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How to Give a Great Elevator Pitch (With Examples)

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How to Give a Great Elevator Pitch (With Examples) was originally published on Forage .

Though people are complex and so much more than just their jobs, in a new social situation you’re often asked, “So, what do you do?” or “What are you majoring in?” While you probably have a stock answer ready to go (I’m in sales; I’m majoring in English), the person asking may be able to help you achieve your career goals — but they won’t know unless you’ve got an elevator pitch ready to go.

An elevator pitch is an enticing and interesting three or four-sentence summary of you. But you do more than talk about yourself. Your elevator pitch gets the listener interested in what you’re capable of.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

What Is an Elevator Pitch?

How to write an elevator pitch, elevator pitch examples, elevator pitch bonus tips.

Mike Gardon of CareerCloud sums up elevator pitches like this: “When meeting someone for the first time, we all get asked what we do, right? Well, an elevator pitch is how you answer that question.”

At its core, an elevator pitch is a brief synopsis of who you are and what you do (or are trying to do). It’s named so because of the idea that you’re in an elevator with the one person who can make your career dreams come true. You’ve got the length of that elevator ride (approximately 30 seconds) to convince that person to keep listening to you.

Why You Need an Elevator Pitch (and When You’ll Use It)

In many respects, an elevator pitch is all about you. And though it may seem strange — uncomfortable even — to talk about yourself, a well-designed elevator pitch starts with you and ends with the listener.

Gardon explains, “The elevator pitch is designed to engage the person with whom you are communicating, and get them to take some next action. Think about it like this: if you were writing an email, the elevator pitch would be the subject line plus the next couple of lines that are shown in an inbox. The purpose is to get the recipient to open the email.”

In the case of your elevator pitch, you’re attempting to spark a longer conversation (or later meeting) with someone who could potentially help you professionally.

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Your elevator pitch comes in handy when you’re looking for a job. But you’ll also use various versions of your elevator pitch in situations like:

• Networking events
• Prospecting for new sales and clients
• When you’re interviewing and asked, “Tell me about yourself.”
• As the “about me” on LinkedIn, Twitter, or other social media page
• In the summary of qualifications on your resume

How Long Should an Elevator Pitch Be?

While elevator ride times vary, the general rule of thumb is that an elevator pitch is no longer than 30 seconds, which means your pitch needs to be concise.

So, you can’t include every accomplishment from your last three jobs, just the top most recent ones. As you’re honing your pitch, write it down and limit yourself to four sentences. This will help you focus on your top highlights.

In general, an elevator pitch includes four essential elements: who you are, what you do, what’s unique about you, and what your “ask” is. Though the “meat” of your pitch likely doesn’t change often, you should prepare multiple elevator pitches that you can tailor to your situation.

For example, if you’re a student, the pitch you use at a career fair may not be the same one you use at a networking event. Likewise, if you’re changing careers, you may need to switch up what your “ask” is depending on who you talk to.

Gardon offers an example. “I wear so many different hats and am involved in different businesses. So, if I want someone to be a guest on my podcast, I might tell them how we’ve done over 400 episodes, instead of telling them that I’m a former derivatives trader.”

Also, while the below elements are crucial, they can go in almost any order. While a good elevator pitch usually begins with your name, you may find that listing your skills before your accomplishments is better for your pitch.

Part 1: Who Are You?

Your elevator pitch starts with your name, of course, but also consider throwing in a “hook” that gives the person you’re speaking with an opening to ask you questions. Here are some examples:

“I’m [your name], a recent graduate of [university] with a degree in [your degree].”

“My name is [your name] and I’m a junior at [university] majoring in [your major].”

“I’m [your name] and while I’m currently in product development, I’ve decided I want to change gears and go into graphic design.”

Part 2: What Do You Do?

The second part of your elevator pitch explains what you do. However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to a job title. This is the place to mention one outstanding accomplishment from your job, internship, or even a class that will wow your listener.

Like all parts of your elevator speech, this needs to be brief, but it should also be detailed and help the listener get an idea of what you’re capable of:

“During my marketing internship at [name of company], I grew social media engagement by 43%, which resulted in an uptick in newsletter sign-ups year over year.”

“Our business is small, but that lets us have more personal interaction, which has helped us keep a small but loyal and profitable client base for 15 years.”

“After learning about the stock market, I wanted to test what I learned as well as my skills, so I created a mock portfolio that’s realized a 24% gain over the last year.”

Part 3: What’s Unique About You?

The next section of your elevator pitch includes something unique about you. While this can include specific skills, you can also trace your career path or accomplishments to illustrate how you use your skills.

Because you only have 30 seconds, you might be tempted to list your skills or accomplishments like a grocery list. But try to link them to an outcome or something you can do.

“I enjoy analyzing data and using the results to plan my content calendar, including social media posts.”

“I worked on my college newspaper, starting on the sports beat, eventually moving my way up to chief editor.”

The first example mentions one skill (data analysis ) and two outcomes (planning the content calendar and social media posts). The second example doesn’t mention any skills but illustrates the speaker’s career path (sports beat to chief editor), demonstrating an increase in skills and responsibilities.

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Part 4: Call to Action (or What’s Your Ask?)

The final part of your elevator pitch includes a call to action. Or, more specifically, what are you asking for?

Much like networking, you may not want to blurt out “a job!” even if that’s your desired outcome. This section is what you hope will happen, which could be a job, internship, or just a new networking connection.

“I would love to speak to you about being a potential mentor, if you have time.”

“I’d like to follow up with you about how I can get involved in and conduct summer research.”

“Can you tell me how you decided on [this] career?”

Each of these invites the listener to continue engaging with you either right now or in the future. 

Optional Part 5: Something Memorable

Finally, depending on the situation, you might want to include something memorable in your pitch. This is situation-dependent and only something you should do if you’re comfortable.

For example, the pitch on Gardon’s LinkedIn profile says, “Earned the Title ‘World Champion Funniest Person In The World (to my kids)’ 10 years running.”

Of course, not everyone can be the “Funniest Person in the World,” but your memorable moment could be your love of science fiction, who your favorite author is, or the fact that you just adopted a cat.

Here’s what all the elements look like when you put them together:

“I’m David, a rising senior at XYZ University and an education major. I spent last year student teaching at my old high school, and it was quite the experience being on the other side. I’m graduating in the spring and am looking to teach high school biology.”

“I’m Ella, and I’m currently an individual contributor at XYZ company running the social media accounts. I use Google Analytics to analyze and improve content performance, and my personal TikTok has XXX followers. I’m looking to move to a leadership role at a mid to large-size company where I can mentor others.”

“I’m Mike and I’m a sophomore at XYZ university. When I was a kid, I really wanted to communicate with animals, which is partly why I’m majoring in zoology. I’m not sure what career is best suited for me. Can you tell me how you ended up in yours?”

Once you’ve written (and rewritten) your elevator pitch, you’re almost ready to try it out. Before you do, though, ensure your delivery is memorable — for the right reasons!

• Practice. Practice makes perfect, of course. And while you don’t want to sound too rehearsed, you also don’t want to trip over your pitch or start rambling. Practice in front of a mirror, with friends or family, or record yourself to make sure you’re getting it right.
• Time yourself. Thirty seconds can feel like forever or fly right by. Time yourself to make sure your pitch isn’t too long or too short, and adjust as necessary.
• Use your “excited” voice. While you’ll want to use your “inside voice,” vary your tone. When you give a rehearsed speech, it should be polished but not robotic. Try to bring some excitement to your voice as you speak.
• Speak slowly. You may want to cram as much as possible into your 30 seconds, but that could result in you speaking too quickly to try to get it all in, making it tough for the listener to understand you. As hard as it might be, stick to one or two main points.
• Maintain eye contact. While you don’t want to stare at the listener the whole time, you don’t want to stare at the floor either. Maintain the level of eye contact that feels normal and natural to you, and break eye contact when appropriate.

Make Your Pitch

An elevator pitch is useful in all sorts of professional (and even personal!) situations. By taking stock of what you do and what you want to do, you’ll find the perfect elements to include in yours and impress the next person you pitch it to.

Want more insights into creating the perfect pitch? Check out Ashurst’s Building Your Personal Brand Virtual Experience Program .

Image credit: Canva

The post How to Give a Great Elevator Pitch (With Examples) appeared first on Forage .

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How To Create an Elevator Pitch (With Examples)

Tips for writing a perfect elevator speech

When and How To Use an Elevator Speech

What to say in your elevator pitch, what not to say and do during your elevator speech, tips for virtual elevator pitches, elevator pitch examples.

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What's an elevator pitch, and how can it help your career? An elevator pitch—also known as an elevator speech—is a quick synopsis of your background, experience, and purpose. The reason it's called an elevator pitch is that it should be short enough to present during a brief elevator ride.

This speech is all about you: who you are, what you do, and what you want to do (if you're job hunting) or are doing.

Your elevator pitch is a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively with people who don't know you.

Done right, this short speech helps you introduce yourself to career and business connections in a compelling way. It can help you build your network, land a job, or connect with new colleagues on your first day of work.

Key Takeaways

• Keep your elevator speech short and sweet, aiming to deliver your message in 60 seconds or less.
• Say who you are, what you do, and what you want to achieve. Your goal is to focus on the essentials. 
• Be positive and persuasive with your limited time. Focus on what you want to do, not what you don’t want to do. 
• Deliver your speech to a friend or record it, so that you can be sure that your message is clear. The more you practice, the better your speech. 

If you're job searching, you can use your elevator pitch at job fairs and career expos, and online in your LinkedIn summary or Twitter bio, for example. An elevator speech is a great way to gain confidence in introducing yourself to hiring managers and company representatives.

You can also use your elevator pitch to introduce yourself at networking events and mixers. If you're attending professional association programs and activities, or any other type of gathering, have your pitch ready to share with those you meet.

Your elevator pitch is just as useful in virtual networking events, interviews, and career fairs as it is during in-person gatherings. 

Your elevator pitch can be used during job interviews, especially when you're asked about yourself. Interviewers often begin with the question, "Tell me about yourself"—think of your elevator pitch as a super-condensed version of your response to that request.

Maddy Price / The Balance

Your elevator speech should be brief . Restrict the speech to 30-60 seconds. You don't need to include your entire work history and career objectives. Your pitch should be a short recap of who you are and what you do.

You need to be persuasive.  Even though it's a short pitch, your elevator speech should be compelling enough to spark the listener's interest in your idea, organization, or background.

Share your skills.  Your elevator pitch should explain who you are and what qualifications and skills you have. Try to focus on assets that add value in many situations. This is your chance to brag a bit—avoid sounding boastful, but do share what you bring to the table.

