How to Make a Great Elevator Pitch

It’s an unfortunate fact that a lot of small-business owners don’t put enough thought into their business’s story, and the way in which they communicate that story to others. I’ve seen it happen a great many times – a small-business owner attends an event or conference, perhaps at a chamber of commerce, and comes unprepared with an effective pitch. I’ll ask them, “What is it your business does?” and they’ll say, “Good question…”. I find myself standing there, five minutes down the line, and he’s still going on about his new company, and I make my way to the snack table.

 Start By Answering Some Questions

This four-part thought exercise works no matter what kind of company or product you’re trying to promote. Answer these questions, in writing, in under a couple sentences each:

 

1. What are the problems your company is addressing?

2. What is your company doing differently than others addressing similar problems?

3. Why should someone care that you’re doing it in this different way?

4. (The bombshell) What do you do?

 

If you keep your answers short, under a couple sentences a piece, you can put them together in such a way that they become a short story that takes less than 60 seconds to relay.

One Possible Pitch

Here’s a useful example of someone trying to start a mobile car reconditioning service. See if you can find each point at which this pitch answers one of the above questions.

 

“I own ‘Green Clean for Every Color Car”, an environmentally conscious mobile detailing service that goes an extra mile for the earth on your behalf. Normal mobile detailers will leave a slick of oil and lead chemicals in their wake – leaving you with a clean car and a guilty conscience. By collecting the runoff from our operation and recycling it in our shop, you can feel better about the impact your regular detailing has on the world you live in. Also, we buy carbon offsets for not just our side of the operation, but for your vehicle’s next 30,000 miles. This means that, by hiring us, you get a clean car, clear conscience, and a tree is planted on a reserve in Costa Rica. That’s how we’re different and better than the others, while maintaining just as good a service quality and price.”

 

Right off the bat – your first words – should be in the form of a sentence that could be published as a headline. This means it should be under 140 letters in length, and it should tell all. It’s got to be short, it should sound catchy, and it needs to be memorable. Take the time you need to hash out your headline. Trust me, it’ll help.

Beyond the Successful Pitch

Telling the whole story in under a minute allows you to use your listener’s attention for other things – an illustrative anecdote (“I cleaned Al Gore’s car once and it was a greener process than he thought possible”) or something interesting about your background.

 

Avoid the most common mistake a small business owner makes by learning to pitch the story of your company. If you can snag their attention in less than 60 seconds, people will want to keep listening.