you can add to create a more engaging speech .

30-second elevator pitch examples

Let’s dive into the best 30-second elevator pitch examples to help you create a pitch that’s both engaging and informative. Our examples take inspiration from the four elements included in the template above, to demonstrate how you'd pitch project management software to  increase productivity . Try a few or try them all to find one that best fits your personality and value proposition. 

Example 1: Short and sweet

This example is one of the most common you’ll come across. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best, but it’s a great example of a quick and easy pitch that fits almost any situation. When working on this type of elevator pitch, be sure to keep it as short and to the point as possible. Try to stick closely to the 30 seconds or less rule since the point is to be brief and transparent.

The problem is that work is chaotic no matter what industry you’re in or how good you are at your job. But a good project management software can help improve productivity and communication. I haven’t missed a deadline in years. If you’re interested in how it can help your team, give me a call and I can take you through some numbers. 

Example 2: Relatable over reliable

Sometimes the best way to grab your audience’s attention is to reel them in with a personal anecdote they’ll relate to. While it’s still important to drive home your solution, this approach puts more weight on making a personal connection rather than an immediate sale. 

It’s so great to finally meet you. How is business going? I heard you’ve been struggling with communication issues. My team and I struggled with that too. It wasn’t until we added project management software into our routine that we really saw an improvement in teamwork and overall communication. I hope you find a solution that works for your team. 

Example 3: Savvy with stats

Start your pitch off with a hook by dropping an attention-grabbing statistic. It’s important to have hard data to back up your statistics to ensure their accuracy before pitching. When it comes to a statistics pitch, it’s a good idea to come full circle at the end and connect how your solution can help solve that statistic.  

Did you know that despite having more ways to connect remotely, 60% of workers’ time is spent on work coordination with just 26% spent on skilled work and 14% on strategy? No wonder teams need help with project management. Implementing project management tools can decrease time spent on work coordination and help increase skilled work.

Example 4: Question everything

This example uses questions to make your pitch easily comprehensible. It also forces the audience to join in on the conversation rather than just presenting them with a speech. Try starting and ending with a question that makes the audience think about your pitch long after you leave the room.

Do you ever feel like you spend too much time on work about work? I’ve talked to so many people who share the same frustrations. I used to work long hours every day just trying to catch up. But do you know what? Ever since we started using project management software, I've been able to get so much more work done. Have you tried anything similar in the past?

Example 5: Comedic twist

If your pitch isn’t about a serious topic, you can add comedic twists to engage the audience. This is especially useful if giving a presentation. Add a GIF or quick funny clip in between slides to lighten the mood. If using this example, be sure it fits the occasion and tone of your company. 

Did you know that the average person can only pay attention for eight seconds? That’s not even long enough to place my coffee order in the morning. Maybe that’s why my barista always gets it wrong. But seriously, I think that’s why so many companies struggle to hit deadlines. 

Example 6: Tell a story

Use customer testimonials or your own personal story to paint a picture for the audience. This can be especially helpful if your topic is hard to explain in 30 seconds or less. Telling a story is a great way to add a relatable twist. 

We have a customer that transitioned to a fully remote workforce this year and needed help making sure deadlines were met. With our help, they were able to get up to 10% of their time back in their day and focus on more important things like strategic planning.  

Example 7: Emotionally driven

While this type of pitch may be more difficult to create, you have a better chance of winning over your audience if you can make your pitch emotionally driven. It’s also more likely they’ll be willing to share the experience with someone else down the road. It’s important to keep the emotions on the lighter side to prevent the conversation from steering too dark. Here is an example to inspire your own speech. 

It may seem like any other tool, but when you look closely it really is helping teams connect. And not just that, but it’s helping cultivate teams that actually enjoy working together on new projects. That’s something that’s hard to come by, but something everyone is looking for.  

Example 8: Write it first

While most speeches start by writing a general outline, you can opt to write the entire pitch from start to finish. This tends to create a thought-provoking and poetic flow once you do present your pitch. You’ll have to memorize this pitch, so practicing is a key element to this strategy. 

Hi, my name is Kelly! It’s great to meet you. You work for Apollo Enterprises, right? I’ve heard a lot about them. I actually heard that you’re looking for project management help. In my experience, any organization—whether sales or suppliers—needs help coordinating work and team communication. Work can be rather chaotic, especially now, without it. That’s why we’ve created a software tool that helps both individuals and teams organize their projects and communications all in one place. Have you ever thought about using something similar?

Example 9: End with a one-liner

Making a grand exit doesn’t come easily, but if you can pull it off your audience is sure to be impressed. Stay away from cliche one-liners and make your closing authentic to you. The point here is to leave them with a thought that they’ll remember after the meeting is over. Consider sharing a surprising statistic or question relevant to their business.

Over one-quarter (26%) of all deadlines are missed each week because of a lack of clarity. But with the right project management tools, that number could be much lower. So the question is, can your business afford not to use project management software? 

Elevator pitch examples by scenario

Now that we’ve covered the types of pitch examples, let’s dive into example elevator pitches for different scenarios. Whether you’re pitching for your business or yourself, you can use an elevator pitch to organize your thoughts and prepare for the real deal. Let’s look at key tips for any situation you may find yourself in. 

Example 10: Networking event

A networking event is probably the most common scenario you’ll run into. And with the new virtual-first culture, it may be even more challenging to make meaningful connections over video chat. That’s why it’s so important to prepare an elevator pitch that’s compelling no matter where you’re pitching it from. While most salespeople pitch casually in this environment, you may get the opportunity to meet an important executive. In which case, you’ll want to be prepared with a versatile pitch template. 

Great to meet you, I’m Kelly with Apollo Enterprises. We’ve been able to improve productivity and collaboration for teams all over the world. If you ever need help with project management, just reach out. I think we could make a huge impact on your company. I’ll make sure to keep your contact information handy as well. 

Example 11: Job interview

Looking for a new job or have career fairs coming up? Most interviews—whether with human resources, a recruiter, or a hiring manager—start with some form of the phrase, “Tell me about yourself.” This is an opportunity for job seekers to briefly explain themselves and their professional experience using industry buzzwords and key skills. Having an elevator pitch ready can ensure that you’re prepared when the opportunity presents itself. 

I’m Kelly, a specialist at Apollo Enterprises. I chose a career in project management because I had a passion for it, and now I can proudly say that I’ve been able to make a real difference in people’s lives. That’s why I’m looking to continue my career with an employer who shares those same values. I know my unique skills can make a big impact at your company because I’ve proven my results with a few key projects. 

Example 12: Formal meeting

You’ve landed the meeting, congratulations! Now is the time to create a formal elevator pitch to really get them interested. When presenting a formal pitch, a presentation can be a great addition to traditional elevator speech examples. But whether or not you choose to create a presentation, this meeting is about selling your product in the most professional way possible. So dress the part and don’t forget your unique selling proposition. 

I took a look at your current productivity figures and noticed an opportunity for improvement. With our project management software, you could get back up to 10% more of your workday. Not only would that mean more work getting done, but it would also have a positive impact on the overall success of your business. Not to mention, our tool is the only one in the industry that has goal capabilities to ensure teams stay on track. 

Example 13: Sales pitch 

Professionals often pitch traditional sales jargon, but the real key is creating a human connection while lightly sprinkling in what you’re selling. Start with a personal story or light-hearted introduction instead of the typical sales presentation. You can also prepare by creating sales team goal templates to ensure your team is on the same page. 

Our team really struggled to transition to a remote workforce. Communication wasn’t organized and people struggled to find the correct information to complete projects. But, thankfully, we found a solution to our problem. Implementing project management tools not only improved productivity but also improved overall teamwork. Every company prefers different tools, but I can say without a doubt that our software was the best at connecting goals with the work needed to achieve them. 

Example 14: Social introduction

Now, more than ever, professionals are choosing to meet virtually rather than face-to-face. Whether you’re chatting over LinkedIn or have a virtual meeting set up, it’s important to make your pitch personal and use clear visuals to help sell your point. Here’s a great example of a social media pitch. 