Practice, practice, practice.  The best way to feel comfortable about giving an elevator speech is to practice it until the speed and “pitch” come naturally, without sounding robotic. You will get used to varying the conversation as you practice doing so. The more you practice, the easier it will be to deliver it when you’re at a career networking event or job interview.

Practice giving your speech to a friend or recording it. This will help you know whether you're keeping within the time limit and giving a coherent message.

Be positive and flexible.  You often aren’t interviewing for a specific position when you deliver your pitch, so you want to appear open-minded and flexible. Don’t lead with the stuff you’d rather not be doing. (For example, if you don’t want to travel a lot for work, that’s completely legitimate —but you needn’t volunteer that information right off the bat.) This is your chance to make a great first impression with a potential employer. Don’t waste it.

Mention your goals.  You don't need to get too specific. An overly targeted goal isn't helpful since your pitch will be used in many circumstances, and with many different types of people. But do remember to say what you're looking for. For instance, you might say, "a role in accounting" or "an opportunity to apply my sales skills to a new market" or "to relocate to San Francisco with a job in this same industry."

Know your audience and speak to them.  In some cases, using jargon can be a powerful move—it demonstrates your industry knowledge. But be wary of using jargon during an elevator pitch, particularly if you're speaking to recruiters, who may find the terms unfamiliar and off-putting. Keep it simple and focused.

Have a business card ready.  If you have a business card, offer it at the end of the conversation as a way to continue the dialog. If you don’t, you could offer to use your smartphone to share your contact information. A copy of your resume, if you're at a job fair or a professional networking event, will also demonstrate your enthusiasm and preparedness.

Don't speak too fast.  Yes, you only have a short time to convey a lot of information. But don't try to fix this dilemma by speaking quickly. This will only make it hard for listeners to absorb your message.

Avoid rambling.  This is why it's so important to practice your elevator speech. While you don't want to over-rehearse, and subsequently sound stilted, you also don't want to have unfocused or unclear sentences in your pitch, or get off-track. Give the person you’re talking to an opportunity to interject or respond.

Don't frown or speak in a monotone way.  Here's one of the downsides to rehearsing: it can leave you more focused on remembering the exact words you want to use, and less on how you're conveying them through your body language and tone. Keep your energy level high, confident, and enthusiastic.

Modulate your voice to keep listeners interested, keep your facial expression friendly, and smile.

Don't limit yourself to a single elevator pitch.  Maybe you're interested in pursuing two fields—public relations and content strategy. Many of your communication skills will apply to both those fields, but you'll want to tailor your pitch depending on who you are speaking to. You may also want to have a more casual, personal pitch prepared for social settings.

All the same guidelines apply when it comes to a virtual elevator pitch. You may have an opportunity to give an elevator speech in a virtual career fair, a job interview over Zoom, or during a networking event. Follow the dos and don'ts listed above. 

Plus, keep these tips in mind: 

• Check how you look.  You'll want to have a clean and professional background. Plus, make sure you're well lit and aren't in any distracting shadows. 
• Make eye contact.  Try practicing beforehand, so you get accustomed to looking at the camera—that will help you appear to make eye contact with the person on the other side of the video chat. Though avoid overdoing it or staring!
• Aim for high energy.  As with in-person pitches, you'll want to avoid speaking too quickly. Also important: modulate your voice (to avoid a monotone) and keep your energy high. It's easier for people to be distracted during video meetings, and you'll want to keep their attention. 

Use these examples as guidelines in crafting your own elevator pitch. Make sure your speech includes details on your background, as well as what you'd provide an employer with:

• I recently graduated from college with a degree in communications. I worked on the college newspaper as a reporter, and eventually, as the editor of the arts section. I'm looking for a job that will put my skills as a journalist to work.
• I have a decade's worth of experience in accounting, working primarily with small and midsize firms. If your company is ever in need of an extra set of hands, I'd be thrilled to consult.
• My name is Bob, and after years of working at other dentists' offices, I'm taking the plunge and opening my own office. If you know anyone who's looking for a new dentist, I hope you'll send them my way!
• I create illustrations for websites and brands. My passion is coming up with creative ways to express a message, and drawing illustrations that people share on social media.
• I'm a lawyer with the government, based out of D.C. I grew up in Ohio though, and I'm looking to relocate closer to my roots, and join a family-friendly firm. I specialize in labor law and worked for ABC firm before joining the government.
• My name is Sarah, and I run a trucking company. It's a family-owned business, and we think the personal touch makes a big difference to our customers. Not only do we guarantee on-time delivery, but my father and I personally answer the phones.

How To Write A Killer Elevator Pitch (Examples Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

You’re on the elevator, riding up from the lobby to the top floor to drop off your resume with Human Resources in response to a job posting for your dream career.

You’re excited, but nervous, because you know your resume is going to be just one of hundreds that the hiring manager is going to look over before even thinking about inviting anyone in for an interview.

If only there were a way to make yourself stand out. If only…

The doors open and a woman in a sharp looking business suit steps in with you. She looks over and sees the top floor button is already lit. She smiles and in that instant a current of nervous energy rips through your body. This isn’t just any generic passenger you’re sharing the ride with…this is the hiring manager you’re hoping to impress!

Your heart starts pounding, your palms are sweaty, you feel light headed…

This is your chance!

You have a 12 floor uninterrupted ride up with her and in those moments, in that tiny elevator, she’s your captive audience.

You open your mouth and turn to her with a look of enthusiasm…and speak.

Let’s hope that elevator pitch  (or elevator speech) is ready!

Here’s the deal, after you make your successful elevator pitch (which you will after reading this article!), you need to know that you will get an interview…

But here’s the thing: there are over 100 other difficult interview questions you could be asked in your job interview. Sounds stressful right?

Well don’t worry, because we created a free PDF that outlines the most common questions and gives you word for word sample answers that you can use at your next interview.

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What Is An Elevator Pitch?

So what exactly is an elevator pitch?

In a nutshell it’s just what it sounds like: a short, 30-60 second well crafted business pitch telling someone who you are and why they should want to hire you .

It’s called the elevator pitch because it’s meant to represent the amount of time you’d have if you were stuck in an elevator with someone riding from the bottom of the building to the top.

“Well, this stinks. I live in a town of nothing but one floor buildings. How am I supposed to use an elevator pitch? Clearly this article means nothing to someone who doesn’t live in the heart of a big city or surrounded by high rise buildings.”

Elevator speeches are good for so much more than just catching someone in a small enclosed space. You never know who you might run into at a cocktail party, or the movie theater, or grocery store…or any other number of places.

A solid elevator pitch will allow you to distill down to the most pure form exactly who you are and what you offer, and that focus can help to set you apart from all the other candidates who are vying for the same job.

Think of it as a commercial and you’re the product . You’ve got 30 seconds to market yourself and convince whoever is listening to not only NOT change the channel, but to buy what you’re selling…you as the Perfect Candidate!!

“So where do I start? Should I lock myself in the bathroom with a stopwatch and pretend it’s an elevator? Do I need a jingle?”

Hmmm…all we’ll say is do whatever works for you…but let’s all agree to skip the singing…for now. Instead, let’s focus on answering a few basic questions by doing a little pretending.

How To Write An Elevator Pitch

Let’s imagine you’re in sales and you just got into an elevator with the CEO of a huge manufacturing company. The doors shut…it’s just the two of you…and you have 60 seconds to convince him to not only listen to you, but to consider you as a potential employee, not just a fellow passenger on a short ride upstairs. So how do you do that!?

Let’s watch…er, we mean, read:

What do you do? Can you tell someone what you do in such a way that it’s interesting? Can you turn it into a quick little anecdote or story that will capture someone’s attention?

“Let me tell you about the time I took our products all the way to the North Pole. I’m in sales. I started out selling refrigerators to moose in Canada.”

Now that we’ve got your job title, can you tell us what you do when you’re doing what you were hired to do?

“In four short years, I’ve helped lead my team to the number one spot in sales…”

Okay, great…but what’s next?! What’s your objective ? What’s your goal?

“…but I knew we could do better. That’s why I took our refrigerators all the way up to the penguins in the North Pole.”

What makes you the best at what you do? Okay, now’s your chance to shine. Why are you the Perfect Candidate?

“Did you know that broken beaks from trying to eat frozen fish is the number one problem facing penguins today? Their issue isn’t that it’s not cold enough for them to keep their fish fresh, it’s that it’s too cold. I knew that by putting their fish in our double insulated hermetically sealed refrigerators instead of the traditional snow bank, the penguins would be able to keep fish fresh longer without having to freeze them, making it easier for the penguins to eat. As a result, we’ve more than quadrupling our current sales and are not only ranked number one regionally, but nationally as well.”

What’s your hook? You’ve just told a great story, but besides being entertained, why should your audience care?

“Now, just imagine what I can do for your products…”

Wait, who are you? D’oh! Nothing says missed opportunity quite like totally forgetting to tell someone your name.

“My name is Bob Mackrel,”

And most importantly…what do you want?

“…and I’m looking for my next big sales challenge. My I give you my business card?”

Boom. And there you have it: the perfect (if not a little outlandish) elevator pitch. In 30 seconds you’ve told your audience what you do, why what you do is important, hooked them in with what you plan to do next for their company, and who you are.

Easy, cheesy, right?

Penguins and refrigerators aside, this pitch was clearly perfect for the audience because our boy Bob knew the CEO, knew the company, and knew that his skills with sales would be a great match. Bob tailored his pitch.

“Again with the tailoring! That’s all you guys talk about…tailoring!”

That’s because it works! Again, think of our commercial analogy. When you’re watching TV, which ads do you skip over or tune out? The ones that don’t apply to you…right? And the ones you listen to and remember are the ones that DO apply to you.

“Ahh…I see what you’re saying. That does make sense!”

The nice thing about an elevator pitch is that it’s short and sweet and to the point, which means once you get the basics figured out, you should be able to use it on just about anyone in any situation…as long as you make sure to always tailor your hook to your specific audience.

Elevator Pitch Mistakes To Avoid

So now that you know what to do in your elevator pitch, let’s quickly talk about what NOT to do.

Speaking too fast.

Yes, you only have about 60 seconds, but try to avoid cramming 15 minutes of information into one minute.

Using highly technical terms, acronyms or slang.

You want your pitch to be easily understood by any audience and that means try to avoid using words that will confuse the average person. The last thing you want is for whoever is listening to you to feel dumb. Remember, think commercial!

Not being focused.

This isn’t a general conversation and you’re not discussing the weather (unless that’s your job, in which case, never mind). Keep your pitch clear and focused.

Not practicing what you’re going to say.

