How to Craft an Impactful 30 Second Elevator Pitch

Crafting a compelling 30-60 second elevator pitch or “brand statement” is essential for making a strong first impression while effectively conveying your value proposition, whether you are networking, interviewing for a job, pitching a business idea, or introducing yourself in any professional setting. Here are four points to set you on the path to creating an impactful and memorable elevator pitch.

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1.?????? Define Your Professional Brand: reflect and identify the specific things that others would validate as your “signature style” characteristics, i.e., the qualitative aspects of the way that you get your work done, deliver results, and how you collaborate with others. Interview a few of your closest colleagues and ask them to share with you how they experienced you at work and what they see as your strengths and what they appreciate most about collaborating with you. Take personal inventory of what you enjoy most about your work delivery and the areas of your work where you excel and shine. Make a list of your key attributes and combine them with what you have gleaned from others and together, these elements make up the basis of your professional brand.

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2.?????? Craft the Pitch: Begin with a concise and attention-grabbing opening sentence. This should pique your audience's interest immediately. Think of your “brand statement” as something that will transcend any specific company where you work and represents the “essence” of who you are and how you get things done for others; this statement will call forth a consistent experience that others will have with you no matter where you are employed. Synthesize and develop the brand statement into a succinct sound bite that you would use to describe to someone else what you do and how you bring value to others. Your “unique selling points” are those factors that set you apart from others. Think in terms of three distinct parts: Who I am, What I do (or problem that I solve,) and What I am known for (quantifiable results). A sample pitch might sound something like this: “Hello my name is Brenda Mason, and I am a Senior Global Marketing Strategist, with experience leading cross functional teams in the US and Asian Pacific Markets where we create and design custom solutions and assist emerging companies in preparation for IPO. To date, my portfolio consists of over two hundred startups, and I have successfully led 100% of my projects through completion resulting in $2B in revenue offerings.”

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Additional examples of starter statements include:

Example: "I'm a seasoned software engineer with a passion for solving complex problems."

Example: "I help businesses increase their online visibility through data-driven marketing strategies."

Example: "What makes me unique is my ability to combine technical SEO expertise with creative content strategies."

Results Example: "In my previous role, I doubled organic website traffic within six months, resulting in a 20% increase in revenue."

?3.?????? Understand Your Audience: think in terms of who you may come into contact with as you go about your day-to-day activities, at networking events, company all hands meetings, or industry conferences. Determine which portions of this brand pitch will resonate with each audience and how to tailor accordingly. One version will be in “laymen speak,” for those casual encounters at the gym or coffeehouse, another for those who are network connections, and still another for internal connections at work, as well as a version that could be used as an opener in an interview. Avoid jargon or overly technical language. Determine what your key accomplishments are that you would want to insert, add, or omit based upon the audience. The bottom line here is to be thoughtful about who you might meet and give them enough of a sound bite that will help them instantly connect who you are with what you do. When done well, the person will be able to articulate and “hypothetically” introduce you to someone else in a succinct manner. When this is done right, you have created a “free advertisement” campaign for yourself. In every case, the sound bite needs to be crisp with a clear message and anchored with a notable & quantifiable result.

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4.?????? Sell it: imagine yourself in a literal elevator with one of the Officers at your company, here is your moment when the leader turns to you and says “hello” to you and “who are you?” This is the time to show up with confidence and with pleasure as you share your thirty second brand pitch. The saying “always leave them wanting more,” applies here too, so practice, practice, practice and obtain feedback on your pitch from trusted sources so that you can refine it and be ready for action. This 30-60 second of a crisp statement is a “conversation starter,” where you invite the listener to say, “that’s interesting, tell me more,” and here is where the question allows for sharing additional key accomplishments, revealing specific educational achievements, and how you work with other business areas. Listen well and provide concise contextual responses. The objective is to impart enough information, where the other person is learning more of who you are and what you do delivered conversationally and with warmth. Your opportunity to make a distinct impression are the “seconds” that you have in the ride up the proverbial elevator before the other person steps out the door. Express your passion and enthusiasm for what you do and do not forget to lock in a connection request such as: opportunity to calendar a coffee date, follow up to connect on LinkedIn, informational interview, or lunch to further learn more about one another and build a relationship.

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Final Thought: The key takeaway is that your elevator pitch should reflect your genuine self, your true passions, and strengths. Authenticity is key to making an impression. Be prepared for an exchange, so listen actively to learn as much about the other person as you are sharing about yourself and make mental notes that you can use in a thank you note (if applicable) and allow the moment to be a potential door opener for future opportunities. Preparation is key, so take time to think about great accomplishments that you might share as sound bites, how you partner with other collaborators, and the results that you consistently deliver repeatedly. Have your metrics such as dollars, percentages, number of accounts managed, etc. ready to share to amplify and provide when needed. Listen to the other person's response and adjust your pitch or conversation accordingly. Remember that the goal of an elevator pitch is to kickstart a conversation and leave a positive impression. Tailor your pitch to create a memorable and engaging introduction while highlighting your unique value. Remember, you are a brand and positioning yourself for amazing future opportunities all begin with a powerfully articulated impact statement.

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Sheryl Brinkley is a Women's Leadership Pipeline Builder & Sustainer and a Career Acceleration Catalyst Specializing in Hi-Potential & Mid-Level leader progression into Sr. Level & C-Suite positions. She is an Executive & Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness Coach supporting her clients in their holistic self-actualization pursuits while deepening self-awareness for maximal leadership impact.