If you want people to buy into your idea or brand through your pitch, read this article on how to write an elevator pitch.
The ability to effectively persuade others and sell your business idea, brand or even yourself to different people is essential.
This is because you need people who will buy into your ideas or brand and believe in you to succeed in business.
There are different ways to sell your ideas; however, one of the best ways to creatively and effectively do this is by giving an impeccable elevator pitch.
Nonetheless, before successfully doing this, you need to know how to write an elevator pitch.
In this article, you will discover what an elevator speech is and, most importantly, how to write it.
So, ensure that you carefully follow through it if you want a lift in the way you write and deliver your elevator pitch.
To begin, let’s look at what an elevator pitch is…
What Is an Elevator Pitch? – How to Write an Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a short speech to sell your product, company, brand, or yourself to people.
It is called so because it’s a short presentation that takes the same amount of time required for an elevator ride, roughly 30 or 60 seconds.
As a result, it has to be brief, not rushed, and compelling.
This way, with the short time that you have, you will spark people’s interest and make them want to hear more about whatever you share with them.
Examples of Elevator Pitches – How To Write an Elevator Pitch
When you fully understand something, you will become capable of doing it well.
Hence, to help you to write elevator pitches better, here are some examples of concise elevator pitches;
- Hello, I am John Smith, a professional dentist who has worked for other dentists for five years. I recently opened my office and also offer home services. If you or anyone is interested in my services, you can reach me via my email.
- My name is Jane. I own an interior decoration business that aims to make people’s home meet their preferred tastes. We ensure to focus on our clients as the case study for a well-decorated home. We wish to serve and please you. So, don’t hesitate to reach out to us or refer us.
- I am Bob, a graphic and web designer. I own a business that designs webs, graphs, and business brands. I am looking to do jobs for more esteemed clients, so be sure to call me.
Factors That Make a Good Elevator Pitch – How To Write an Elevator Pitch
For you to write a good elevator pitch, you need to know the factors that make one.
These factors include:
Time-consciousness – How To Write an Elevator Pitch
Whatever you have to say during your pitch needs to be concise.
This is because you have limited time to share or sell your idea, brand, business, or yourself.
Hence, you have to be time-conscious.
When writing out your pitch, ensure that you arrange it clearly and logically.
This will help you fully utilise your short time presenting your idea and make a good impact on your listener.
Solution-based
Your pitch has to clearly define or outline a problem and provide a solution.
Hence, you need to first understand the problem yourself to define it to another person in the short time you have.
Also, the solution you create for that problem should have the most likely successful strategy.
This way, people will be interested in finding out more details from you about whatever you shared with them.
Audience-targeted – How To Write an Elevator Pitch
You will likely deliver your elevator pitch to different people.
Therefore, you have to make sure that you write your elevator pitch in line with the people you will deliver it to.
For example, the audience you deliver your pitch to can be your associate in a different business line from you.
In this case, you will have to simplify things for them to get it right and be interested in listening.
In other words, when writing and delivering your elevator pitch, you need to use simple terminology that they will understand.
This way, you will avoid spending your time trying to explain yourself better.
Market-targeted
Additionally, you need to ensure that your elevator pitch has the targeted market in mind.
Your solution should be aimed at improving things for the people it concerns.
This will help you to know the best solution suitable to that market and show your listener that you know what you are saying.
For example, you cannot discuss how to reduce the high price of men’s wear while focusing on the children’s clothing sector and its audience.
This is because you are talking about men’s wear, so your focus should be on the audience in the male clothing sector.
When you say something like that, it shows you don’t know your market.
If you deliver a pitch like this, your listeners will assume that you know nothing of what you are talking about.
And this will likely make them not interested in listening any more.
Compelling Story – How to Write an Elevator Pitch
You need to understand that the aim of an elevator pitch is not to tell in detail all the dimensions of whatever you are selling.
Instead, it is about sparking the interest of the listener.
When your listener gets interested in what you are sharing, they will want to know more and probably fix a meeting with you.