First, write down your pitch. Read it over. Have your friends and family read it. Does it make sense? Make sure it flows well and that there aren’t any spots that feel rough or awkward. Then practice it. Practice it again. Keep practicing it until it becomes so easy for you to pitch that you can do it at the drop of a hat.

Being robotic.

This is all about a face to face interaction with someone you want to impress. Having an easy, approachable, conversational style to your pitch will get you much further than an overly rehearsed monologue approach.

Not having a business card or other take-away with you.

Okay, you’ve sold them on you…now how are they going to get a hold of you when they decide it’s time to bring you in? Make sure you always have something on you to pass on that will allow people to not only remember you, but contact you later on.

Not saying anything.

It does absolutely nothing for you to have a killer elevator pitch if you never use it. Now it’s your turn! Here are three example elevator pitches to get you started. Remember, these are just examples! Make sure you do the work to craft one specific to you and your audience!

3 Great Examples To Use As Inspiration

Graphic designer/logo branding specialist.

Hi, I’m Pam Tone and I’m a graphic designer. Did you know it takes the average person just two seconds to look at a company logo and decide if they like it? Did you know that a badly designed logo can do irreversible damage to a company brand and that most companies go through at least three to four versions in a single year before settling on their final design, costing both time and money? Having worked for over 10 years as a professional graphic designer specializing in brand identification means I’ve built my reputation on the longevity of my logo designs. I can say that not only are my clients happy with what I’ve done for them, but my designs have gone on to win national and international logo and branding awards. I have worked hand in hand with some of the biggest advertising agencies and companies and out of over 300 contracts, have had only one logo changed, and that was as a result of a merger, not poor design. I’d like to bring that award winning history to your company. Would you be willing to meet with me for 20 minutes to go over my portfolio and see how I can help make sure your logo properly reflects your brand?

TEACHER/EDUCATOR

Mobile app developer.

Hi, I’m Chip Ohm and I’m a developer. Did you know one of the biggest challenges facing companies these days is tracking employee work time? Of course, when you have a building where your employees are required to clock in and out it makes things easier, but what about employees who work from home or are on the road? I’ve come up with an easy way for both employees and employers to log and keep track of hours using just their cell phones and an app I’ve designed. The app allows employees to log in from wherever they are and input their start and stop times at the push of a button. You don’t even need to be in an area with a signal. The program captures all the data and holds it in a file which is then automatically uploaded to the employer’s servers as soon as the user is back in signal range. The system is not only simple, but it’s tamper proof. Not only has this app helped streamline the timecard process for remote employees, but it’s reduced timecard inconsistencies and paycheck errors by 90%, saving both time and money. So, how does your company handle logging in hours for your remote clients?

So there you have it! Now that you’ve read through this article and seen a few examples, it’s time to craft your own elevator pitch. Remember, keep it simple, keep it short, and keep it tailored.

And as always…good luck!

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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

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About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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11 actually great elevator pitch examples and how to make yours

There's a trope in late '90s movies where a motivated, ambitious main character does everything they can to get on the same elevator ride as the CEO of some powerful company.

It usually ends the same way. Our protagonist makes a nervous, fast-paced speech that the CEO ignores while repeatedly pressing the elevator button, and we get a five-second scene with sad music of our main character watching them walk away.

That nervous, fast-paced speech is an elevator pitch example—a bad one, because otherwise, those movies would be nine minutes long and uninspiring. In the real world, an elevator pitch can make a powerful impression and pave the way for business ventures, employment opportunities, and networking. It won't get you a corner office and a fancy title one week into your new job, but it can be an important step in the right direction. 

To highlight that difference—and to really dismantle "The Pursuit of Happyness" as a plot—I've put together some elevator pitch examples and a guide on how to write one that actually works.

Table of contents:

Components of an elevator pitch

11 elevator pitch examples

How to write an elevator pitch

What is an elevator pitch.

An elevator pitch is a concise speech in which you introduce yourself and a few key points about what you're pitching, whether it's to acquire investors, promote a product, advertise a business, or even sell yourself as a potential employee. If it takes longer than a minute to get the point across, it's getting too long.

Elevator pitches were originally exclusively spoken—used in business conversations and investor pitches—but have since grown into a written format used for things like websites, social media, video ads, marketing outreach, and media pitches . 

You're not trying to convey your entire business strategy or all your selling points. Your goal here is to raise interest, make a connection, and facilitate an opportunity for business in the future.

Let's say you're in the fintech industry and are attending a networking event full of bank representatives and decision-makers. Instead of spending an hour going through your company's history and how it's aiming to be carbon-neutral by 2157, you'd find more success introducing it concisely, pointing out one or two key features and how they could serve your audience's interests. 

The pitch begins with a hook to draw your audience in, veers into the value you offer, provides some proof to support your statement, and wraps it all up with a display of what makes you different.

It's relatively easy to incorporate these elements into a short pitch. The difficulty lies in choosing a good hook and phrasing your proposition in a way that appeals to the other side of the conversation.

The hook: This element doesn't need to be fancy or complicated. Make it simple and get straight to the point. For example, if you're pitching a time management tool, your hook can be a personal story like: "When I first started my business, it felt like there was too much to do and not enough time to do it." It can also be a statistic. If you're pitching an online collaboration tool, your hook can be something like: "73% of all teams will have remote workers by 2028."

The value proposition : This is where you provide an overview of the value you're bringing to the table. Discuss what you're pitching and what it does, research your listener's unique needs beforehand, and prepare a compelling argument for how you can meet them. 

The evidence: The person you're talking to may be nodding, but that doesn't necessarily mean your point is getting across. Some proof of past success or stats that speak to your success could make that nodding a lot more genuine.

The differentiator: Let them know that you're different—that your product or service isn't just another iteration of what came before. You get brownie points for originality and not quoting any movies.

The call to action: Make sure you're inviting your audience to take action. They have all the details, and they might be interested. It's time to bring it home with a clear call to action . Ask them to connect with you on LinkedIn, invite them for a coffee chat, share contact information, and make sure there's an opportunity to follow up on the conversation.

11 elevator pitch examples done right

I rewatched "The Pursuit of Happyness" to see if there was anything I could salvage, but all I walked away with was frustration at the misleading lesson that passion can overcome anything. Passion cannot, in fact, overcome a busy decision-maker who can't wait for you to stop talking.

If you're at all like me, you'll find the following examples a much better use of your time.

1. Startup pitch example

Everyone's got ideas for [shared goal] . But ideas aren't enough.

We took [shared goal] and turned it into a reality.

We developed [solution] at [company name] that's [list of qualities] . We made it possible for [target audience] to [shared goal] .

What sets us apart is our [differentiator, followed by brief overview] .

If you're passionate about [high-level goal] and interested in [benefit of collaborating with you] , let's connect.

This elevator pitch example demonstrates how to approach potential business partners and investors with a clean energy project. The hook is simple. It leans on the issue and the harsh reality of how little the world does to achieve utopian sustainability. Then it introduces the solution as the company's proactive effort to change the status quo. It pitches efficiency, reduced costs, and access to a larger customer base. Finally, it addresses how ease of use sets the solution apart from the competition and invites further collaboration. 

This example is ideal for startups in that it focuses more on the product, what makes it unique, and the features that set it apart, rather than the company's past achievements, success stories, or revenue metrics. It can easily be used to pitch investors and potential clients alike.  

You can follow this example by making the problem the centerpiece of the hook. Open with the issue, and position your company's service or product as the solution.

2. Job seeker pitch example

It took me [period of time] to [achieve goal] .

It's always been my priority to deliver [high-level result] , but I want to put my [expertise] to use making [high-level goal/impact] .

At [company name] , I [past experience] that [measureable results] .

I love what I do. But I [differentiator, high-level goal] .

If you're looking for a [position/title] who's [differentiator] , let's chat. I'm eager to explore how I can help your organization achieve its [field] objectives.

Since tropes are only a good idea when I propose them, I've decided that our job seeker would be making a pitch to GreenCorp, the company from our previous example. Will Smith will not be playing this role.

In this example, the author of the pitch isn't trying to sell a company or a product; they're trying to sell themselves. The hook addresses their background, expertise, and goals. It then veers into past performance results and highlights the key skill set. The uniqueness factor here speaks to GreenCorp's mission, showcasing that the author shares the company's grand goals, empathetic mindset, and desire to help build something positive. 

If you're ever job hunting, open your pitch with a concise and direct overview of your background, share your most impressive achievements, and do your research into the company you're pitching.

3. Sales pitch example

Most people [relevant statistic, followed by explanation] . 

At [company name] , we've taken the [pain point] out of the equation. 

Our [products] are designed for [value proposition] .

They're more than just [product] . They're [differentiator, followed by supporting evidence] . 

We're not just salespeople; we're [differentiator] .

So, are you ready to find [product selling point] ? Let's [CTA] .

In this example, a guitar shop is pitching its unique guitar design to potential customers. It recognizes a very common problem and ties it to a feeling that most guitar enthusiasts know all too well: giving up too soon. It later positions the author as an expert and fellow musician and utilizes customer reviews as supporting evidence.

A sales pitch will always depend on your industry, product, and customer base. Approach your audience by speaking to their greatest pain points .

4. Networking pitch example

I'm a [position/title] at [company name] , and I've worked on [past experience] . 

Over the past [period of time] , I've had the privilege of working with diverse industries, from [industry] to [industry] , and what truly excites me is [shared interest] . 

I'm here to connect with other professionals who share my enthusiasm for creative and innovative [field] ideas. I really want to explore new [differentiators and shared interests] .

Let's connect on [communication channel] . I have quite a few compelling [field] resources to share and talk through.

This networking pitch resembles the job seeker pitch with one major difference: the audience shifts from an employer to a colleague. The objective changes, and that affects the entire approach. 

In this example, the author isn't trying to convey their efficiency or results in percentages or measurable performance points. They're sharing aspects of their industry that they're passionate about and are interested in discussing. The point here is to make a memorable introduction at a networking event and gather connections .

Ahead of your next networking event, tailor your pitch so that it speaks to your expertise and knowledge without going into too much detail.

5. Investor pitch example

At [company name] , we [business concept offer] , plain and simple.

We [value proposition] .

Our portfolio contains [supporting evidence] .

Why us? Well, we [differentiator] .

We roll up our sleeves and get involved. 

We're currently prospecting [target audience] to join us on our journey. If you're ready to be part of the next [field] disruption, let's talk about how [company name] can help.

Investors have heard it all a million times over. It's why their faces are so hard to read—set in unimpressed silence. So it's best to make your hook short and to the point. "We do X to achieve Y" can be a breath of fresh air when your job is listening to entrepreneurs pitch their ideas five days a week.