Thanks for connecting! I noticed that your competitors are outperforming you when it comes to year-over-year growth. I took the liberty of doing a competitive analysis and didn’t find any outlying problems. I’m wondering if it could be an issue with productivity. How has the transition to remote work been? If you’re interested, I could run you through some productivity figures if you were to add project management tools to your current processes. 

Example 15: Entrepreneurs and business owners

Pitching to a business owner is much different than pitching to an executive. They can be harder to sell because they are often hesitant about new investments. The most important tip is to use examples as they pertain to the business when explaining a problem and solution.  

I love your products at Apollo Enterprises. I’m a huge proponent of your mission. I did realize that there may be some opportunities to improve productivity and collaboration internally. Have you ever considered project management software? I think it could have a big impact on business growth now or even down the road. 

4 tips to perfect your elevator pitch

In addition to creating the perfect elevator pitch, you should also work on sprucing up your delivery. There’s nothing worse than sitting through a boring speech, so make sure yours is anything but. From posture to tone, there’s a lot you can practice to make sure you look professional and knowledgeable. Consider these four tips when trying to nail a successful elevator pitch. 

1. Stick to your outline

To prevent getting off-topic, it’s important to stick to your outline at least to some extent. While you don’t need to recite it word for word, it’s best to memorize the majority of your pitch. That way you won’t need to worry about checking your notes. 

2. Speak slowly and clearly

Many professionals tend to talk quickly when they’re nervous—hey, we’re only human. But it’s important to enunciate and speak slowly so the audience can understand you. This is especially important when presenting over video chat. But try not to slow yourself down too much or you’ll go over your allotted time. 

3. Record your pitch

Record yourself reciting the pitch to work on any areas that need improvement. Practice your pitch a handful of times by playing the recording back and working out any pain points. A couple of key areas to focus on are speed and tone. It’s better to sound overly energized rather than monotone. 

4. Practice, practice, practice!

There’s nothing more effective than practicing your pitch until you’re able to recite it in your sleep. If possible, practice in front of friends and family to get constructive feedback on how you can make your pitch even better. Even if you have years of experience, you can never go wrong with being overly prepared. 

Elevate your first impression with an elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is a chance to show off your strengths and pitch your solutions. While it may sound nerve-wracking, using the 15 elevator pitch examples above will help you develop your own method using personal tidbits that tie into your innovative solutions.

While your pitch is an important part of leveling up your business, there are many avenues you can take to achieve growth. One of those ways is by determining whether project management vs. work management tools are right for your team. Not only will they help connect your team members, but the right tools and software can also help your organization set strategic goals. That means more time spent on bigger projects to help your business reach next-level growth. 

Related resources

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What is management by objectives (MBO)?

Write better AI prompts: A 4-sentence framework

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How to Create an Elevator Pitch With Examples

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BY   ALISON DOYLE  | Updated January 27, 2021 | 6-minute read Source:  The Balance Careers

What’s an elevator pitch, and how can it help your career? An elevator pitch—also known as an elevator speech—is a quick synopsis of your background and experience. The reason it’s called an elevator pitch is that it should be short enough to present during a brief elevator ride.

This speech is all about you: who you are, what you do, and what you want to do (if you’re job hunting).

💡  Tip:  Your elevator pitch is a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively with people who don’t know you.

Done right, this short speech helps you introduce yourself to career and business connections in a compelling way. It can help you build your network, land a job, or connect with new colleagues on your first day of work.

When and How to Use an Elevator Speech

If you’re job searching, you can use your elevator pitch at job fairs and career expos, and online in your LinkedIn summary or Twitter bio, for example. An elevator speech is a great way to gain confidence in introducing yourself to hiring managers and company representatives.

You can also use your elevator pitch to introduce yourself at  networking events  and mixers. If you’re attending professional association programs and activities, or any other type of gathering, have your pitch ready to share with those you meet.

Your elevator pitch can be used during  job interviews , especially when you’re asked about yourself. Interviewers often begin with the question, “ Tell me about yourself ” — think of your elevator pitch as a super-condensed version of your response to that request.

What to Say

Your elevator speech should be brief . Restrict the speech to 30-60 seconds. You don’t need to include your entire work history and career objectives. Your pitch should be a short recap of who you are and what you do.

You need to be persuasive.  Even though it’s a short pitch, your elevator speech should be compelling enough to spark the listener’s interest in your idea, organization, or background.

Share your skills.  Your elevator pitch should explain who you are and what qualifications and  skills  you have. Try to focus on assets that add value in many situations. This is your chance to brag a bit — avoid sounding boastful, but do share what you bring to the table.

Practice, practice, practice.  The best way to feel comfortable about giving an elevator speech is to practice it until the speed and “pitch” come naturally, without sounding robotic. You will get used to varying the conversation as you practice doing so. The more you practice, the easier it will be to deliver it when you’re at a career networking event or job interview.

💡  Tip:  Practice giving your speech to a friend or recording it. This will help you know whether you’re keeping within the time limit and giving a coherent message.

Be positive and flexible.  You often aren’t interviewing for a specific position when you deliver your pitch, so you want to appear open-minded and flexible. Don’t lead with the stuff you’d rather not be doing. (For example, if you don’t want to travel a lot for work, that’s completely legitimate – but you needn’t volunteer that information right off the bat.) This is your chance to make a great first impression with a potential employer. Don’t waste it.

Mention your goals.  You don’t need to get too specific. An overly targeted goal isn’t helpful since your pitch will be used in many circumstances, and with many different types of people. But do remember to say what you’re looking for. For instance, you might say, “a role in accounting” or “an opportunity to apply my sales skills to a new market” or “to relocate to San Francisco with a job in this same industry.”

Know your audience, and speak to them.  In some cases, using jargon can be a powerful move — it demonstrates your industry knowledge. But be wary of using jargon during an elevator pitch, particularly if you’re speaking to recruiters, who may find the terms unfamiliar and off-putting. Keep it simple and focused.

Have a business card ready.  If you have a business card, offer it at the end of the conversation as a way to continue the dialog. If you don’t, you could offer to use your smartphone to share your contact information. A copy of your  resume , if you’re at a job fair or a professional networking event, will also demonstrate your enthusiasm and preparedness.

What Not to Say and Do During Your Elevator Speech

Don’t speak too fast.  Yes, you only have a short time to convey a lot of information. But don’t try to fix this dilemma by speaking quickly. This will only make it hard for listeners to absorb your message.

Avoid rambling.  This is why it’s so important to practice your elevator speech. While you don’t want to over-rehearse, and subsequently sound stilted, you also don’t want to have unfocused or unclear sentences in your pitch, or get off-track. Give the person you’re talking to an opportunity to interject or respond.

Don’t frown, or speak in a monotone way.  Here’s one of the downsides to rehearsing: it can leave you more focused on remembering the exact words you want to use, and less on how you’re carrying yourself. Keep your energy level high, confident, and enthusiastic.

💡  Tip:  Modulate your voice to keep listeners interested, keep your facial expression friendly, and smile.

Don’t restrict yourself to a single elevator pitch.  Maybe you’re interested in pursuing two fields — public relations and content strategy. Many of your communication skills will apply to both those fields, but you’ll want to tailor your pitch depending on who you are speaking to. You may also want to have a more casual, personal pitch prepared for social settings.

Elevator Pitch Examples

Use these examples as guidelines in crafting your own elevator pitch. Make sure your speech includes details on your background, as well as what you’d provide an employer with:

• I recently graduated from college with a degree in communications. I worked on the college newspaper as a reporter, and eventually, as the editor of the arts section. I’m looking for a job that will put my skills as a journalist to work.
• I have a decade’s worth of experience in accounting, working primarily with small and midsize firms. If your company is ever in need of an extra set of hands, I’d be thrilled to consult.
• My name is Bob, and after years of working at other dentists’ offices, I’m taking the plunge and opening my own office. If you know anyone who’s looking for a new dentist, I hope you’ll send them my way!
• I create illustrations for websites and brands. My passion is coming up with creative ways to express a message, and drawing illustrations that people share on social media.
• I’m a lawyer with the government, based out of D.C. I grew up in Ohio, though, and I’m looking to relocate closer to my roots, and join a family-friendly firm. I specialize in labor law and worked for ABC firm before joining the government.
• My name is Sarah, and I run a trucking company. It’s a family-owned business, and we think the personal touch makes a big difference to our customers. Not only do we guarantee on-time delivery, but my father and I personally answer the phones, not an automated system.