So, to ensure that you make a good impression with your elevator pitch, you need to make it attention-grabbing and intriguing.
Try your best to avoid cramming excessive information into your pitch.
Focus on the core points and make them interesting.
Steps On How To Write an Elevator Pitch
Writing an elevator pitch helps you to be prepared to give one at any time and on occasion.
Hence, writing one is essential to successfully promote and sell any idea, brand, business, or yourself to anyone.
Below are the steps that will help you achieve writing a good elevator pitch :
1. Do Your Research – How to Write an Elevator Pitch
Before you write an elevator pitch, you have to ensure that every piece of information in it is authentic.
This is mainly because your listener will not be interested in hearing more about your pitch if it is filled with wrong information.
So, to avoid this, you will need to conduct research.
This research will cover all the important facts and information you want to share with your listener.
Some of these things include your targeted market, the problem and the solution.
This way, when you pitch your idea, you will have no issue speaking more about it if the listener wants to know more.
Also, it will make it easier for you to construct a logical and organized pitch.
2. Introduce Yourself
The first thing to write in your pitch is your name.
This is considered to be an introduction.
With this, you can walk up to someone and start by introducing who you are rather than bombarding them with your speech.
When you start with a proper introduction, they will be more receptive to your pitch, and you can build a connection with them.
Understand that the people you deliver your elevator pitches to are humans like you; they have feelings.
By engaging with their feelings, you will be able to get them interested in your pitch from the get-go.
And there is no better way to do this than friendly sharing your name with them.
So, when you want to write a good elevator pitch, think about this and start with a simple;
“My name is …”.
Ensure that you add a pleasantry like “pleasure to meet you,” as it can also make the listener open up to listen to you better.
When you have this sorted out, you can move on to other information you want to share.
3. Go Over What You Do – How to Write an Elevator Pitch
After the introduction, the next thing will need to talk about is what you do.
“What you do” should not be considered an introduction of yourself, even if it is.
The reason is that “what you do” often links up with the idea or brand you want to discuss.
For example, you can be a professional in a field and have a business where you practice that profession or an idea or brand that links to that profession.
In this case, you have to give a brief but clear description of your profession.
In other words, don’t spend much time discussing your profession since that is not what you want to sell.
The brief description can be something like this;
“I am a professional craft man, I craft house and home decor.”
After this, you can talk about the idea, brand, or business.
However, if your pitch is to sell yourself professionally and not an idea, business, or brand you have, then you have to spend more time talking about your profession.
It can be something like this;
“I am a professional craft man, I craft house and home decor, and I am very skilled and diligent at my job, in my first year as a….” and so on.
Here, you are not just introducing yourself but speaking more about how you work professionally.
The first example introduces your profession but still gives room for more.
That “more” is for you to pitch the business, idea, or brand you want to share in your pitch.
So, before writing, get to know if it is just yourself you are trying to sell professionally or your idea, brand, or business.
4. Explain Your Idea, Brand, Or Business Further
After describing what you do, you need to explain your idea, brand, or business further.
Do this only when you are selling more than yourself professionally.
Now, understand that this is the most crucial part because it is considered the reason for the elevator pitch.
So, you have to be very careful when writing this part.
Here is where all your research work will come to play.
If you are pitching for a business, you need to know everything about that business or brand, the aim, and the vision.
You will also need to know your targeted audience.
If you are sharing an idea on how to solve a problem, then you need to know the problem and the best solution.
Thorough research will help you to cover all of that.
When writing down these details, try to make them logical, orderly, concise, and captivating.
It can look like this;
“Craft homes are one of the best house styles. They are not just sturdy but creatively beautiful. My business is not only aimed at building craft homes but also working at bettering the techniques used in building craft houses through experiments. It also serves as a double agent in decorating newly built homes and renovated homes. Our decors range from craft works to…’’ and so on.
With these, you should spark people’s interest to know more about your business.
Additionally, ensure that you don’t write too many details and beat around the bush.