In this example, YZTech Ventures aims to secure investors for promising companies. The hook is straightforward and simple, slowly veering into an overview of the company and why it works.

6. Nonprofit pitch example

Every day, [pain point] .

[Company name] is working to change that.

We're a nonprofit dedicated to [high-level goal] . We've already provided [supporting evidence/achievements] .

We don't want to treat the symptoms; we want to face the root cause of [pain point] . But this will be a losing battle if we're fighting it on our own.

We're always looking for individuals who share our vision and drive to build a better world where [high-level goal] .

If you're ready to make a difference, let's discuss how you can be part of the solution.

Empathy is the name of the game here, and charities and nonprofits can use it as a unique selling point. The good news is there's very little risk of doing this wrong. The example outlines the cause, its aim, and the efforts being made to find a solution. 

If you're pitching a nonprofit or a charity to potential donors, lean heavily on the charity's message and accomplishments.

7. Personal branding pitch example

I'm [name] , and I'm a dedicated [title] . I've helped [past expertise and achievments] .

I do what I do by [value proposition, followed by differentiator] .

I'm here to [offered value] .

There's " [position] " in the title, but I'll be [differentiator] .

Let's schedule a meeting and discuss what you can do.

Personal branding comes into play when you're pitching yourself, the individual. Just as companies share their unique idea, proposition, and values, the life coach does the same at a personal level. 

If you're ever writing a personal branding pitch, approach it as you would a business. The key difference is to showcase your values and what makes you unique as a person rather than as a corporate entity.

8. Product launch pitch example 

I'm very excited to share with you [product selling point] .

At [company name] , [products] aren't just a [basic nature of product] . We see them as a game-changer in [selling point] .

This is why we developed our [product] , a cutting-edge [product overview] .

Imagine all of your [value proposition, followed by key features] .

Our product has already received rave reviews during beta testing, with users reporting [survey results] .

[Product] is now available for preorders! [CTA].

This example focuses less on the company and more on the newly revealed product. The new release speaks for itself and the business at the same time.

The hook immediately positions the product as the future or "the next best thing." The pitch dives into what makes the new product unique, utilizing a hypothetical to paint a picture of what it can achieve.

If you're writing a product launch elevator pitch, focus on the product and let it speak for the company.

9. Rebranding pitch example

We've done great things as [company name] . We've helped businesses [services and past achievements] .

We've since been on a journey of transformation, and it's time for a fresh start.

Our company has grown, adapted, and innovated in response to changing market dynamics. We've [outlined change] . Now, [company name] is about to become [new company name] .

Why the change? We've rebranded to [rebranding reasons] .

With [new company name] , you can expect the same quality, expertise, and dedication you've come to trust. But now, we're adding a fresh perspective and a dynamic spirit to our brand.

We invite you to join us in this exciting phase of our journey. [New company name] is ready to [service/value proposition] .

Let's schedule a meeting and explore how our renewed brand can better serve your evolving needs.

In this example, the hook immediately delivers the reasoning behind the change. 

Instead of a value proposition, the pitch offers an assurance that the rebranding won't have detrimental effects. It's designed to address stakeholders and clients as well as provide context.

10. Consulting services pitch example

At [company name] , we specialize in [value proposition] .

With a team of seasoned experts in [field of expertise] , we've successfully guided organizations to [high-level goal] .

Our approach is all about partnership. We take the time to deeply understand your unique market and audience. From there, we [differentiator] .

[Company name] can be the catalyst for your business's transformation. Whether you're looking to [goal] or [goal] , we're here to help.

Let's schedule a virtual meeting to discuss where your company stands and where we can take it.

This pitch is designed to attract clients for a consulting service. It takes a collaborative tone in its approach and focuses on areas of growth that pretty much every decision-maker worries about. It makes the solution the centerpiece of its hook instead of the problem, and goes on to briefly outline how the firm's process is structured. 

11. Technology solution pitch example

[Relevant statistic].  

That's how it goes for your [pain point] .

Imagine you didn't have to worry about [pain point] .

Our [product] is designed to enhance [process] . We help businesses [value proposition] .

One of our recent success stories includes helping a [supporting evidence] .

The thing is, [differentiator] ; we make sure our [product] is specifically customized for your organization's needs. 

Are you available to meet next week for a personalized demo?

In this example, the hook is a statistic that lays the foundation for the problem and the value proposition. It's a powerful hook that captures the audience's attention and helps you transition into what you really want to say.

You can be an optimist and decide to improvise an elevator pitch. But you'll likely end up taking too many pauses under the guise of sipping your water, and stumbling over your words mid-pitch might waste a precious conversation.

It pays to be prepared, and writing an elevator pitch beforehand can make a big difference.

1. Outline a clear objective

Before you start writing the elevator pitch, focus on your objective . Are you introducing yourself to grow your personal network, pitching a service or product, prospecting investors, or trying to acquire a new client?

Your objective will help you pinpoint the information you want to mention in your pitch. 

Tip: Establish success metrics relevant to your objective. Investors will want to know how much revenue your business can generate, while potential clients will want to know the benefits of your product or service. Make sure your success metrics speak to your audience's concerns.

2. Define your audience

One speech won't work across the board. Hollywood says the up-and-coming manager likes to be impressed with a Rubik's cube, while the CEO likes to hear your heartfelt speech about how much this job means to you and how you're expertly overcoming odds. 

Both those things are wrong, but the point remains that identifying who your listener is and what matters to them is a nice way to tailor your pitch so that it speaks to their concerns, needs, and bigger pain points. The more you resonate with your audience, the more impactful your pitch will be, and the closer you'll get to a tearful Will Smith movie ending.

Defining your audience goes beyond knowing the name and nature of what might make a potential client. 

Tip: Conduct in-depth audience research by diving into your chosen market, competitors, user data, and digital marketing analytics. Then comb through that information to define your audience's pain points and how you're uniquely positioned to address them.  

3. Craft a hook

You know what you want to say and why. Now you need an opening statement—a hook that grabs their attention and gets them invested in the rest of your pitch. You want to set the stage for the elements that come next. Make it clear and engaging, but keep it concise. The goal here is to get an attentive listener, not a bored one.

The hook needs to spark the audience's interest. You need to speak their industry's language, show knowledge and expertise, and put your audience research data to good use by pointing out the difficulties and issues they face.

Tip: Use a personal story, a statistic, a fact, or an interesting hypothetical to draw your audience in.

4. Explain your value proposition

Once your audience is paying attention, it's time to dive into the proposition and the value within. What do you and your idea bring to the table? What problems do you solve, and how does that make your listener's life better? How does your solution differ from those they've heard pitched a thousand times before?

Point out the differentiating factors that make you and your business unique, whether it's the groundbreaking tech you've patented or the better pricing options your competitors can't keep up with. 

Tip: Write down all the aspects that make your business different, and choose the most compelling ones for the pitch.

5. Support your pitch with evidence

Who doesn't like real-life measurable data? Well, Hollywood doesn't, but that's just because no amount of Hans Zimmer music can make your 325% ROI cinematically engaging. You can be confident that your audience will want to hear success stories that support your proposition.

Have a few successful case studies from former and current clients ready to drive the point home and turn a semi-interested listener into an engaged party.

Tip: Draw on your own expertise, and use performance statistics and relevant metrics from previous projects. 

6. Keep it concise

It's called an elevator pitch for a reason. You have under a minute to get your entire pitch across to a busy decision-maker who doesn't have all day. Cut the fluff, and only say what you feel certain will convince your recipient to take your side.

Tip: Practice reading your pitch out loud in the mirror. Use a timer to measure how long it takes to deliver it comfortably.

7. End with a clear call to action

Since the point of an elevator pitch is to generate interest, you'll want to end it with a clear call to action—one that evokes a response and maybe a more in-depth conversation.

If you're pitching a service, you can offer to schedule a meeting to further outline your services and how they can help the listener. If you're pitching a product, you could offer to schedule a demo to prove it can improve their business. Get creative here, and aim to turn that interest into a meeting.

Tip: Lead your audience to connect with you beyond the pitch. Schedule a meeting or a coffee chat, exchange contact information, and make sure there's room for a longer discussion.

8. Prepare to answer questions

You can't just deliver your pitch and then hit the open bar at the networking event. Be ready to answer questions.

Questions at this stage mean your listener is intrigued, curious, and interested. At this point, feel free to provide as much context in your answers as you'd like. The elevator pitch has already ended, and it served its purpose. Go in-depth and provide context.

Tip: Write down a few questions based on your own market research. Ask yourself what your customers, investors, and audience might be curious about. Prepare your answers so you're never surprised.

Make a unique first impression

Elevator pitches exist because humans have shorter attention spans than goldfish, and we really need a leg up on our aquatic competition.

Opportunities are fleeting, especially when businesses are launching every day. In an oversaturated environment, an elevator pitch can help you make an impression that lasts. And who knows, you might just have what it takes to inspire a 50-million dollar movie that Will Smith can "misty-eye" his way through.

Related reading:

How to pitch your small business to the press

How to use personalized sales pitches to convert clients and sell more 

ChatGPT prompts that will generate great sales emails

Email etiquette: How to ask people for things and actually get a response

How to create a project plan (with project plan templates)

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Hachem Ramki

Hachem is a writer and digital marketer from Montreal. After graduating with a degree in English, Hachem spent seven years traveling around the world before moving to Canada. When he's not writing, he enjoys Basketball, Dungeons and Dragons, and playing music for friends and family.

• Small business

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The Elevator Pitch: How to Master Your Own (+ 7 Real Elevator Pitch Examples to Learn From)

Think back to a time when a salesperson cold-approached you, and you actually kept talking to them (or even bought something). Did they stumble or seem unsure of themselves?

I doubt it. They most likely recited a short speech they’d practiced hundreds of times— their elevator pitch .

Somehow, they piqued your interest, either by demonstrating value or speaking to a pain point that mattered to you. That’s no coincidence. Without a doubt, they’ve refined that short speech to be so effective that you took the time to listen.

Whether you’re in sales, looking for a new job, or trying to get people interested in your latest business venture, refining your elevator pitch can literally change your life. 

In this guide, we’ll teach you what to include in your elevator pitch, how to master the delivery of that short elevator speech, and break down real-life examples of successful elevator pitches you can borrow from. 

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short speech that concisely describes an idea that you’re selling. The idea could be a product or service, an investment opportunity, or your own skill set. It should clearly explain your value proposition in 30 seconds, which is about the time you’d have on an elevator ride. 

