Pitch perfect: How to deliver an elevator speech?

What makes a winning elevator pitch??Positivity, creativity, optimism, flexibility, and staying on-brand — that’s what worked out for Will Smith’s Chris Gardner in Pursuit of Happyness, according to author Geoffrey James .

Just as Smith’s reel speech takes inspiration from Gardner’s real one, Executive and Leadership Coach Sulina Menon too has a success story to share. While working for the media agency, Carat, years ago, Menon and her team delivered an elevator pitch to a prospective FMCG client advising to save on media spend with insightful planning and ideas. Menon says, “This got us in the door and the client’s ear!”

But to work the magic of an elevator pitch, let’s first establish what the term entails.

What is an elevator pitch?

To draw an explanation, World Resources Institute’s Communications Manager Tanushree Venkatraman first paints a picture. “Imagine you're attending a networking event and find yourself standing in an elevator with a key decision-maker. You have a short window of opportunity to grab their attention and convey the essence of your project. This is where an elevator pitch becomes invaluable,” she says.?

An elevator pitch , also known as an elevator speech, is a short description describing who you are, your work, and your purpose of making the delivery of the speech — whether it is pitching a startup idea , a movie script, or yourself for a prospective job .??

“An elevator pitch is like your secret weapon to wowing people with a super snappy summary of your idea, product, or even yourself,” Menon shares.?

Drawing a parallel with songs, Bullzeye Consulting’s Co-founder Chandni Gupta stresses on the intrigue factor. An advanced and short introduction aimed at captivating the person hearing it, this speech is “...like the first stanza of a viral song. The purpose is to catch their attention, generate curiosity, and get the other person to ask you questions while keeping your words short and concise,” Gupta adds.

How does it help?

Throwing back to the time Venkatraman found the opportunity to interact with a government official at an event, she leveraged it to capture the person’s interest by touching upon key aspects of the talk and locked in another meeting for further discussion. The power of a well-crafted pitch opened doors to a potential collaboration, she recalls.?

During a mentoring session, Kalyani Korla, PhD , Product Manager at JoVE, learned that a lot of students weren’t acquainted with this concept. In this post, Korla shares that an elevator pitch is a valuable networking tool that can help candidates stand out.?

To encourage this practice and foster entrepreneurship among young students, the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Delhi conducted a competition to pitch ideas to industry leaders in 2022, reports News18 .?

Looking for a job? From networking to making introductions during job interviews, the elevator pitch can help jobseekers create a lasting impression on the recruiter and the company, Gupta says.?

From a recruiter’s standpoint, an elevator pitch or brief sentences in the beginning of the resume can help them identify suitable candidates within a short period of time. This turns out to be a more convenient option than sifting through the entirety of a large number of resumes, shares Aman Goel , CEO of Cogno AI.?

Applying for a job remotely? Or networking in a virtual setting? No problem. You can still get to the next level by creating a video elevator pitch, says Menon. To hook the viewer from the beginning, strive for a seamless integration between your verbal introduction and the visual content, she adds.

Keep it short

Time and tide wait for none, and to factor in the short attention span of listeners, it’s advisable to keep your speech short.?

“You want to pack a punch in a limited time,” says Menon, suggesting a 30 seconds to two minutes long speech. For Gupta, however, 60 seconds is as long as it goes, including 100 to 200 words.?

When using the elevator-pitch approach in a resume, Goel suggests adding one-two lines to draw in the reader. Anything longer than that, defeats the purpose, he shares.

Tips and tricks

Fan of the Harry Potter series? Add it to your pitch, recommends Gupta. From hobbies, passions, to unique traits — she suggests identifying interesting things about your professional and personal life to embed into your pitch.?

Start with a bang, suggests Menon. For Venkatraman, it’s important to know your objective towards delivering the speech and tailoring it accordingly. “Understand the purpose of your elevator pitch — is it to secure funding, gain a business partnership, attract clients, or showcase your skills,” she says.?

Here are some other tips the three recommend adopting to craft a successful pitch:

?? Keep it simple and concise. Don’t use complicated words.?

???? Create two-three versions of your pitch catering to different audiences and settings.?

?? Tell a compelling story.

?? Practice. Rehearse your pitch multiple times, both alone and in front of others. Pay attention to your tone, body language, and timing.

? Seek feedback.

?? Be ready to adapt and prepared to adjust your message on the fly.?

??? Know your audience: Research their interests, passion and needs to customize your message and make it relevant for them.

?? Focus on the problem and the possible solution.

?? End with a call to action: Close your pitch by clearly stating the next step you'd like the listener to take. Whether it's scheduling a meeting or exchanging contact information. Make it easy for them to respond.

?? What should you include in a 30-seconds long elevator pitch? Palakh Khanna , CEO of Break the Ice, shares her take in this post .?

?? An elevator pitch is an invitation to a second conversation, says Tata Autocomp’s former MD and CEO Ajay Tandon in this post, sharing some insights on the subject.?

?? In this post , River’s VP of marketing, Sandeep Nair shares ways to break the ice in job interviews using an elevator pitch.

• How to pitch your startup to investors. In this piece, LinkedIn’s Editor Dana Moukhallati highlights some insights from an investor about pitching your business.
• Perfect your elevator pitch. This piece by LinkedIn’s Deputy Managing Editor Solange Uwimana underlines five tips to extend a "clear, concise, and well-paced" pitch.
• How to pitch your idea at work? Read this piece by LinkedIn’s News Editor Divya Pathak where LinkedIn members share their take on sharing ideas to get ahead in your career.

Want to pitch an idea for a project or perhaps, yourself for a job? In his LinkedIn Learning course , thought leader Jodi Glickman shares her three-step approach to making a successful pitch.

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By?Dipal Desai ?— LinkedIn News Editor covering jobs and career development in India

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