Group of Business Owners working

Have you heard of an “elevator pitch”?

To understand the concept, imagine you are standing in an elevator of a downtown skyscraper. And just as the elevator doors start to close on the ground floor, in steps someone who would be an ideal client for your solo service-driven business!

Quick – what do you say? You only have 30 seconds or so (the time it takes for your prospect to reach her floor) to make an introduction and “sell” yourself as a small business.

That short bit of salesmanship that you have at the ready is called your “elevator pitch,” or sometimes, your “elevator speech.” 

A Small Business Necessity

Do you need an elevator pitch? Yes. (Even if you always take the stairs. 😀)

For starters, you will need your elevator pitch constantly, in all sorts of circumstances. You’ll need it at industry events … at happy hours for old work colleagues … at kids’ birthday parties chatting with other parents … and naturally, you’ll need to have your elevator pitch ready when a potential client asks, “Why should I choose your services over someone else’s?”

The fact is, you could need your elevator speech as early as your first day in business. You don’t want to see a great would-be customer slip through your fingers because you had a mumbly, incoherent answer to the question, “What can you tell me about your business? …”

So, let’s talk about what goes into an elevator speech.

Push All The Buttons

Successful, persuasive elevator pitches can take many forms. There’s no rigid structure that you have to follow. In fact, even though you have prepared your “pitch,” it should come off as spontaneous and conversational.

If we take a peek beneath the hood, we see that most effective elevator speeches accomplish the following:

Hook Them Early

You only have a few seconds to grab someone’s attention. So, you may want to think twice about an elevator pitch that begins with, “My name is [First Name] [Last Name]. I’m a [profession]. I’ve been doing it for [X] years.” Accurate? Sure. But it doesn’t build interest or spark curiosity. Instead, consider some of these tried-and-true techniques for drawing someone in:

  • Story. If you have a novel or meaningful backstory tied to your business, you can lead with that to demonstrate your passion for what you do. My little brother had a speech impediment. As he grew, I saw what overcoming that did for his confidence, and I knew that I wanted to do that for other people. That’s why I became a speech therapist 15 years ago …
  • Problem-solution. Another strategy for getting people’s attention? Put yourself in their shoes. Show that you understand their pain points – and have a solution. So your son is turning 12? Let me guess – he says that all your birthday party ideas are lame. Trust me, he won’t say that when I roll up with our tricked-out video game trailer. He and his friends can compete side by side in full surround sound, playing the latest PS5 and Xbox games. Oh, and you don’t have to lift a finger! …
  • Statistics. The right statistics can also be powerful, especially if those stats resonate with your audience. For example, when I meet would-be solopreneurs (at a business event or carpool or whatever), I often mention this: Did you know that one in five small businesses fails in the first year? And half crater within the first five years! It’s not because those folks aren’t smart or passionate – it’s because the chaos of running a business steals their time and steers them into the rocks. That’s where 17hats comes in. It lets you manage business better, so you can focus on what you do best. …
Plant Your Flag

OK, so you’ve hooked your listener – maybe with a story, common pain point, or a telling statistic. Now segue into how you add value, perhaps with a particular skill set. This is where your unique selling proposition, or USP, comes in. Explain what makes you different, better, or both: There are lots of wedding musicians, and even a few harpists, in town. But what makes me different is that I specialize in contemporary songs orchestrated for harp. Guests love it when they suddenly realize, “Hey, that’s Shallow from Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, only played as a harp solo!” My Google reviews will show you how memorable that can make a wedding.

Mention Next Steps

You’ve grabbed their attention, and you’ve staked out how you bring something unique to the table – now it’s time to talk next steps. This wraps up your elevator pitch. It could be something like this … let me send you a link to my website, where you can learn more. You can fill out my new client questionnaire there to get started – it will only take you two minutes. (By the way, that “new client questionnaire” is your 17hats Lead Capture Form, which can be embedded into your site or social media.)  

Now it’s time to listen. Remember, your elevator pitch is a conversation-starter. So be ready for the conversation that follows. Know where you want the chat to go from there.

Your Pitch Punch List

Now you’re armed with the structure for a good elevator speech. 

As you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to craft your sales pitch, keep these best practices in mind:

Short

Your elevator speech isn’t a long monologue. Try to keep it between 30 and 45 seconds long.

Personal

You’re striving to make a connection. Don’t be afraid to share about yourself. And, if you know some particulars about your listener, you can personalize it to him or her: Oh, my goodness – I can’t believe your youngest is a teen already! Well, I know Rachel loves Instagram, and our bat mitzvah venue has the most Insta-worthy environments in town, hands down. 

Genuine

Your pitch needs to be true to you. Certainly don’t adopt an elevator speech that “sounds good,” if you can’t deliver on it, or don’t quite believe it. People have a sixth sense for authenticity, and they will perceive when you are speaking from the heart.

Relevant

Depending on the circumstance, you may know a lot, a little, or nothing about your listener. Still, use what you do know to make the pitch as relevant as possible. You’ll find, over time, that you can adapt your elevator speech on the fly, tailoring it to your audience. Many small business people have a few versions of their elevator pitch memorized. When the time comes, they call on the one that’s most pertinent. 

Say it Like You Mean it

One final bit of advice: It’s not enough to write down your elevator speech. You need to say it out loud. Rehearse it, in other words.

For one thing, this will reveal if you have written something that you will stumble over when speaking. You don’t want to trip over troubling tongue-twisters!

But, more importantly, rehearsing your elevator speech will give you confidence when the time comes. You’ll be building conviction in what you’re saying. 

________

A strong elevator pitch lets you put your best foot forward. 

Think through what you want to say, and refine your approach with some of the best practices above in mind. With the right effort and practice, you’ll have an elevator speech that will take you straight to the top.