Elevator pitches need to accomplish three fundamental things:

• Point out a need
• Show how you can uniquely solve it
• Provide a tangible next step

Here’s a basic example of an elevator pitch you could use if you were selling dent repair to people who have dents in their cars at gas stations (this has been used on me before):

When Would You Use an Elevator Speech?

Elevator pitches (sometimes called elevator speeches) can work for many situations, and they’ll change based on who you’re talking to and what you’re selling them. You might have multiple elevator pitches for different aspects of your life or job. You can even have an elevator pitch to get your kids to eat their vegetables (although your success rate might be lower than normal). 

Here, we’ll focus on three situations that most people design elevator pitches for:

• When you’re a sales professional selling products or services: Whether cold calling, emailing, talking to prospects at trade shows, or being introduced to new referrals, first impressions are key for sales pros. A great elevator pitch is adaptable to different buyer personas , so you can pitch your product in a compelling way, no matter who you’re talking to.
• When pitching your business or startup idea to investors: It’s not easy to get financing for a small business or startup. The first time you’re standing in front of potential investors, you need to prove there is a real market need, and that your product or service can uniquely solve that problem. A succinct 30-second pitch can also sell your business to prospective customers or job candidates you want to hire.
• When you’re in a job interview: There aren’t many questions more unnerving than, “Tell me about yourself.” Being prepared with an elevator pitch that distills your work experience and the value you can bring to the company can make all the difference. The best elevator pitch for a job seeker can be used with recruiters, hiring managers, at career fairs, or even as your LinkedIn summary.

COLD EMAIL GENERATOR →

What to Say in a Good Elevator Pitch: 4 Essential Elements

To create the perfect elevator pitch for any situation, you’ll need to iron out each of the four elements below.  

1. Introduction

People need to know two things: Who are you? And why should I care? 

Remember, this isn’t all about you—if possible, try to include the problem you solve right in your introduction.

In a sales call, you might introduce yourself with something like this: “Hi, I’m Tom Callahan, I represent Callahan Auto, the most reliable brake pad manufacturer in the midwest.” 

By throwing in a simple one-liner that demonstrates value, Tommy Boy here has upped his introduction game to the next level. Not only does he say who he is, but why they should care. 

If you’re going into a job search and want to add value to your intro, you could use some compelling past results, “Hi, I’m Tom Callahan, best known for saving my family’s auto parts company from bankruptcy.” 

Here, Tommy Boy doesn’t just introduce himself but lets the recruiter/hiring manager know why he’s valuable. 

2. Mission Statement

An effective elevator pitch requires not just memorizing your mission statement, but feeling it. An effective pitch can convey that feeling to others. For example, one of our mission statements at Close is “Never again should a startup fail because they couldn’t figure out sales.” If you worked for our sales team, you would integrate this into your pitch. Potential customers would know that your goal isn’t just to sell them something, but to help their business succeed. 

If you were pitching yourself for a job interview, you’d want to have a mission statement that clearly states the impact you want to make. For example, your mission statement could be “I want to use my connections and skills to help this company IPO” or “I want to help this company grow because the product and the culture inspire me.” 

3. Unique Selling Point

Now, it’s time to sell your solution. Your elevator pitch should explain why you or your company can not only solve a problem but also why you are uniquely qualified to do so. This is why it’s called a ‘unique’ selling point. 

If you’re a sales rep, think about the competitive advantages you have. What’s something you offer that your competitors can’t touch? 

For example, if you’re selling Coca-Cola to a convenience store chain and are competing with products like Pepsi and RC Cola (remember that?), you could say, “Coca-Cola is the original cola; it’s the flavor that people expect. Without it in your fountain, customers will be left settling for a knock-off.” The uniqueness here is the originality and dominance of Coke over the competition. It conveys satisfying customer demand in a way that the competition can’t.

Whether you’re at a job fair, trying to get investors for your startup, or selling products and services, always remember to sell in a way that makes you unique. This could be your experience, the results you’ve produced in the past, or what drives you to make a positive change. 

4. Call to Action

Now that you’re nearing the end of your 30 seconds, it’s time to wrap things up with a tangible next step, i.e., a call to action. 

This will again vary based on the situation. If you’re pitching yourself to a recruiter for a job, the call to action could be to ask for a formal interview. If you’re selling a product, it could be to offer a more in-depth product demo. 

Don’t ask for too much. Give them a bite-size call to action that’s easy to commit to. A 30-minute product demo, 15-minute needs assessment call, or 20-minute investor presentation are all reasonable call-to-actions that should follow a 30-second pitch. 

If you’re doing an in-person pitch, don’t forget to leave a business card so they have something to remember you by and your contact information.

Our Quick, Simple, and Direct Elevator Pitch Template

Now that we have the four elements nailed down, here’s a simple template you can use to put your pitch together. Note that this is a sales pitch template, but can be easily adjusted for other situations. 

This is truly just a base template for you to start with and get ideas flowing. Feel free to add a compelling stat or fact, a story element, or a leading question that piques interest in your offering. 

The more creative, the more you’ll stand out. 

How to Craft and Execute Your Elevator Pitch: 6 Tips for Success

Knowing what to put in your elevator pitch is just the start. Now, here are six tips to keep your audience’s attention and get them excited about what you’re offering.

1. Have a Conversation Starter Ready to Go

Having a relevant and noteworthy discussion topic in your back pocket can help make your pitch more compelling. Use something that piques their interest, such as a stat or fact that impacts their business. This compelling opener should naturally transition into your elevator pitch. 

2. Focus on One Clear Benefit

You don’t have the time to rattle off all the benefits you provide in 30 seconds. Instead, go all in on the strongest benefit you provide. For us here at Close, it’s helping our customers master the sales process . If you aren’t sure what this is, talk to your customers or look at your product’s online reviews. 

3. Use Numbers to Make It Real

In business, numbers are everything. Use a compelling number in your pitch that calls out an important pain point. For example: “80 percent of small businesses that don’t streamline their sales process fail within five years.” (I have no idea if that’s true, but you get the idea.)

4. Take a Breath and Speak Slowly

Speaking slowly and from your diaphragm rather than your throat conveys confidence. If you speak too quickly and from too high up in your throat, you sound either unsure of yourself or desperate. By calming yourself with a deep breath and speaking confidently, you put your best voice forward . 

Also, speaking slowly can help improve your overall body language, making you seem like a calm and trustworthy person rather than a shaky mess. 

5. Avoid Useless Jargon

The last thing you want is to stop your pitch and explain some obscure industry jargon (there go your 30 seconds). Worse, you don’t want to isolate your audience by speaking in a language they don’t understand. Don’t use jargon unless you’re 100 percent confident that they’ll understand it and that your pitch will be better for it. Otherwise, avoid it. 

6. Practice until You Can Recite This Elevator Pitch in Your Sleep

You should literally be ready to give your elevator pitch to an important person in an elevator, just like the cliche. Practice and practice until you can recite your pitch hanging upside down with your eyes closed while monkeys throw rotten bananas at you. 

When I was in software sales, I recited my pitch so many times I could think about other stuff while saying it, kind of like when you read a page of your book but don’t remember it because you were thinking about something else. I’m not saying think of other stuff while reciting your pitch, but that is the level you should aim for. 

Source: SalesHigher

7 Elevator Pitch Examples From Real Humans You Can Learn From

To give you real-life examples of effective elevator pitches, I surveyed a group of small business owners and entrepreneurs, and the results were fantastic. Below, I’ll break down why these pitches work so you can take away some pointers to use on your own.  

Robert Kaskel, Chief People Officer, Checkr

Robert is an HR veteran for a prominent background check company with a ton of experience and notable clients. This is a pitch he could use at professional networking events or when talking to prospective new clients. 

Why this works:

• Robert’s introduction doesn’t just mention his title but also touts noteworthy clients. This lets you know his company is legit. 
• After the introduction, a pain point is introduced. This identifies a problem that the prospect may have. If they have this issue, they’ll keep listening. 
• His pitch demonstrates why his company is unique (built-in fairness/more human) and the impact it makes (vastly more efficient).

Gillian Dewar, Chief Financial Officer, Crediful  

Gillian’s pitch is for a personal finance site offering objective advice to help consumers pay down debt, learn to invest, and achieve their most important life goals.

• Gillian leads with a strong stat that her audience can relate to—it’s a great and empathetic conversation starter for someone struggling with their finances. 
• She differentiates her company from others by pointing out their mistakes, then makes her company unique and valuable by offering simplicity and trust. 
• It ends with giving her prospect hope for a better future, which is what they need most in their financial life. 

Marshal Davis , President, Ascendly Marketing

Marshal is the President of a digital marketing agency with over a decade of experience running and managing small to medium-sized enterprises.

• When introducing the company, Marshal delivers a strong value statement and clear benefits, which would get his ideal customers to listen. 
• He calls out ‘vanity metrics,’ i.e., meaningless data points that don’t deliver ROI, which is something many companies can relate to. 
• He provides a valuable free offer and mentions that he wants to ‘prove our worth,’ which humbles his company and shows that he is willing to earn their trust. 
• The ending reiterates the pain point that too many companies face and then demonstrates how he will solve that. 

Emma Zerner , Co-Founder & Content Strategist, Icecartel

Emma is the Co-founder and Content Strategist for a prominent e-commerce website specializing in jewelry. She has mastered the art of crafting compelling narratives for her brand. 

• As a whole, this pitch speaks very well to a specific persona that wants elegant, timeless jewelry. 
• It provides a strong mission statement, “We bring artistry and craftsmanship to the digital realm.” In the two sentences of the intro and the mission statement, you can identify what this company is all about. 
• Their unique selling proposition is catering to people who want to invest in an experience and view jewelry differently. In truth, not everyone fits their buyer persona, but for those who do, this hits home. 

Simon Hughes , Founder & Creative Director, Design & Build Co.

Simon’s agency helps eCommerce brands in the fashion, luxury, and beauty sectors enhance their online visibility through social media.

Note that this is the elevator pitch that Simon uses for prospective clients at networking events. 

• He starts with a great conversation starter that may take people aback for a second, and then they realize he’s talking about their brand. Nice! 
• He identifies a problem that his ideal customers may not have solved yet, which is moving beyond advertising to creating a brand identity that identifies with real people.  
• He shows how his company uniquely solves the problem by making clear promises and delivering on them. He also mentions building trust, which his customers need.
• It finishes with a clear and easy call to action. It doesn’t take a whole lot for prospects to say yes. 

Brian Nagele, CEO, Restaurant Clicks

Brian is a former restauranteur who went on to start Restaurant Clicks, an agency that does digital marketing for the food industry. 

• He leads with a strong conversation starter and pain point. Many restaurant owners will be able to relate to this. 
• Brian points out why his agency is unique compared to those other ones who have ‘never laid their hands on a chef’s knife.’ He is someone they can relate to and trust. 
• He finishes by providing value by sharing his expertise and growing his prospect's business. 

