Use This Secret Instead Of The Antiquated Elevator Pitch

Ah, the elevator pitch.

An elevator pitch is supposed to be short enough to be used in a brief elevator ride and comprehensive enough to describe what you do fully.

“Unfortunately, I've come to believe that the term elevator pitch is dangerously misleading,” says Good In A Room author Stephanie Palmer.

“The words we use shape our world, and the problem with the elevator pitch is you should never, ever pitch in an elevator,” adds Palmer.

Palmer knows a great deal about hearing pitches.

She started her career in the film industry as an assistant at Jerry Bruckheimer Films where she worked on Armageddon, Con Air and Enemy of the State.

From there, she moved to MGM where she supervised the acquisition, development, and production of feature films.

Some of her projects included Legally Blonde, The Brothers Grimm and Agent Cody Banks. The Hollywood Reporter named her one of the top 35 executives under 35.

Palmer says while it is important to be able to communicate quickly, the elevator pitch encourages people to make three typical mistakes: pitching in the wrong places, pitching to the wrong people, and pitching the wrong things.

I met Palmer at a business development conference in La Jolla in February 2019. Today the former film exec helps business owners find new clients and grow their businesses.

[I interrupt this article for a helpful offer. If you want to attend my two-day virtual business development conference for agency owners and strategic consultants, normally $1,000, I have a handful of full scholarships to offer. We teach the anti-elevator pitch from my book Defining You. The event is on June 20 and 21 on Zoom. If interested in more info, email [email protected] . We return to our regularly scheduled article.]

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Palmer is a business development authority. Books are proof you are an authority expert leader; speaking about your book is how you attract thought followers.

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She was kind to share three great tips for anyone who wants to attract high-paying clients:

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“First, let’s start with the obvious: You should never pitch to someone in an elevator or any other place where you don’t have time to continue the conversation,” says Palmer. “A moment’s access with someone you don’t know is not an opportunity.”

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Her second tip is not so obvious.

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“Second, don’t pitch your idea or your business opportunity to someone you’ve just met,” says Palmer. “Your first interaction with someone sets the stage for the relationship to come. One of the most common mistakes I see when people have just met is talking business too soon.”

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Finally, Palmer advises that you should never ever, ever pitch unless you’ve customized what you’re going to say. ?While that requires more preparation, the extra effort gives far better results.

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“What’s better than an elevator pitch? I call it a teaser,” says Palmer. “Before you see a film at a movie theater, you see several teasers of upcoming films, also known as previews. These teasers range from 11 seconds to a few minutes long. And you know what? It’s not always the same teaser.”

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Palmer says a movie studio will create many different teasers for a single movie because each variation is targeted to a different market segment.

I teach the teaser concept to my authors. This is vital in today's short attention span theater of the mind world.

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“Instead of creating one elevator pitch and using it on everyone, create several different teasers that describe how you help people and choose the one that’s appropriate for the person with whom you’re having the conversation,” she advises.

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A teaser is a short, intriguing statement that gives the listener the option to ask for more information. Or not. ?Typically, when someone you’ve just met asks what you do, they’re not really interested. ?They’re just making conversation.?

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“A teaser is intriguing because it doesn’t tell your whole story,” says Palmer. ?“This makes you seem more confident and more professional. For example, I have a client who is a writer, and when he’s asked what he’s working on, replies that he’s writing ‘a reverse zombie movie.’ Do you know what that means?? Maybe not.? But are you interested to learn more?? Sure.? That’s how you know it’s a good teaser.”

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Creating separate teasers for each market segment, however, is just the beginning. To really distinguish yourself from the competition, tailor your pitch to the specific needs of the person with whom you’re speaking.

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One more note from Palmer: “In contrast to the elevator pitch, using the teaser technique encourages you to select listeners strategically, wait until you have their undivided attention, and customize your communication.”

My teaser is "I work with agency owners who want to attract right-fit clients by publishing a book they are proud of. I am the author of Marketing With A Book For Agency Owners."

What is your teaser?

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