Redefining the Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch should be a brief statement of your value proposition that makes the recipient want to learn more. You’re supposed to deliver it in the span of a normal elevator ride. It should be just enough to open the (metaphorical) door and get you invited in.

May I ask you a question?

It’s a good idea to have an elevator pitch. We’re all pressed for time and most of us don’t want to sit still for a long-winded, detailed presentation. But so many of the elevator pitches I’ve heard lately seem to get it backwards. The pitches are about me rather than about you.

It’s always better to talk about your audience rather than about yourself. That’s true in a speech. It’s true on a date. It’s true with elevator pitches. If you want to sell a watch, don’t talk about the watch. Talk about how it feels (to your audience) to wear the watch.

When time is brief, we often default to talking about me rather than you. It’s easy — I know more about me than I know about you. So how do you avoid this in an elevator pitch? Simple. You start by asking a question. That puts the focus on the other person. He or she can actually help you deliver the elevator pitch. You get a double benefit. While you deliver the elevator pitch, a few insightful questions can also qualify the customer.

You can learn the technique in the video.