Samantha Odo, a Real Estate Representative for Precondo

Samantha showcases her dedication and expertise when pitching potential clients for her Canadian real estate agent business. 

• The intro shows that she’s a local and an expert, both of which convey trust to potentially nervous buyers. 
• Her uniqueness comes from her abundant knowledge and experience, plus her proven track record. Getting real estate clients is all about trust and she continues to build it here. 
• In the end, she states the outcome she will provide (an informed decision) and invites the prospect to achieve their goals with her—an inspirational and non-pushy call to action. 

Our Elevator Pitch to You (I Mean, We Couldn’t Not)

Whether you’re a salesperson, small business owner, or startup founder, you’re going to be delivering a ton of elevator pitches. How you manage, record, and follow up on those pitches is equally important to how you deliver them. If you don’t have a system for tracking your efforts, they are doomed to fail. 

Close is the perfect customer relationship management tool (CRM) for sales teams, small businesses , and startups to track all the information on who they’re delivering elevator pitches to, the opportunity those pitches create, and when you need to follow up. It’s built to help businesses like yours master the game of sales. 

Learn more about how Close can be the fast, modern, and simple CRM that your business needs.

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How to Write and Give an Elevator Pitch

By Joe Weller | October 17, 2022

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Students, professionals, and entrepreneurs should always have a personalized elevator pitch they can deliver at a moment’s notice. With help from experts, we’ve created a guide to developing, writing, and delivering an effective elevator pitch. 

Included on this page, you’ll find expert opinions on elevator pitch length and a step-by-step guide to writing an elevator pitch . Learn from our useful elevator pitch examples , and get tips from professionals on delivering your pitch . Also, download a free elevator pitch brainstorming guide , a basic elevator pitch template , a cheat sheet for reading listener cues , and more.

What Is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch , or elevator speech , is a short summary of a product, person, or company. A good elevator pitch is usually between 30 and 60 seconds long. Elevator pitches should be well-rehearsed, clear, and persuasive. 

Appropriate in any networking scenario, formal or informal, the elevator pitch is the answer to the tricky “tell me about yourself” or “tell me about your company” question. A strong elevator pitch will demonstrate professional aptitude, grab attention, and convey information quickly, clearly, and memorably. 

“A good elevator pitch will align a person emotionally and intellectually with your product and brand,” says Morgan Roth, Chief Communication Strategy Officer at EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases . “People need to feel good, smart, and safe about their investment of time, money, or other resources before they commit to calls to action. Your pitch puts your value-add on the radar and invites conversation with the potential for a relationship.”

Elevator Pitch Example

Here is an example of a basic elevator pitch for a software company:

ATS (applicant tracking software) reduces time people spend on hiring by about 20 percent. But these systems also throw away thousands of qualified resumes daily. Our team at Hiring Help has designed an ATS with the fewest formatting restrictions of any option on the market. Hiring Help software keeps hiring times low but discovers 30 percent more qualified resumes than the leading ATS, providing our users the best access to top talent.

How Long Should an Elevator Pitch Be?

An elevator pitch should last no longer than a short elevator ride. Usually this time is between 30 and 60 seconds, or 50 and 200 words. Some experts suggest writing elevator pitches that are as short as 15 seconds. 

Most experts recommend erring on the shorter side. “Keep the pitch short — within seconds, not minutes,” says Roth. “Thirty seconds is the max because of our overworked attention spans. That said, have your next steps ready. What are you prepared to do and say if the prospect asks for a prospectus or a meeting? What if they have questions about you at the ready? Have a plan to follow up in the moment or the following day.”

Shorter elevator pitches are best for casual networking events or chance encounters, where your primary goal is to spark interest and open the possibility of a continued relationship. Elevator pitches might go longer, about 45 to 60 seconds, in scenarios such as job interviews or career fairs. In these situations, you have a platform to speak, and the person listening might want more specific, detailed information. 

Remember that no matter the case, an elevator pitch should never exceed a minute in length. A good elevator pitch should open up the possibility of longer, more substantial conversations and professional relationships down the line.

How to Use an Elevator Pitch

Use an elevator pitch when you want to create a professional connection. Have your pitch ready for interviews, semi-formal chats, or career fairs. Break it out to spark interest, get across key points, and ask to stay connected. 

“I love using the elevator pitch when working a room — say, at an industry conference,” says Justin Kitagawa, Senior Director of Revenue Operations at MixMode . “You’re there meeting new people, and you want to make a strong impression quickly and find out if it makes sense to continue the conversation later.”

Roth suggests having your elevator pitch ready, even if you don’t have a specific networking event in mind. “Certainly, an elevator speech is a great tool to use at networking events, but a well-practiced pitch is also great for those unplanned encounters when you run into someone, say, on an elevator,” she says. “You may not have planned or expected it, but here is that person you’ve been reading about who has some promising connection to your product or cause, and they are a captive audience for some period of time!”

Finally, Roth stresses the importance of following up after you’ve made a connection. “Don’t assume that your pitch will establish or secure a relationship on the spot,” she cautions. “Your elevator pitch is an introduction meant to generate interest and imagination about possibilities. It represents the start of a cultivation process that can take weeks, months, or even years to mature. You still have to steward the relationship and fan the flames of interest strategically and with sensitivity.”

How to Write an Elevator Pitch

When writing an elevator pitch, start with who you are, what you do, how you do it, and why you are unique. Pare down those details. Structure your pitch with an intro, relevant experience, goals, the solution, and your plan. 

Learn how to write an elevator pitch about yourself, your company, or your product with this step-by-step guide.

1. Brainstorm Your Elevator Pitch

The first step to crafting an elevator pitch is to brainstorm some ideas. Think about all the ways you or your product add value. 

Devin Schumacher, Co-Founder of SERP , recommends answering several key questions as you brainstorm your pitch: “Who are you talking to? What are their pain points? What are the results they want? What is your solution? When it’s time to write your pitch, you need to answer those questions clearly and simply.”

Use these questions as a starting point in your brainstorming process to ensure you cover all your bases:

2. Pare Down Your Ideas

Once you’ve finished brainstorming, it’s time to pare down your pitch. Effective elevator pitches are concise. Look through all your points, and select a few key details that you think will have the most impact. 

“Your first order of business is to determine the one takeaway you want your prospect to take in,” explains Roth. “If he or she really hears you on one point only, what do you need that point to be?”

3. Write Your Elevator Pitch

Finally, it’s time to write your pitch. Keep the pitch short, usually between 50-120 words. Longer elevator pitches should never exceed 200 words. 

Begin your pitch with an attention-grabbing detail. This opener might be a surprising statistic, a pain point that your audience can relate to, or a thought-provoking question. From there, be sure to include the following five components in your pitch:

• Introduction: Include basic information, such as name, job title, or company name.
• Experience: State any relevant work experience, or give your listener a little background about your company, brand, or idea. 
• Goals: Clearly state your ultimate goal. This could be a pain point or problem you hope to address or value you can add. 
• Solution: Tell your listener about your unique solution to the problem. 
• Plan: Explain your plan for achieving your goal. Demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and knowledge, and be specific about how you are better equipped than your competitors to do it. 

Use this reference guide to make sure you remember all the key components of a successful elevator pitch:

Tip: When writing your pitch, Kitagawa recommends talking through it aloud. “I prefer to talk through my pitch rather than write it out. If you can do this live with another person, even better. Writing them out tends to be a bit more one-sided and can leave you sounding like you’re reading off a marketing campaign,” he adds.

Elevator Pitch Starter Kit

Download Elevator Pitch Starter Kit

Use this free starter kit to help you get started writing your elevator pitch. This kit includes templates for a basic elevator pitch and an elevator pitch deck. In addition, you’ll find an elevator pitch cheat sheet, which includes a guide to reading listener cues, brainstorming ideas, and the key components of an elevator pitch, all in one comprehensive document. Finally, consult the list of correct elevator pitch examples to help guide you as you create your own. 

In this kit, you’ll find:

• An elevator pitch template for Microsoft Word to guide you through the elevator pitch writing process. 
• An elevator pitch deck template for PowerPoint to help you structure your elevator pitch as a presentation.
• An elevator pitch cheat sheet for Adobe PDF to help you read listener cues, brainstorm ideas, and remember the key components of an elevator pitch.
• A list of elevator pitch examples for Microsoft Word to help you create your own elevator pitch.

For more free resources to help you craft an elevator pitch, including templates that have been pre-filled with sample text, see this comprehensive collection of downloadable elevator pitch templates .

How to Write a 30-Second Elevator Pitch

Most experts recommend keeping your elevator pitch under 30 seconds. This translates to between 80 and 120 words. Be sure to include the five key parts: introduction, background, goals, solution, and plan.

Here are some examples of each of the elevator pitch components: 

• My name is Linda, and I work in digital marketing.
• Our company is Hiring Help, a leading ATS software developer.
• I’ve spent the last six years coordinating our social media advertising program. In our last initiative, I increased our Twitter engagement by 60 percent in three months.
• We’ve been producing industry trusted ATS software for more than 10 years. 
• I noticed that your company hasn’t yet developed a robust social media presence, even while your top competitors are launching social media campaigns.
• Most ATS solutions cut down on hiring times by about 20 percent, but they also throw away thousands of qualified resumes for things as simple as formatting issues. 
• As marketing manager, I could develop a social media engagement team to run a program that will make you more competitive.
• We offer software that saves as much time as our leading competitors, while giving our clients more access to top talent.
• In my current role, I’ve created a detailed social media development plan that any company can adapt. 
• Our team of top-tier engineers has created software that discovers 30 percent more qualified resumes than the leading ATS, while keeping hiring times low.

How to Write a 60-Second Elevator Pitch

Opt for longer elevator pitches when you have a captive audience. A 60-second elevator pitch should be around 200 words and use the same components as a shorter pitch. In the extra time, add attention-grabbing details to prompt a dialogue.

“I would typically start with the 30-second pitch, and then be prepared to go into additional detail in the area where the person you are talking to expresses interest or asks a question. It’s all about matching up with their interests and potential needs,” advises Kitagawa.

“If you have the benefit of a full 60 seconds to make a case and an invitation to keep speaking, be prepared to show that you’ve done your research,” suggests Roth. “Connect your organization’s mission or product to your prospect’s specific needs, interests, or passion.”

If you have 60 seconds for your pitch, you can add the following on top of the basic elevator pitch components:

• Did you know that 55 percent of customers first hear about new brands or companies through social media?
• On average, 43 percent of the resumes that ATS products reject are for file compatibility issues, not because candidates aren’t qualified. 
• What has been preventing your team from expanding into social media?
• What initiatives have you been taking to ensure that you are hiring the top talent available in your field?