🔎Key Takeaways

KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET:  Your elevator speech is a sales pitch. Be sure you can deliver your message in 60 seconds or less.

FOCUS ON THE ESSENTIALS:  Say who you are, what you do, and what you want to achieve.

BE POSITIVE AND PERSUASIVE:  Your time is limited. Focus on what you want to do, not what you don’t want to do. Be upbeat and flexible.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE:  Deliver your speech to a friend or record it, so that you can be sure that your message is clear.

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

Elevator Speech [Outline + 13 Examples]

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Capturing your background, skills, and objectives into a short and clever elevator speech can be difficult. How do you know what to keep and what to leave out? How do you make an impression in such a short time?

Standing out with your elevator speech doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little practice, you’ll gain confidence in introducing yourself at a job interview, career fair, and, of course, on an elevator ride! Here’s a quick guide to help you craft the perfect pitch along with several elevator speech examples.

In this article:

Tips for Creating a Good Elevator Speech

A sample elevator speech outline, checklist for fine-tuning, elevator speech examples.

The elements that make up a great elevator speech outline are pretty straightforward. You need to describe who you are, what you do, and what your goal is. While the elevator speech template stays the same whether you’re speaking with a potential employer or a sales prospect, you might add other elements to match your unique situation.

Here are a few tips for crafting your personal elevator pitch:

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• Keep it 30 to 60 seconds long.
• Use persuasive speech to spark your listener’s interest.
• Showcase your qualifications or skills.
• For a sales pitch, try starting with an open-ended question.
• Describe who you help and what problem you aim to help them solve.
• Be ready to customize your speech to fit your target audience.

Whether you’re a business owner preparing for a networking event or a job seeker attending a job fair, you can benefit from perfecting a succinct and effective elevator pitch. A go-to elevator speech comes in handy when you’re introducing yourself to new people in general. Have a business card on hand and ready to deliver as well.

Your elevator speech can also provide the right content for social media bios or a resume objective statement. This statement represents your personal brand, so keep it consistent across all social media channels.

Be sure to practice your elevator statement over and over so that you’re able to deliver it naturally, even in a moment’s notice. If you’re stumped for ideas, draw from the elevator speech examples listed below.

This model suggestion plan assists you to avoid creating a sales pitch. It must be  from  your mouth and supporting body language gestures, and  about  your skills and abilities. Use each idea to write one short powerful sentence.

The 10 speech topics I will explicate right now in the next paragraphs are primers to write a carefully planned and prepared presentation that grabs attention and says a lot in a few words.

Remember: tweak till it fits your personality and decisive nature.

ABOUT YOU 1. Smile to your counterpart, and open with a statement or question that grabs attention: a  hook  that prompt your listener to ask questions. 2. Tell who you are: describe you and your company. 3. Tell what you do and show enthusiasm.

WHAT DO YOU OFFER 4. Tell what problems have solved or contributions you have made. 5. Offer a vivid example. 6. Tell why you are interested in your listener.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS 7. Tell what very special service, product or solutions you can offer him or her. 8. What are the advantages of working with you? In what do you differ from competative companies?

HOW DO YOU DO IT 9. Give a concrete example or tell a short story, show your uniqueness and provide illustrations on how you work.

CALL FOR ACTION 10. What is the most wanted response? Do you want a business card, a referral or an  corporate appointment for a presentation after your elevator speech ?

OTHER BUSINESS QUESTIONS

These are other points, questions and business subjects you could ask:

• Who is your target?
• How large is your market volume?
• How do you make profits?
• What are the background, major milestones and achievements of your team?
• Who are your competitors, how do they solve a problem? What is your strength and advantage compared to them? What is your Unique Selling Proposition?
• Are there special patents or technology? Do you have a special approach in client management? And so on.

STEP 1: First write down all that comes up in your mind.

STEP 2: Then cut the jargon and details. Make strong short and powerful sentences. Eliminate unnecessary words.

STEP 3: Connect phrases to each other. Your elevator speech address has to flow natural and smoothly. Do not rush, keep eye contact all the time and work steady to the grande finale: the call to action.

STEP 4: Memorize key points and practice out loud – test it with a close relative in the safe environment of your home.

STEP 5: Have you really answered  the  key question of your listener:  What’s In It For Me?

STEP 6: Create different versions for different business situations of your elevator speech. Note them on professional business cards:

Perfect your own elevator presentation by learning from others. Here are a few effective elevator pitch examples to help you craft your own:

1. Job Seeker Elevator Pitch Example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH0Thez9gvA

You run into all kinds of people at the elevator, even a hiring manager. This sample elevator speech is a good example for those looking for a job interview. It shows how you can highlight your skills and experience even when you’re caught off guard. Notice how she also has a business card ready?

“I’m excited to hear back because the position helps me to use my brand management and social media skills…”

2. Recent Graduate Great Elevator Pitch

This is an excellent example for those who recently graduated with a bachelor degree in business. Notice that she states exactly what she’s looking for – an internship or job opportunity. In just 41 seconds, she states her experience, skills, and some good details about her personality that make her the perfect job candidate.

“I hope to incorporate my business knowledge into consumer trend analysis and strengthening relationships among consumers…”

3. College Student Personal Elevator Speech

This college freshman opens with her interest in the company. She states her major and reflects on high school experiences, also sharing relevant awards she has won for her skills.

“I’ve gotten awards for my leadership skills and I’m very involved with my college…”

4. Personal Brand Elevator Pitch Template

This college graduate pitches his personal brand through stating the skills he acquired in his education, the type of job he is looking for, and why he wants to work in that type of job. He offers a good mix of talking about his own experience while also focusing on how he’ll help clients. He ends his speech with the call to action of directing his audience to his website.

“I strive to lead a team on various projects one day.”

5. Personal Brand Pitch with a Personal Touch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_paOrg5Zpg

Video pitches are becoming increasingly popular for those looking to connect with brands online. This college student’s personal brand sales pitch stands out because it opens and closes with inspirational music. She explains her personal promise and future plans to receive her master degree.

“I promise to always bring positivity to the table and to remain hard working and dedicated no matter what the task.”

6. Business Plan Effective Elevator Speech

This example is perfect for a small business owner looking to pitch a product. The speaker opens with a compelling situation that appeals to his target market, offers his solution and details the features and benefits, announces his promise, and states his objective – all in 51 seconds.

“Don’t let frost bite your buns. Get the hot seat!”

7. Small Business Elevator Speech Sample

Opening with an interesting fact of how much Americans spend on fishing each year, the speaker follows up with an open-ended question to immediately grab audience attention from her target market. This is a great example of a sales pitch to investors, as the speaker outlines her plan for marketing her product and making their ROI (Return on Investment).

“Our goal is to revolutionize the economics of fishing in favor of the customer.”

8. Financial Advisor Elevator Speech

Ron Coleman explains who he is as a financial advisor, who he works for, and what exactly he helps his clients do. Additionally, he explains the type of people who benefit from his services.

“I’m confident that if given the opportunity I can provide you with the service and the coverage you need in order to protect your business, you, and your family from a variety of different risks.”

9. The Career Fair Elevator Pitch

This funny elevator speech example is the perfect model for a job seeker attending a job fair. The speaker highlights the importance of expressing interest in the company by acknowledging their work and asking a related open-ended question. Of course, lead with your own experience and skills that are relevant to the company representative whom you’re speaking with.

“I read on your website that you are the only company that has increased efficiency by employing mannequins. Can you tell me a bit more about that process?”

