How to Polish Your Elevator Pitch for Your Self Brand

Having an elevator pitch is one of the most basic necessities of every business professional, whether you are the CEO of a major corporation or an independent contractor who runs their own small business. Yet, for many people, coming up with a captivating elevator pitch can feel quite tricky. Elevator pitches typically fit within a span of 30 seconds or less. It is understandably rather difficult to say all the things you want to say to intrigue a prospective client in such a limited amount of time. In this post, we will take a look at a few things you can do to polish your elevator pitch for your brand and deliver it in a more effective, captivating way.

Be Pithy

Master precision in your language and the ability to deliver your message in a succinct manner. You have a very limited amount of time (about 10 seconds) in which you can capture a person’s attention and stoke their imagination. Think of your elevator pitch as writing a powerful Tweet, but you are doing it in real life. Whenever someone asks you what you do for a living, respond in a way that doesn’t just tell them what it is you do, but also how you can help them (because that’s what the inquiring person really wants to know).

Be Results-Driven

When you are delivering your elevator pitch, emphasize the results you produce rather than the process of attaining those results. Speak less about what you do and more about what you have accomplished in your profession. An elevator pitch that is purely about the process of your work is bound to fail, but an elevator pitch that highlights the results you have produced for yourself and your clients is what will spark and retain greater interest.

Be Creative in Your Delivery

Use your imagination and get those creative juices flowing. Think of unique ways you can grab someone’s attention. Use powerful verbs instead of adjectives in your speech. Hook them with a line that leaves them wanting more.

Know Your Audience

Always have your target audience and ideal customer in mind any time you deliver your elevator pitch. Don’t focus on what it is you think is important to say and instead focus on what your audience thinks is important to hear. Aside from having an intimate understanding of your target audience, brush up on your communication skills. Learn how to read people’s body language and other non-verbal forms of communication so you can narrow your audience down to the exact people who will be receptive to hearing your elevator pitch. When you are delivering your elevator pitch, learn to gauge a person’s reaction and read their responses. If you aren’t skilled at reading a person, you may miss your window of opportunity to deliver your elevator pitch and by that point, they have already lost interest. This is a step that will take practice. Only through research and experience can you hone your ability to read your audience's reactions.

Use Layman’s Terms

Keep your elevator pitch incredibly simple and direct, no matter how complex or technical your field of work may be. Don’t dump a whole load of technical jargon on the person you are speaking to. Use layman’s terms. Keeping your elevator pitch short is just one part of the equation; the other part is keeping it simple.

Start Practicing

If you are coming up with a new elevator pitch, practice it as often as you can. Try it on friends, family, colleagues, and mentors. Ask for feedback. They will be able to point you toward blind spots you might be missing. Practicing your elevator pitch routinely will also help you with the “performance” aspect of the pitch. Plus, if you speak clearly and confidently--at a medium pace--you'll hold your audience's attention. Don’t be afraid to smile and let your passion for your work shine through when you speak. Strive for relaxed confidence when delivering your elevator pitch.

Be Prepared For The Rest of The Conversation

Sometimes, when you deliver an elevator pitch, a person will politely nod and that will be the end of it. That’s ok. Not everyone you encounter is going to be your target audience. But when you do encounter someone who is intrigued by your elevator pitch, be prepared for what’s to follow. Guide the conversation, be prepared to answer their questions, have all the information about your products or services ready, and have a plan for making contact with them if they are interested in learning more.

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