How to Deliver an Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch needs to be engaging and informative. Speak slowly and clearly, and avoid confusing jargon. Practice saying your pitch ahead of time so that you feel confident and prepared during delivery. 

Given the short timespan available, it can be tempting to rush and cram in as much detail as possible. However, this is counterproductive. Speak slowly so that your listener can follow along and ask questions as they arise.

Roth stresses the importance of practicing, and practicing often. “An elevator speech should be articulated fluently and effortlessly and, whenever possible, in the vernacular of your audience,” she stresses.

Here are some simple ways to make the most of practicing your elevator pitch:

• Record Yourself: It can be difficult to judge your pitch as you’re giving it. Try recording your voice or filming yourself as you practice your pitch. When you watch it, you’ll be better able to identify areas for improvement. 
• Use a Mirror: A low-tech option is to deliver the pitch in front of a mirror. Watching yourself as you speak will allow you to practice keeping your body language professional and welcoming. 
• Do a Trial Run: Ask a friend, colleague, or career counselor to watch your elevator pitch and provide feedback. This practice has two benefits. First, it will help you feel more comfortable when you deliver your pitch in a real networking scenario. Second, they will likely pick up on problems that you aren’t aware of. 

Kitagawa also recommends keeping your pitch conversational. If it feels one-sided, it’s possible you aren’t engaging your audience. “I recommend everyone drop the 30 seconds of you talking,” he advises. “Instead, use a question. Why? Because talking doesn’t sell. Listening does. If you’re the one doing all the talking, you’ll often miss the opportunity to learn how you can help that person.”

What Not to Do When Giving Your Elevator Pitch

When giving an elevator pitch, avoid rambling, using jargon, or ignoring your audience. Elevator pitches should be conversational, concise, and friendly. You can avoid most pitfalls by practicing your pitch often.

Here are some elevator pitch don’ts to keep in mind: 

• Don’t Ramble: “Don’t get distracted and start rambling,” says Schumacher. “How do you avoid that? Practice. Practice saying your pitch out loud repeatedly, until you’re sure you can deliver without a hitch.”
• Don’t Ignore Listener Cues: An elevator pitch should be interactive. If you want to keep your audience engaged, listen to their questions and respond to their nonverbal cues. 
• Don’t Be Overly Technical: Focus on pain points that you or your company or idea can address. Roth explains, “You can tweak context and vernacular to accommodate the level of familiarity your audience has with your business or mission. Insiders from your field may be more tolerant of some technical or industry jargon, but don’t go overboard.” 
• Don’t Be Shy: Confidence will generate interest and trust. Combat stage fright by practicing regularly. 
• Don’t Show Desperation: Elevator pitches are about making connections and starting conversations, not demanding or pleading for help. Remember, desperation can be off-putting. 
• Don’t Talk Too Fast: When you speak too quickly, you can make mistakes or trip over your words. Your audience will also be more likely to misunderstand you or lose interest. Practice speaking slowly and clearly.
• Don’t Have Just One Script: “Consider the context in which you are giving the pitch, both the situation and the person. You should adjust the level of detail you go into, formality of the language you use, and key points of your pitch,” says Kitagawa.
• Don’t Monologue: Keep a conversational tone. “Make sure you don’t sound like a robot. You want to be natural,” adds Schumacher.

Listener Cues to Look for During Your Elevator Pitch

Paying attention to your audience can provide vital feedback. Look out for signs such as eye contact and relaxed posture. These signs indicate that your audience is engaging with you. If you notice negative cues such as fidgeting and frowning, have some plans in place to get back on track. 

“Imagine meeting someone who interests you romantically,” Roth suggests. “You want to make a memorable introduction and establish what you have in common. But you’re still steps away from asking for a date, let alone proposing marriage. Just like in the dating world, how someone responds to your elevator pitch will signal whether you should stand down, move forward, or move on.”

Look for positive cues as signs that your audience is receiving your pitch well. These cues include eye contact, commentary, and friendly, open body language. “The best cue your pitch is working is when the person you’re talking to starts asking questions. That’s a good sign they’re interested in learning more,” says Kitagawa. 

If your pitch isn’t going well, your audience is likely to reveal their disinterest in body language and actions. Lack of eye contact, fidgeting, and frowning are signs that your pitch isn’t establishing the connection you want.

The easiest way to save a pitch is to encourage listener engagement with questions. “If you’re picking up on negative cues, the best thing to do is to ask a question, and then really, genuinely listen to what they have to say,” advises Kitagawa. “This gives the person a chance to explain what they’re thinking, and you a chance to course-correct to get back to how you can help them.”

Refer to the following cheat sheet for a quick overview of the positive and negative cues to look for, as well as some strategies for turning around a pitch that isn’t going well.

Elevator Pitch Examples

We’ve compiled a useful list of correct and incorrect elevator pitch examples for three different encounters: an informational interview, a career fair, and a new business pitch. Use these examples to spark ideas for your own pitch.

Here are some example elevator pitch scripts:

Informational Interview

• Correct: I’m studying political science at X University. This summer I worked on Senator A’s reelection campaign, where I focused on social media promotion. I helped launch a TikTok campaign that got over 6 million engagements in the first three weeks. I want to continue doing this after graduation and would love to talk to you about your work. I’m really drawn to the social media campaigns your company has spearheaded, especially the ones for Governor B and Congresswoman C. 
• Why It Works: This speaker provides a quick background, notes quantifiable results from previous experience, and gives their listener clear expectations for the conversation. This speaker also demonstrates that they’ve done their research by citing specific campaigns their listener has worked on.
• Incorrect: I’m in my last year at university, so I’m starting to think about jobs. I’m really good at social media, and I’ve taken some classes in communications and political science. I think I want to work on either political campaigns, but I could also be interested in other kinds of marketing. What kinds of jobs can I get at your company? 
• Why It Doesn’t Work: This speaker is too vague about their background and experience and doesn’t make it clear what they want from the conversation. The final question presumes that their listener wants to hire them, which could come across as rude.

Career Fair

• Correct: My name is Emma Miller. I’m a second-year MBA student studying business operations. I noticed that you’ve been expanding your verticals. Before starting school, I was an assistant operations manager at a multinational clothing manufacturing company, where I assisted with vertical integrations. I’ve been focusing my coursework on process and systems optimization. I’m currently looking for internships and jobs where I can put those skills to use. 
• Why It Works: Emma is clear about who she is, her background and experience, and her goals for the career fair. She also demonstrates that she’s done research on the company and finds a connection to her own experience. 
• Incorrect: My name is Sarah Smith, and I’m a second-year MBA student. I’m interested in business operations, but also management. I also have taken some classes on business strategy, which I think I’m pretty good at. I haven’t taken too many classes on corporate finance, but I’m a fast learner. But probably I have the most experience in operations. What jobs are you hiring for?
• Why It Doesn’t Work: Sarah is vague about her experience and interests. She wavers back and forth so that it is unclear what kind of role she wants or would suit her. The final question is one she could easily look up online and suggests that she hasn’t done her research.

New Business Pitch

• Correct: Have you had any nasty surprises on your utility bills? My name is Jim Johnson, and I’ve created and sold four apps to major developers. For the last eight months, my business partner and I have been creating partnerships with local utility companies to develop an app that would allow users to track utility use in real time. Now we’re looking for sponsors so that we can secure enough funding to make this app a reality. 
• Why It Works: Jim starts with an attention-grabbing question and transitions smoothly into his introduction and background. He also demonstrates that he has already done work toward this business but doesn’t get into too much technical detail. This way, the listener can engage by asking questions.
• Incorrect: I’m Bob Williams. I want to develop an app that would help people keep track of their utilities. We really need funding to get the ball rolling with this app. I’ve been trying to find investors, but they just aren’t seeing how much value this app has. It would really solve a lot of people’s problems. I promise this will be such a good investment.
• Why It Doesn’t Work: Bob doesn’t include any interesting details so that his listener can connect with or understand his concept. He focuses for too long on the need for funding and not enough on what work, if any, he’s already done. His pitch risks coming across as demanding or desperate. 

For a more comprehensive list, including elevator pitch examples by industry, see this collection of elevator pitch examples.

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The ultimate guide to creating an ideal elevator pitch presentation in 2023

What is an elevator pitch? What is an elevator pitch designed to do? And even more importantly – what makes a good elevator pitch? It is probably one of the most common presentation types – and it’s easy to see why. It is brief, effective, and utterly universal since you can use this format in pretty much any sphere – from business to making friends. So, let’s find out exactly what it is and how to make an ideal elevator pitch!

Elevator pitch meaning

An elevator pitch, sometimes referred to as an elevator speech, is a brief, memorable summary of your professional background, product/service, expertise, and credentials. This type of presentation should be quick enough to present during a short elevator ride, which is why it’s called an elevator pitch.

This speech is entirely about who you are, what you sell or currently do, and what you plan to do in the future.

Think of it as a Twitter version of your business proposal/plan. You can use over 140 characters to share your ideas during a 60-second elevator ride but only share up to 3 tweets’ during the first contact. The reason is simple: the average English word has 5.5 characters with spaces, and a 140-character tweet is equal to 25 words.

Pro tip: In your elevator pitch, speak at a comprehensible 75 words per minute (a little slower than the usual pace of 120-200 words/minute).

Done right, this speech will help you make a solid first impression on potential investors, employers, or business partners. It can also aid in network development, employment, or establishing connections with new coworkers on your first day at a company. You might even learn something new about your business that you never knew before!

Is this something you are interested in trying?

Good! Because we’ll soon show you how to do it!

Key takeaways:

• Aim to convey your message in no more than 60 seconds and keep your elevator speech short and to the point.
• Maintain a maximum of 75 words per minute.
• With the limited time you have, be enthusiastic and persuasive. Concentrate on the most critical details.
• Use visual aids to grab attention.
• To ensure that your speech is effective, record it or deliver it to a friend. Remember, practice makes perfect.

What is an elevator pitch deck designed to do?

To put it shortly, an elevator pitch is designed to introduce either you or your product or service. Keep in mind that your audience would likely be strangers. Your goal here is to catch their attention and spark interest.

Depending on what you want to achieve, there may be different types of elevator pitch presentations:

• Introductory elevator pitch – fits anywhere from job interviews to sales campaigns and fundraising events – wherever you need to introduce yourself or your product/service.
• Job interview elevator pitch – fits for making a fast overview of your skills and competencies for your potential employer.
• “Selling” elevator pitch for business – fits for either selling your product or getting funding to make one.