10. Good Elevator Speech for Speed Networking

This example from a holistic marketing mentor shows how you can sum up who you are, what you do, and the people you can help in one quick and savvy sentence.

“I help wellness professionals find additional revenue streams so that they can help more people and live a life of ease and grace.”

11. Extreme Sale Pitch Example with Iron Man Jericho Missile Test Scene

Sure, you might not ever get the opportunity to pitch a missile system, but you can take away a lot from Robert Downey Jr.’s confidence as Iron Man. Notice how he opens with a thought-provoking question, offers his guarantee, and humbly ends with a bonus.

“That’s how Dad did it, that’s how America did it, and it’s worked out pretty well so far.”

12. Don Draper’s Funny but Effective Sales Pitch

This funny elevator speech example shows the importance of using a tagline for your personal brand.

“From a basket of kisses she picks one. It makes her unique. It colors her kiss. And her kiss, well, it colors her man. Mark your man.”

13. Real Estate Elevator Speech Example

This is the perfect elevator pitch example for real estate agents. Stacy talks about what she specializes in and highlights her experience in the real estate industry.

“If you know of someone who is looking for a real estate agent in the metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri area that is professional, knowledgeable, and technologically savvy, that’s me!”

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The Elevator Pitch: How to Master Your Own (+ 7 Real Elevator Pitch Examples to Learn From)

Think back to a time when a salesperson cold-approached you, and you actually kept talking to them (or even bought something). Did they stumble or seem unsure of themselves?

I doubt it. They most likely recited a short speech they’d practiced hundreds of times— their elevator pitch .

Somehow, they piqued your interest, either by demonstrating value or speaking to a pain point that mattered to you. That’s no coincidence. Without a doubt, they’ve refined that short speech to be so effective that you took the time to listen.

Whether you’re in sales, looking for a new job, or trying to get people interested in your latest business venture, refining your elevator pitch can literally change your life. 

In this guide, we’ll teach you what to include in your elevator pitch, how to master the delivery of that short elevator speech, and break down real-life examples of successful elevator pitches you can borrow from. 

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short speech that concisely describes an idea that you’re selling. The idea could be a product or service, an investment opportunity, or your own skill set. It should clearly explain your value proposition in 30 seconds, which is about the time you’d have on an elevator ride. 

Elevator pitches need to accomplish three fundamental things:

• Point out a need
• Show how you can uniquely solve it
• Provide a tangible next step

Here’s a basic example of an elevator pitch you could use if you were selling dent repair to people who have dents in their cars at gas stations (this has been used on me before):

When Would You Use an Elevator Speech?

Elevator pitches (sometimes called elevator speeches) can work for many situations, and they’ll change based on who you’re talking to and what you’re selling them. You might have multiple elevator pitches for different aspects of your life or job. You can even have an elevator pitch to get your kids to eat their vegetables (although your success rate might be lower than normal). 

Here, we’ll focus on three situations that most people design elevator pitches for:

• When you’re a sales professional selling products or services: Whether cold calling, emailing, talking to prospects at trade shows, or being introduced to new referrals, first impressions are key for sales pros. A great elevator pitch is adaptable to different buyer personas , so you can pitch your product in a compelling way, no matter who you’re talking to.
• When pitching your business or startup idea to investors: It’s not easy to get financing for a small business or startup. The first time you’re standing in front of potential investors, you need to prove there is a real market need, and that your product or service can uniquely solve that problem. A succinct 30-second pitch can also sell your business to prospective customers or job candidates you want to hire.
• When you’re in a job interview: There aren’t many questions more unnerving than, “Tell me about yourself.” Being prepared with an elevator pitch that distills your work experience and the value you can bring to the company can make all the difference. The best elevator pitch for a job seeker can be used with recruiters, hiring managers, at career fairs, or even as your LinkedIn summary.

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What to Say in a Good Elevator Pitch: 4 Essential Elements

To create the perfect elevator pitch for any situation, you’ll need to iron out each of the four elements below.  

1. Introduction

People need to know two things: Who are you? And why should I care? 

Remember, this isn’t all about you—if possible, try to include the problem you solve right in your introduction.

In a sales call, you might introduce yourself with something like this: “Hi, I’m Tom Callahan, I represent Callahan Auto, the most reliable brake pad manufacturer in the midwest.” 

By throwing in a simple one-liner that demonstrates value, Tommy Boy here has upped his introduction game to the next level. Not only does he say who he is, but why they should care. 

If you’re going into a job search and want to add value to your intro, you could use some compelling past results, “Hi, I’m Tom Callahan, best known for saving my family’s auto parts company from bankruptcy.” 

Here, Tommy Boy doesn’t just introduce himself but lets the recruiter/hiring manager know why he’s valuable. 

2. Mission Statement

An effective elevator pitch requires not just memorizing your mission statement, but feeling it. An effective pitch can convey that feeling to others. For example, one of our mission statements at Close is “Never again should a startup fail because they couldn’t figure out sales.” If you worked for our sales team, you would integrate this into your pitch. Potential customers would know that your goal isn’t just to sell them something, but to help their business succeed. 

If you were pitching yourself for a job interview, you’d want to have a mission statement that clearly states the impact you want to make. For example, your mission statement could be “I want to use my connections and skills to help this company IPO” or “I want to help this company grow because the product and the culture inspire me.” 

3. Unique Selling Point

Now, it’s time to sell your solution. Your elevator pitch should explain why you or your company can not only solve a problem but also why you are uniquely qualified to do so. This is why it’s called a ‘unique’ selling point. 

If you’re a sales rep, think about the competitive advantages you have. What’s something you offer that your competitors can’t touch? 

For example, if you’re selling Coca-Cola to a convenience store chain and are competing with products like Pepsi and RC Cola (remember that?), you could say, “Coca-Cola is the original cola; it’s the flavor that people expect. Without it in your fountain, customers will be left settling for a knock-off.” The uniqueness here is the originality and dominance of Coke over the competition. It conveys satisfying customer demand in a way that the competition can’t.

Whether you’re at a job fair, trying to get investors for your startup, or selling products and services, always remember to sell in a way that makes you unique. This could be your experience, the results you’ve produced in the past, or what drives you to make a positive change. 

4. Call to Action

Now that you’re nearing the end of your 30 seconds, it’s time to wrap things up with a tangible next step, i.e., a call to action. 

This will again vary based on the situation. If you’re pitching yourself to a recruiter for a job, the call to action could be to ask for a formal interview. If you’re selling a product, it could be to offer a more in-depth product demo. 

Don’t ask for too much. Give them a bite-size call to action that’s easy to commit to. A 30-minute product demo, 15-minute needs assessment call, or 20-minute investor presentation are all reasonable call-to-actions that should follow a 30-second pitch. 

If you’re doing an in-person pitch, don’t forget to leave a business card so they have something to remember you by and your contact information.

Our Quick, Simple, and Direct Elevator Pitch Template

Now that we have the four elements nailed down, here’s a simple template you can use to put your pitch together. Note that this is a sales pitch template, but can be easily adjusted for other situations. 

This is truly just a base template for you to start with and get ideas flowing. Feel free to add a compelling stat or fact, a story element, or a leading question that piques interest in your offering. 

The more creative, the more you’ll stand out. 

How to Craft and Execute Your Elevator Pitch: 6 Tips for Success

Knowing what to put in your elevator pitch is just the start. Now, here are six tips to keep your audience’s attention and get them excited about what you’re offering.

1. Have a Conversation Starter Ready to Go

Having a relevant and noteworthy discussion topic in your back pocket can help make your pitch more compelling. Use something that piques their interest, such as a stat or fact that impacts their business. This compelling opener should naturally transition into your elevator pitch. 

2. Focus on One Clear Benefit

You don’t have the time to rattle off all the benefits you provide in 30 seconds. Instead, go all in on the strongest benefit you provide. For us here at Close, it’s helping our customers master the sales process . If you aren’t sure what this is, talk to your customers or look at your product’s online reviews. 