Instead, focus on the key points compellingly.
Writing your pitch like this will help you save time delivering it and create a good impression.
5. Tell Them Your Want – How to Write an Elevator Pitch
The reason for going up to a person and delivering an elevator pitch is that you want something from them.
That thing could be a connection, patronage, investment, or sponsorship.
Hence, you need to let them know what you want from them.
This should be after you have told them everything about yourself or your business or idea.
For example, if you are looking for sponsorship, you can clearly and politely ask them for it.
It can be something like this;
“At this point in my business, we are making progress. However, we need to take a step further in pursuing our goal, and for this, we need your financial sponsorship. We believe with your help, we will achieve our goal…”
Before you say this, you would have briefly spoken about the goal you are working to achieve in your business.
So, the person will be on board with you.
However, you should understand that a significant percentage of your elevator pitch’s success depends on how well you briefly explain yourself or your business.
So, again, ensure that you do this well.
6. End it With a Call to Action
After telling them what you want, the next part is the conclusion.
Your conclusion has to be something that will urge your listener to take your desired action.
The best way to do this is by adding a call to action.
A call to action (CTA) is a prompt or an invitation for a listener, user, or reader to take the desired action.
Since you desire your listener to take the step and action that you requested, you should end with a CTA.
However, you need to be careful when doing this because it is mostly new people you meet to deliver your elevator pitch.
In other words, you have to ensure that you don’t come off as being rude, forceful, or disrespectful with your call to action.
You can be creative with your CTA but always remember to be polite.
An example of a polite CTA;
“Would it be okay with you if I put a call to you next month so that we can discuss this further?”
7. Proofread, Edit, and Practice – How To Write an Elevator Pitch
Every written work has to be edited.
Hence, before you can proudly say you have written a good elevator pitch, you need to proofread and edit.
Proofreading is the act of carefully reading and going through your written work for errors.
It is an important aspect of editing that helps one to effectively correct the errors in your work.
The best way to proofread is by reading out aloud, as it will help you notice your mistakes better.
When you have edited your work, then you will have a well-written elevator pitch.
However, do not solely depend on the well-written elevator pitch to effectively deliver a good elevator pitch.
You have to ensure that you practice that pitch until you can effectively deliver it.
This way, when you have an opportunity to deliver it, you will maximize it.
Things to Avoid When Delivering Your Elevator Pitch – How To Write an Elevator Pitch
Writing a good elevator pitch is one part while delivering it well is another.
To ensure that your effort is not wasted in writing a good elevator speech, ensure that while delivering it that you avoid the following;
Avoid Rambling – How To Write an Elevator Pitch
When you are delivering your elevator pitch, you have to work to avoid rambling at all costs.
Rambling is when you speak in an unfocused or unclear way.
When you ramble, the listener thinks you don’t know what you are saying.
So, avoid this by practising your elevator pitch well.
However, ensure that you don’t over-rehearse and then sound forced.
If you are speaking and your audience wants to interject, allow them and respond if need be before continuing your pitch.
Do Not Talk Too Fast
Another thing you would need to avoid is talking too fast.
Yes, it is understandable that you have a limited time to pass across much information.
However, don’t let the need to do this make you speak quickly, as this will make it difficult for your audience to get your message.
Avoid Speaking Monotonously or Frowning – How To Write an Elevator Pitch
Remember that you are trying to gain the interest of your listeners.
So, ensure that you refrain from speaking monotonously or frowning.
In other words, you need to ensure that you flow with the message you are sharing and carry the listener along.
To do this, you need to learn to modulate when speaking and use a friendly tone and body language.
Additionally, ensure that you speak with confidence, enthusiasm, and high energy.
Conclusion on How to Write an Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch let people know about you and what you do in a short time.
It helps to spark people’s interest in what you do.
However, before you deliver any elevator pitch, you have to make sure you have written it down.
In this article, amazing steps on how to write an elevator pitch have been shared.
So, make use of the information shared and better your elevator pitches.