3. Use Numbers to Make It Real

In business, numbers are everything. Use a compelling number in your pitch that calls out an important pain point. For example: “80 percent of small businesses that don’t streamline their sales process fail within five years.” (I have no idea if that’s true, but you get the idea.)

4. Take a Breath and Speak Slowly

Speaking slowly and from your diaphragm rather than your throat conveys confidence. If you speak too quickly and from too high up in your throat, you sound either unsure of yourself or desperate. By calming yourself with a deep breath and speaking confidently, you put your best voice forward . 

Also, speaking slowly can help improve your overall body language, making you seem like a calm and trustworthy person rather than a shaky mess. 

5. Avoid Useless Jargon

The last thing you want is to stop your pitch and explain some obscure industry jargon (there go your 30 seconds). Worse, you don’t want to isolate your audience by speaking in a language they don’t understand. Don’t use jargon unless you’re 100 percent confident that they’ll understand it and that your pitch will be better for it. Otherwise, avoid it. 

6. Practice until You Can Recite This Elevator Pitch in Your Sleep

You should literally be ready to give your elevator pitch to an important person in an elevator, just like the cliche. Practice and practice until you can recite your pitch hanging upside down with your eyes closed while monkeys throw rotten bananas at you. 

When I was in software sales, I recited my pitch so many times I could think about other stuff while saying it, kind of like when you read a page of your book but don’t remember it because you were thinking about something else. I’m not saying think of other stuff while reciting your pitch, but that is the level you should aim for. 

Source: SalesHigher

7 Elevator Pitch Examples From Real Humans You Can Learn From

To give you real-life examples of effective elevator pitches, I surveyed a group of small business owners and entrepreneurs, and the results were fantastic. Below, I’ll break down why these pitches work so you can take away some pointers to use on your own.  

Robert Kaskel, Chief People Officer, Checkr

Robert is an HR veteran for a prominent background check company with a ton of experience and notable clients. This is a pitch he could use at professional networking events or when talking to prospective new clients. 

Why this works:

• Robert’s introduction doesn’t just mention his title but also touts noteworthy clients. This lets you know his company is legit. 
• After the introduction, a pain point is introduced. This identifies a problem that the prospect may have. If they have this issue, they’ll keep listening. 
• His pitch demonstrates why his company is unique (built-in fairness/more human) and the impact it makes (vastly more efficient).

Gillian Dewar, Chief Financial Officer, Crediful  

Gillian’s pitch is for a personal finance site offering objective advice to help consumers pay down debt, learn to invest, and achieve their most important life goals.

• Gillian leads with a strong stat that her audience can relate to—it’s a great and empathetic conversation starter for someone struggling with their finances. 
• She differentiates her company from others by pointing out their mistakes, then makes her company unique and valuable by offering simplicity and trust. 
• It ends with giving her prospect hope for a better future, which is what they need most in their financial life. 

Marshal Davis , President, Ascendly Marketing

Marshal is the President of a digital marketing agency with over a decade of experience running and managing small to medium-sized enterprises.

• When introducing the company, Marshal delivers a strong value statement and clear benefits, which would get his ideal customers to listen. 
• He calls out ‘vanity metrics,’ i.e., meaningless data points that don’t deliver ROI, which is something many companies can relate to. 
• He provides a valuable free offer and mentions that he wants to ‘prove our worth,’ which humbles his company and shows that he is willing to earn their trust. 
• The ending reiterates the pain point that too many companies face and then demonstrates how he will solve that. 

Emma Zerner , Co-Founder & Content Strategist, Icecartel

Emma is the Co-founder and Content Strategist for a prominent e-commerce website specializing in jewelry. She has mastered the art of crafting compelling narratives for her brand. 

• As a whole, this pitch speaks very well to a specific persona that wants elegant, timeless jewelry. 
• It provides a strong mission statement, “We bring artistry and craftsmanship to the digital realm.” In the two sentences of the intro and the mission statement, you can identify what this company is all about. 
• Their unique selling proposition is catering to people who want to invest in an experience and view jewelry differently. In truth, not everyone fits their buyer persona, but for those who do, this hits home. 

Simon Hughes , Founder & Creative Director, Design & Build Co.

Simon’s agency helps eCommerce brands in the fashion, luxury, and beauty sectors enhance their online visibility through social media.

Note that this is the elevator pitch that Simon uses for prospective clients at networking events. 

• He starts with a great conversation starter that may take people aback for a second, and then they realize he’s talking about their brand. Nice! 
• He identifies a problem that his ideal customers may not have solved yet, which is moving beyond advertising to creating a brand identity that identifies with real people.  
• He shows how his company uniquely solves the problem by making clear promises and delivering on them. He also mentions building trust, which his customers need.
• It finishes with a clear and easy call to action. It doesn’t take a whole lot for prospects to say yes. 

Brian Nagele, CEO, Restaurant Clicks

Brian is a former restauranteur who went on to start Restaurant Clicks, an agency that does digital marketing for the food industry. 

• He leads with a strong conversation starter and pain point. Many restaurant owners will be able to relate to this. 
• Brian points out why his agency is unique compared to those other ones who have ‘never laid their hands on a chef’s knife.’ He is someone they can relate to and trust. 
• He finishes by providing value by sharing his expertise and growing his prospect's business. 

Samantha Odo, a Real Estate Representative for Precondo

Samantha showcases her dedication and expertise when pitching potential clients for her Canadian real estate agent business. 

• The intro shows that she’s a local and an expert, both of which convey trust to potentially nervous buyers. 
• Her uniqueness comes from her abundant knowledge and experience, plus her proven track record. Getting real estate clients is all about trust and she continues to build it here. 
• In the end, she states the outcome she will provide (an informed decision) and invites the prospect to achieve their goals with her—an inspirational and non-pushy call to action. 

Our Elevator Pitch to You (I Mean, We Couldn’t Not)

Whether you’re a salesperson, small business owner, or startup founder, you’re going to be delivering a ton of elevator pitches. How you manage, record, and follow up on those pitches is equally important to how you deliver them. If you don’t have a system for tracking your efforts, they are doomed to fail. 

Close is the perfect customer relationship management tool (CRM) for sales teams, small businesses , and startups to track all the information on who they’re delivering elevator pitches to, the opportunity those pitches create, and when you need to follow up. It’s built to help businesses like yours master the game of sales. 

Learn more about how Close can be the fast, modern, and simple CRM that your business needs.

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9 Steps to the Perfect Elevator Pitch

You need a memorable answer to “What do you do?”. Your elevator pitch tells people who you are and why they should care. Here’s how to do it.

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How do you answer the question “What do you do?” 

Everyone should have an answer that is authentic, impactful, and non-boring. 

Here’s the problem: Most of us aren’t confident talking about what we do and why it matters.

I’m here to help.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• how to craft a perfect elevator pitch to land jobs and become memorable
• the best elevator pitches (with examples)
• a step-by-step guide on what to do in the elevator (or career fair/event/etc.)

Let’s dive in.

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a 20–30 second speech that showcases your unique talents and what you have to offer. The goal of an elevator pitch is to make the person you are talking to want to meet up for a second conversation.

An amazing elevator pitch should get people interested in you. Ideally, it will end with you giving your contact info, handing over your business card, or connecting on LinkedIn.

Here’s what an elevator pitch is NOT:

• a sleazy pitch to get someone to buy your product
• a plea to get a job offer
• telling your life story in half a minute
• desperate, unclear, or confusing

How Long Should an Elevator Pitch Be?

The sweet spot for an elevator pitch is anywhere between 10 seconds to a minute. Elevator pitches should be brief, memorable, and leave the prospect wanting to know more.

The Elevator Pitch Myth

Writer Peter Denning and his coauthor, Bob Dunham, conducted an experiment to find out if elevator pitches actually work. They enlisted the help of successful small business CEOs and asked them to give their elevator pitch to 2 random listeners.

And the results were shocking. The CEOs flopped at pitching their own businesses!

Their elevator pitches completely failed—feedback was mostly negative, and the listeners were not engaged at all.

But how could top CEOs fail at pitching their own businesses? Denning and Dunham had to find out.

They ran the same test again but with different groups this time. Like in the first experiment, the first couple of CEOs ran their pitch and got so-so feedback. But then Denning decided to test something different—he decided to turn the “pitch” into a conversation. Like this:

• Listener: Your turn.
• Peter: Before we start… are you interested in innovation?
• Listener: You bet. If my business does not come up with an innovative idea soon, we’ll be gone.
• Peter: I’m writing a book on how to succeed at innovation. Would you be interested in talking about it at lunch?
• Listener: Sure thing! But let’s get back to our work. What is your offer?
• Peter: I just made it.

And with that, Denning reinvented the elevator pitch, which the other CEOs failed at doing.

An amazing elevator pitch isn’t about giving a presentation. It’s about having a genuine conversation with someone.

It turns out, the CEOs were trying to spew out information about their businesses—how their businesses operated, what the sales numbers looked like, all that jazz.

But in reality, this doesn’t work. People don’t want information—they want connection.

So if your elevator pitch is fluid, conversational, and natural, your prospect is much more likely to want to meet up with you again than if it’s 100% information. They’ll understand you better, feel great after your pitch, and relate to you as a person.

How to Write The Perfect Elevator Pitch

Writing an elevator pitch is simple. Remember, sometimes it’s more about how you say your elevator pitch than what you say. Studies show the world’s greatest leaders use 2.9 times more appeals to emotion than logic.

With that in mind, here’s my “Delicious” Framework to craft an unforgettable elevator pitch:

#1. The Appetizer

First, grab a pen and paper and write down one line that describes you best.

Yep. Just ONE line.

I call this line the Appetizer. The purpose of the appetizer is to try to condense your entire pitch into one succinct sentence that answers the question: Who are you?

If you’re having trouble, think about what makes you unique compared to others. Try not to focus too much on the details—focus on a catchy, creative tagline that immediately makes others want to know more.

You can start with who you are, an interesting fact or statistic about your career, or even a conversation starter . Go with something that resonates!

My Appetizer: “Hi, I’m Vanessa and I’m a recovering awkward person.”

This is a go-to appetizer because it immediately creates question-asking opportunities: How was I an awkward person? How did I recover? What do I do now?

Some other examples of catchy, interesting one-liners:

• “I help 9th graders discover the magic of books.”
• “I’m a momtrepreneur.”
• “I’m a psychologist-turned-author.”

#2. Meat & Potatoes

Obviously, we’re not going to stop at the appetizer.

Next, we’re going to expand our one-liner with the Meat and Potatoes. Take your appetizer line and expand upon it:

• What is your mission statement? What is your WHY for your business or personal goals?
• What problems do you solve? Who’s your target audience, and what solutions do you bring to the table?
• How do you stand out? Do you have any USPs (unique selling points) or other characteristics that are different from your competitors’?
• What’s your unique process/workflow/product that makes you stand out from your competitors?

You can make this part as long or as short as you like. Don’t overthink it, as we’ll come back later and clean this part up.

Jot down as many relevant pieces of information as you’d like to include in your elevator pitch. Here’s my short and sweet edition…

My Meat and Potatoes: “I love helping people sound more confident, control their body and language to better express their ideas, and build stronger relationships. Throughout my work, I’ve been able to train thousands of students and change their lives forever. I’m so happy to help people feel just a little less awkward in their lives—now they can call themselves recovering awkward people too!”

#3. The Dessert

Finally, let’s take your expanded work and wrap it up with a question or call to action.

Since you’re likely going to be giving your pitch in a conversational manner, you want to ask a question to get to know them (remember how we hinted at empathy before?). For example, if your business is a project management company, you can ask something like: “What’s your biggest project management pain point?”

Or you can simply hand them your business card with the next steps to connect again.

My Dessert: “Do you ever feel a little awkward at times, or is that just me?”

#4. Your Spark Line

OK, so you’ve got your basic pitch ready. Now for the juicy part—time to add a Spark Line.

Your spark line is the major “wow” moment of your pitch. It can be a highlight that shows why you’re unique, a critical piece of information people wouldn’t guess just by looking at you, or something else that makes you stand out.

Your spark line is the most memorable part of your pitch.

Perhaps your spark line is already in your pitch. Whatever the case, make sure you have one big memorable point in your pitch—one that people will remember when they think back to you.

How do you know what part of your elevator pitch is the spark line?

Pitch your family and friends! Then ask them a couple of hours later what the most memorable line from your speech was. The phrase they remember the most will most likely be your spark line.

For example, I noticed that whenever I shared a meat and potatoes idea—“I love helping technically brilliant folks improve their people skills. I teach soft skills in a hard-skills way of thinking.”—people lit up! Now I always add it.

#5. Cut & Run

Time to turn on your editing brain.

Cut sentences that are too long or unclear, add in unique dopamine-boosting words or phrases, and change it up so it sounds more natural. It’s OK if you spend most of your time here or have a case of writer’s block—to avoid over-editing, set a timer for, say, 7 minutes, and whatever’s left, run with it.

Take your pitch and practice it—then refine it along the way!

Try to CUT any words that are confusing or unclear. (If someone needs a dictionary, cut it!)

Try to ADD words that get people excited or intrigued. (If someone raises their eyebrows at you, it means they are interested.)

Want extra help? Share your unique elevator pitch with the world! Leave a comment down below and ask the internet what they think.

#6. Practice

Time to record your pitch.

Grab your phone or camera gear and record your elevator pitch. Make sure you aren’t repeating any words, adding extra “uhs” and “hmms”, or coming off as too awkward or salesy.

If your elevator pitch is too long or short, check your cadence—are you talking too fast or is your pitch too long?

Pro Tip: Practice a lot, ideally with someone who knows you and your speaking style. Ask for feedback too. Do you sound natural? Is your elevator pitch conversational and free-flowing?

Fun Tip: Try watching Shark Tank pitches. Their pitches are a bit longer, but most entrepreneurs have amazing pitches that have been crafted to a T.

So you wrote your elevator pitch. Now what?

You can have the best pitch out there, but how you say it is often more important than what’s said. Here’s how to deliver an elevator pitch the charismatic way:

#7. Use Confident Body Language

First impressions matter. The key to setting up a great first impression is to set the tone yourself. Do you want to be friendly and approachable? Professional and calm? Cheerful and happy?

Your few seconds or minutes mean it’s crucial to deliver how you want to be perceived. Along with the right tone, keep in mind these critical body language cues:

• Strong eye contact . Making strong eye contact is a proven dopamine booster (i.e., really good for building trust!). Don’t overdo it—about 70–80% of the time is a good amount to be making eye contact.
• Open torso . When facing your prospect, you’ll ideally want to face them straight on with your torso open and turned toward them. This is called fronting. When you front, your arms are not crossed over your chest, and ideally there’s not a chair between you two to block you.
• Strong voice . If you’ve got some prep time, I strongly recommend trying some vocal warm-ups to optimize your voice. My favorite is the Goog exercise—you’ll be amazed at how much more confident you feel and sound after these warm-ups!
• The handshake . Are you planning on shaking hands? If you fail to give a handshake—or worse, give a cold, clammy one—then it can break all chances of nailing your elevator pitch.

The key is to make sure your body language is warm and open. Think hanging out with a good friend rather than talking to a stranger or enemy. Keep this in mind and your body language will naturally open up.

#8. Don’t Forget About Rapport

Sometimes you are making small talk with someone before they ask what you do. In fact, if you have been building rapport and having a great conversation, people are more likely to ask what you do.

Keep your conversation authentic. The more you connect with someone emotionally—by having fun, laughing, and showing some personality—the more they will want to meet up again with you later.

“But Vanessa, I don’t have social skills!”

Don’t worry! If you’re struggling to find the right words to say or topics to talk about, there are simple tips and tricks to help you get far:

• Learn to be funny . You don’t need to be a comedian—learn how to be funny using the rule of 3s, character switch, and real-life stories.
• Hold a conversation. What happens if your elevator pitch goes beyond a couple of minutes? I used to be terrible at having conversations, until I learned these conversational tricks.
• How to end a conversation. You can use your elevator pitch in pretty much any situation—so here’s the perfect resource for you to find that perfect ending (without being awkward!).

#9. End Well

After your conversation is over, you’ll want an easy way to meet up later. Try giving your own business card to them—and if you don’t have one, I have an article all about creating them here .

If you’ve got a couple of minutes to spare, you can also swap LinkedIn profiles (make sure your professional profile is up to date with these LinkedIn tips ).

I always like to end a conversation with something like:

• “It’s been great talking to you, let’s keep in touch.”
• “This has been fun, let’s connect on social media.”
• “Thank you for such a lovely conversation. Let’s do it again next week over coffee?”

Avoid these Common Elevator Pitch Mistakes

Great! Now you’re properly set up—but before we dive into how to deliver elevator pitches below, let’s look at 3 common mistakes I often see when people give their elevator pitches:

Don’t Overpolish

Entrepreneur Seth Godin says the best elevator pitch isn’t polished or memorized, like a college final exam.

It’s natural and sporadic, like chatting up a good friend you haven’t seen in months.

And this is where I see many of my students overdoing it—they’ve practiced their pitch so much that they lose their natural charm. Their pitch isn’t enthusiastic. And they start sounding more robotic. How boring!

Elevator Pitch Quick Tip: Ditch the script and go au naturel! I highly recommend NOT memorizing your pitch word for word. Simply remember the main BIG points you want to cover so that you sound more natural. Every time you give your elevator pitch, your brain won’t automatically “shut off” since you still have to “create” the words on the spot. You’ll sound more engaging. You’ll be more excited. And best of all, you won’t put your prospect to sleep.

Don’t Freeze

Got a bad case of stage fright? You’re not alone! Nearly 30% of Americans report that they’re “afraid or very afraid” of public speaking. When it comes to giving an elevator speech, you might not have enough prep time to do your vocal warm-ups or power pose.

Elevator Pitch Quick Tip: So what do you do if you run into the president of a famous company all of a sudden?

ALWAYS be prepared.

Not over-practiced, but over-prepared.

It might not get rid of your stage fright completely, but being prepared may greatly help your anxiety and give you that confidence boost you need during these crucial minutes. You can also work on your stage presence if you have time before your pitch.

Don’t be a Salesman

How many times have you heard the advice “Sell yourself”? I don’t use this phrase because you NEVER want to come off as a salesperson when giving an elevator pitch (unless you’re aiming for a sales role!).

And if you try too hard to be pushy, you might just ruin your first impression. So what do you do instead?

Elevator Pitch Quick Tip: Employ empathy. When you empathize with someone (yes, even a stranger), you’ll be more considerate of their needs and desires. And you won’t be hard-pressed to sell someone your product if they don’t even want it. To employ empathy, check out our article on how to cultivate compassion .

Elevator Pitch Examples

Some of our amazing readers submitted their elevator pitches for me to review and for us all to learn from. Thank you! I reviewed some reader-submitted pitches to give us all an opportunity to learn what to do… and what not to do.

Johnn the website analyst

“Hi! My name is Johnn and I’m a website analyst. I study the traffic on your website and find out where your website is leaving money on the table, where it’s losing leads, and what opportunities it’s missing to attract and engage your customers. The website data won’t tell us why people do what they do on your site, but it does tell us the story of what they do and how they do it. And I think this is an important and interesting story for your business to understand.”

Johnn’s Elevator Pitch Positives:

• Enunciation: great enunciation, you can hear him clearly
• Cadence: not too fast or robotic-sounding
• Open torso: no crossed arms or legs, not hiding behind objects

Johnn’s Elevator Pitch Negatives:

• Lack of movement: no head or body movement
• Lack of hand gestures: use hand gestures to avoid looking robotic
• Needs a story: include the “why” part of your pitch

Marcelo the neurologist

“Hi, my name’s Marcelo. I’m from Brazil. I’m 41. I’m married and I have a daughter—she’s 6. I love to be with my family as much as possible. When I wake up, it’s difficult to find the reason to go ahead. But after coffee, my brain realizes it’s the good things around me—like my wife and daughter. I’m a neurologist and my practice revolves around private autopsy and public health.”

Marcelo’s Elevator Pitch Positives:

• Shows passion: Marcelo clearly leads in with what he loves, and his passion shows
• Slight head nodding: he reaffirms what’s important by nodding slightly
• Eyebrow flash: flashing the eyebrows nonverbally keeps people engaged

Marcelo’s Elevator Pitch Negatives:

• Needs emotion: Marcelo could add some emotion, especially when talking about things he cares about
• Hand gestures: adding in a hand-over-heart gesture can really show sympathy and sincerity
• Smiling: Marcelo could smile more, which helps build trust and would make his face more full of energy

Cameron the business improver

“Hello! My name is Cameron and I’m a senior at the University of Alabama. I’m majoring in management information systems and I have a minor in computing technology and applications and a specialty in business administration. What we do, in my major, is we’ll look at a business process and decide how to improve it. We take what they have and we merge our own ideas. We end up saving them so much money and making their lives so much easier. Ever since I was young, I’ve been doing this over and over again ever since I’ve started my own business. I truly love people and the satisfaction I get when helping them.”

Cameron’s Elevator Pitch Positives:

• Shows the palms: the more you can show your hands, the more honesty you convey and trust you earn
• Use of hand gestures: great use of gestures keeps us entertained and engaged

Cameron’s Elevator Pitch Negatives:

• Self-soothing gestures: hand clasping can come off as insecure or unconfident
• Monotonous: try using more vocal variation
• Mouthful of technical terms: try adding in humor to spice things up

Where to Use Your Elevator Pitch

Unfortunately, it’s not often people meet just the right person at just the right time in the elevator… except in the movies.

Besides the elevator, more popular places to use your pitch include:

• booths and trade shows
• networking events
• chance encounters
• the airport

Any time you have a few minutes to impress, you can break out your elevator pitch.

How to Give Your Pitch… When You’ve Only Got 1 Floor to Go

The best piece of advice I can give if you’ve literally got 5 seconds to impress is to drop the elevator pitch altogether and hand them your business card.

This is also why you should always carry around a spare business card or two in your back pocket if you’re a job seeker or business owner.

It also helps if you’ve got a quick one-liner you can say, like “I’d love to bring you to my favorite coffee shop in town,” after your brief intro. This will help you avoid sounding rushed but keep it short and simple while still offering a way for your prospect to connect with you.

Bonus: Tell Me About Yourself

For job interviews, one question that almost always pops up is “Tell me about yourself.”

This is basically the extended version of an elevator pitch.

And just like an elevator pitch, this question can either make or break a job opportunity. Learn to master your answer with my special framework: How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” in 3 Simple Steps .

Bonus #2: Talk to VIPs

Are you pitching a VIP, such as the president of a company or a senior manager?

I used to be deathly afraid of VIPs, until I learned how to talk to them. If you’re struggling to talk to VIPs, check out my article: How to Talk to VIPs: 8 Unique Tips To Conquer Awkwardness .

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1 thought on “9 steps to the perfect elevator pitch”.

Fabulous Content! Loved your Book Too!!! Taking good notes and practicing!

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The 15-Minute Method to Writing an Unforgettable Elevator Speech

Let’s start by getting one thing straight: Elevator speeches aren’t just for riding elevators anymore. And they’re not just for CEOs like me trying to pitch their companies, either.

They’re actually for anyone who needs to tell a story, leave an impression , or sell something as quickly and succinctly as possible—think 30 seconds or less. They’re great for networking events when you’re trying to give someone a brief snapshot of who you are. They’re great for that dreaded “Tell me about yourself” question in interviews . And when I sit down to chat with a potential friend, partner, or hire, I always appreciate someone who can hook me in with a concise, easy-to-understand description of who they are.

It’s not an easy feat, but with elevator pitches a little prep work goes a long way! Try this 15-minute exercise, and you’ll be that much closer to having a speech you can use time and time again.

Minutes 1-5: Write Down Everything You Want to Say About Yourself

The first step here is to get everything on paper so you understand what you’re working with. Take a blank sheet of paper, and write down every little thing you would want someone you’re meeting to know about you. Don’t feel the need to hold back here—I promise, we’re going to significantly edit it down later.

If you’re feeling stuck or aren’t great at bragging about yourself, try asking yourself questions like: What makes you different in your field? How do you stand out? What benefit would you like to bring to the world? If you’re making a career change , how do your current skills and experiences relate to where you want to be?

Minutes 6-10: Now, Write it on a Sticky Note

Now, what if you had to do the same exercise—with only the space of a square sticky note to work with? What would you prioritize? What would you decide isn’t that important for a first interaction? Look over your thoughts from the first five minutes and see where there are redundancies, what you want to keep, and what’s really not that important.

If you’re having a hard time paring it down, a good framework to use is to come up with a few sentences that answer these four questions:

• What do you do?
• Why does it matter?
• Why do you do it?
• What’s next?

So start with a short, descriptive explanation of what you do, like “I’m a writer for the technical products division of Acme Company,” and then take it a step further and think about how your work affects others. Perhaps it’s “I help translate technical specifications into easy-to-follow instructions that anyone can understand at home.”

Then try adding your reason for doing it, such as: “I love being able to distill something complex and full of jargon into simple, clear steps and help people master technology.” Finally, especially if you’re job searching or looking to gain something from the interaction, you should mention what’s next, à la “Now I’m looking to branch out and do consulting work so I can apply this expertise to many more companies and improve the understanding of technology around the world.”

Minutes 11-15: Speak it Out Loud

Before you land on a final elevator speech, you need to actually test it out—out loud. You want this to sound like something you would actually say in normal conversation, not like you’re obviously reciting something you carefully wrote.

One thing that this step will help weed out is jargon. I’m guessing you don’t say business catch phrases like “strategic insight” in your day-to-day conversations—and most people won’t know what that really means. It’s much more powerful to find a simple, straightforward way to describe your role. For instance, instead of “strategic insight” you might say, “help businesses identify new products they could create or customers they could serve.” Now, that’s much more natural, tangible, and understandable.

Once you have an elevator pitch you’re happy with, put the sticky note somewhere accessible like on your desk or in your wallet, look it over every day, and then start integrating it into your conversations! You may tweak it from time to time—I often will personalize mine according to who I’m talking to or based on new goals—but you’ll have a solid base to start from.

This article was sponsored by University of Phoenix . I’m a compensated contributor, but the thoughts and ideas are my own.

Photo of women in elevator courtesy of Shutterstock .

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Elevate Your Elevator Pitch With This 5-Step Framework You step into the elevator and find yourself alone with your dream client. The doors slide closed. You have 30 seconds. Could you intrigue them enough in those moments to make an impression that sparks interest?

By Wendy Shore Edited by Micah Zimmerman Jun 27, 2024

Key Takeaways

• An effective elevator pitch should be engaging, conversational, and under 60 seconds
• It should focus on clearly articulating the benefits and opportunities your solution provides while establishing a genuine connection with your audience

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

An elevator pitch is a brief, compelling introduction to who you are, what value you offer, and why it matters. It is often referred to as an elevator pitch because it should be short enough to be delivered within the time constraints of a single elevator ride, typically 30 to 60 seconds. While elevator pitches are often associated with entrepreneurship and selling ideas or products, they are broadly applicable. Whether you are networking, interviewing, meeting potential clients, introducing yourself at a conference — whenever you need to impress fast — having one locked and loaded gives you an advantage.

The elevator pitch is not designed to sell your product or service but to pique the other party's interest in continuing the conversation.

Related: Avoid These 7 Mistakes When Pitching Your Business

'SHORE' framework

Originally designed for my private coaching/consulting clients, the S-H-O-R-E framework is a surefire way to craft an attention-grabbing pitch and leave a lasting impression.

Let's dive into each framework component and explore how you can use it to create a pitch that resonates with your audience and compels them to take action.

S — Solution

The first step is to clearly identify the solution you provide and the benefits it offers to your target audience. Ask yourself, "What problem, challenge, or goal do I solve for my customers?" People pay attention to things that directly affect them, so it's crucial to define the specific struggle or desire you help address concisely.

Instead of focusing on the features of your product/service, emphasize the benefits and bring to life what your customer's reality looks like after engaging with you. While features and advantages may seem interchangeable, there is a key difference: a feature is an essential function of the goods or services offered, while a benefit is how that feature can improve the customer's life.

Once you've clearly articulated the solution and benefits you provide, the next step is to specify WHO you help and how you uniquely assist them. This is where you define your target audience and ideal client avatar, ensuring your message resonates with the people who need to hear it most.

When crafting your elevator pitch for your target audience, it is essential to be as specific as possible. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, focus on a particular niche (or market segment) most likely to benefit from your solution. By narrowing your focus, you can tailor your message to one that is more likely to resonate.

Related: Female Founder Shares Her Simple Pitch Strategy

O — OPPORTUNITY

You want to highlight the potential outcomes, possibilities, and opportunities that arise from engaging with your solution. Focus on the transformative potential of your solution. Paint a picture of what success looks like for your ideal client and how your solution can help them get there.

Go beyond simply solving a problem or addressing a challenge; instead, emphasize how your solution can open doors, create new possibilities, and help your clients achieve their goals. Create a powerful and inspiring vision of the opportunities that await, motivating your prospect to act and seize opportunities.

R — Relatability

People buy from people they know, like, and trust, and we tend to like people who are like us. Establishing relatability is crucial in creating a strong connection with your audience and building trust.

You can draw upon numerous elements of relatability , such as shared group affiliations, life stages, professions/roles, shared obstacles, random shared favorites (like you are both wearing red shirts) ... the list goes on. Look for ways to highlight similarities and shared experiences with your prospects. People connect with and more readily trust those perceived as similar to themselves. The goal is to create a genuine connection with your audience by showcasing your shared experiences, values, and understanding of their world so you'll be better positioned to build trust and likability, ultimately inspiring them to take action.

Related: Watch Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch

After grabbing your audience's interest, it's crucial to explicitly state the next steps for continuing the conversation. Many people get so focused on introducing themselves or their product that they neglect to include a clear call to action (CTA), leaving potential opportunities on the table.

Your CTA should be specific and actionable and make it easy for your audience to take the next step. Consider how they can get in touch with you or how you can follow up with them. Be cautious not to offer too many options, as a confused mind may not know what to do next and wind up doing nothing. Instead, focus on providing one or two clear, direct ways for your prospect to engage with you further.

Additional tips

• Start with a strong hook: Begin with an attention-grabbing statement or question that piques your audience's interest. This could be a unique fact, a surprising statistic, or a personal anecdote that sets you apart. For example, I will often say, "My name is Wendy Shore — it rhymes with entrepreneur!" This often elicits a chuckle and helps me stand out.
• Make it conversational: The best pitches don't feel like pitches; they come across as natural, engaging conversations. Avoid sounding overly rehearsed or salesy by using a friendly, conversational tone. Imagine you're simply having a chat and focus on building a genuine connection.
• Practice, practice, practice: Delivering a compelling elevator pitch takes practice. Just like a comedian perfecting their timing and delivery of a punchline, you'll want to rehearse your pitch until it feels natural and effortless. The more you practice, the more confident and polished your delivery will become.
• Be adaptable: Listen actively and tailor your pitch to address the specific needs, challenges, or interests of the person you're speaking with. It is perfectly fine to have more than one elevator pitch in your arsenal that is tailored to an offer or to an audience.
• Keep it concise: Remember, an elevator pitch is meant to be short and sweet. Keep your pitch under 60 seconds, focusing on the most essential information. If you've piqued your audience's interest, they'll naturally want to learn more.

By combining the SHORE pitching framework with these additional tips, you'll be well on your way to creating a memorable, engaging introduction that opens doors and leads to opportunities.

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