Remember, your elevator pitch is as helpful during online networking events, job interviews, and trade fairs as in person.

In this article, we’ll show you how to craft a powerful elevator pitch ppt to attract investors.

What constitutes a good elevator pitch?

The purpose of elevator pitch slides is to give clear and crisp information about yourself or your product/service. That’s why your deck should contain only a few slides. The perfect elevator pitch deck is anywhere between 5 to 12 slides, with smart art and charts.

How to do an elevator pitch for business?

There are a ton of elevator pitch examples available online. And every one of those samples follows a slightly different format template.

This raises an important question: which one is the best?

We at SlidePeak will try to provide a clear answer to that question in this elevator pitch guide. Having explored many alternative options, we found our winning template, which we will now share with you.

Our elevator pitch presentation is divided into 8 sections:

• Introduction
• Problem vs. solution
• Market size and competition
• Business model
• Unique selling point (USP)
• Founding team
• Money milestones
• Call to action (CTA)

Here’s a quick overview of what each elevator pitch slide deck section includes and why:

Section 1: Introduction

You might be tempted to begin an elevator pitch with something startling. After all, you want to draw the investor’s attention, don’t you?

The issue with shocking starters is that they may draw the investor’s attention away from your business, which is the main focus of your pitch. That’s why we recommend starting out naturally rather than shockingly and putting information on 1-3 slides to make the information easy to understand.

You should include these elevator pitch essentials in your introduction:

• The name of the business
• A concise summary of your business (no more than two sentences)
• A breakdown of the top three products/services you offer (optional)
• Your target audience

Make sure to relate all details in no more than 18 seconds or 36 words max. By briefly outlining the details, you give the potential investor a basic grasp of what you do.

Good examples:

Pro tip: You can skip the target audience if it is obvious, like in the example above (anyone can benefit from social media). For other products/services, this is a crucial component that should be clearly defined.

Starting your elevator pitch PowerPoint with a question or hook is also an excellent way to attract the investor’s attention. In such a case, add one more slide before the introductory one.

Example 1: Starting with a question

Example 2: Starting with a hook or interesting fact

The pitch’s beginning or conclusion might both contain a hook. If you’re cold-pitching and use your hook at the beginning, your audience might be intrigued. A lengthier conversation will begin if you place it near the end of your speech during a networking event or job interview.

Section 2: Problem vs. solution

The next section has to throw light on the problem you’re attempting to solve. It can consist of one main problem statement, several smaller ones that are related to it, or one main problem divided into two to three smaller ones.

The objective is to demonstrate that you fully understand the challenge and quickly tell them about the solution you offer. The simpler to understand, the better.

Section 3: Market size and competition

Potential investors are always more likely to invest where they can expect substantial returns. That’s why demonstrating the scale of the opportunity and insights into the competition gives an immediate sense of whether they should invest their time with you.

Good example:

Section 4: Business model

An investor can get a sense of how you plan to make money with a fast elevator pitch slide on the business model. An investor is more likely to convert when a business strategy is clear and compelling.

Section 5: Why choose us or our USP

Your objective in this section is to show potential investors how your company stands out from the competition. At this point, they decide whether or not to spend more time with you.

If they want to hold a second listening to you, you are more likely to get funding.

Pro tip: You should be mindful that you have a maximum of 20 seconds to highlight your USP. Therefore, keep information to a minimum and provide details that are absolutely necessary for your investors to know.

You can also add a slide describing your technology if you offer high-end, technologically oriented products or solutions. If it’s a patented technology, make sure to put it forward during your elevator pitch.

Section 6: Founding team

People invest in people.

Investors are interested in the credentials of the people they spend their money and effort on. To inspire trust in potential investors, always include your credentials, experience, and accomplishments.

Section 7: Money milestones

Investors absolutely love numbers and will remember them long after your elevator pitch is over. Therefore, make sure to demonstrate a well-thought-out investment process right from the start.

A good example from Airbnb:

How to speak at an elevator pitch?

Now that we’re finished with the content part, let’s talk about how you should speak at an elevator pitch.

Actually, time may be quite an enemy here. You start talking faster because you are worried, and there’s so little time for you to speak. And if you are a fast talker, this may result in your pitch feeling rushed and hard to follow.

Try keeping a relaxed approach to how you speak. Your steady and clear rhythm will create a feeling of confidence in what you are talking about. This will result in credibility and give you the highest possible impact.

How to end an elevator pitch?

The ending is as important as the beginning, if not more! In fact, the more creative you can be, the more successful your elevator pitch will be.

You need to consider a concluding statement that will stick in the investor’s mind. The better the line, the more likely your potential investor will remember your message afterward.

This memory trigger could be anything from a catchy phrase to a promise of value. It can be a summary of the pitch. If you can make it rhyme, bonus points for you!

You can also ask whether further explanations are needed, initiate a discussion, or offer your business card – whatever attracts attention and makes your pitch memorable.

What to avoid in an elevator pitch?

The key thing in an elevator pitch, apart from its size, is clarity.

Here are 6 things you should avoid when you write your elevator pitch.

• Avoid truisms, buzzwords, hyperbole, and jargon. Some people can be impressed, but many others will be confused.
• Don’t speak too fast or ask too much of people.
• Weed out fillers and annoyances.
• Don’t give your elevator speech to people who don’t want to hear it or are in a hurry.
• Don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Make sure to refresh your pitch if the situation changes.
• Don’t speak in a monotone way or frown. Instead, aim for high energy.

Finally, think about how you move and what you do during your elevator pitch. Too many gestures and overall movement may appear annoying, while not moving at all will make you sound odd. So, try to strike a balance and always be ready for objections!

Some good examples to follow:

The presentation part

The design, appearance, and feel of the deck have an equal impact on your elevator pitch’s success, as does accurately communicated information.

Do not shy away from receiving professional assistance to get the elevator pitch design done. After all, it is your idea that should succeed – an effective elevator pitch deck simply opens the door.

Quick tips for elevator pitch that stands out

• Keep it concise, short, simple, and visually appealing.
• Select bold fonts.
• Give preference to contrasting backgrounds.
• Use words, fonts, and images that are easy to understand.
• Avoid putting all the information in a single slide –the less information, the better.
• Avoid using free stock images – instead, use few but relevant ones.

The bottom line

Stick with the elevator pitch guidelines we’ve offered in this article, and you will present your business with class and style. And if you have any questions or need assistance creating an elevator pitch, feel free to contact our team at any time convenient for you.

We’re always happy to assist business owners and startups in expanding their marketing efforts!

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How to Create an Elevator Pitch With Examples

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BY   ALISON DOYLE  | Updated January 27, 2021 | 6-minute read Source:  The Balance Careers

What’s an elevator pitch, and how can it help your career? An elevator pitch—also known as an elevator speech—is a quick synopsis of your background and experience. The reason it’s called an elevator pitch is that it should be short enough to present during a brief elevator ride.

This speech is all about you: who you are, what you do, and what you want to do (if you’re job hunting).

💡  Tip:  Your elevator pitch is a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively with people who don’t know you.

Done right, this short speech helps you introduce yourself to career and business connections in a compelling way. It can help you build your network, land a job, or connect with new colleagues on your first day of work.

When and How to Use an Elevator Speech

If you’re job searching, you can use your elevator pitch at job fairs and career expos, and online in your LinkedIn summary or Twitter bio, for example. An elevator speech is a great way to gain confidence in introducing yourself to hiring managers and company representatives.

You can also use your elevator pitch to introduce yourself at  networking events  and mixers. If you’re attending professional association programs and activities, or any other type of gathering, have your pitch ready to share with those you meet.

Your elevator pitch can be used during  job interviews , especially when you’re asked about yourself. Interviewers often begin with the question, “ Tell me about yourself ” — think of your elevator pitch as a super-condensed version of your response to that request.

What to Say

Your elevator speech should be brief . Restrict the speech to 30-60 seconds. You don’t need to include your entire work history and career objectives. Your pitch should be a short recap of who you are and what you do.

You need to be persuasive.  Even though it’s a short pitch, your elevator speech should be compelling enough to spark the listener’s interest in your idea, organization, or background.

Share your skills.  Your elevator pitch should explain who you are and what qualifications and  skills  you have. Try to focus on assets that add value in many situations. This is your chance to brag a bit — avoid sounding boastful, but do share what you bring to the table.

Practice, practice, practice.  The best way to feel comfortable about giving an elevator speech is to practice it until the speed and “pitch” come naturally, without sounding robotic. You will get used to varying the conversation as you practice doing so. The more you practice, the easier it will be to deliver it when you’re at a career networking event or job interview.

💡  Tip:  Practice giving your speech to a friend or recording it. This will help you know whether you’re keeping within the time limit and giving a coherent message.

Be positive and flexible.  You often aren’t interviewing for a specific position when you deliver your pitch, so you want to appear open-minded and flexible. Don’t lead with the stuff you’d rather not be doing. (For example, if you don’t want to travel a lot for work, that’s completely legitimate – but you needn’t volunteer that information right off the bat.) This is your chance to make a great first impression with a potential employer. Don’t waste it.

Mention your goals.  You don’t need to get too specific. An overly targeted goal isn’t helpful since your pitch will be used in many circumstances, and with many different types of people. But do remember to say what you’re looking for. For instance, you might say, “a role in accounting” or “an opportunity to apply my sales skills to a new market” or “to relocate to San Francisco with a job in this same industry.”

Know your audience, and speak to them.  In some cases, using jargon can be a powerful move — it demonstrates your industry knowledge. But be wary of using jargon during an elevator pitch, particularly if you’re speaking to recruiters, who may find the terms unfamiliar and off-putting. Keep it simple and focused.

Have a business card ready.  If you have a business card, offer it at the end of the conversation as a way to continue the dialog. If you don’t, you could offer to use your smartphone to share your contact information. A copy of your  resume , if you’re at a job fair or a professional networking event, will also demonstrate your enthusiasm and preparedness.

What Not to Say and Do During Your Elevator Speech

Don’t speak too fast.  Yes, you only have a short time to convey a lot of information. But don’t try to fix this dilemma by speaking quickly. This will only make it hard for listeners to absorb your message.

Avoid rambling.  This is why it’s so important to practice your elevator speech. While you don’t want to over-rehearse, and subsequently sound stilted, you also don’t want to have unfocused or unclear sentences in your pitch, or get off-track. Give the person you’re talking to an opportunity to interject or respond.

Don’t frown, or speak in a monotone way.  Here’s one of the downsides to rehearsing: it can leave you more focused on remembering the exact words you want to use, and less on how you’re carrying yourself. Keep your energy level high, confident, and enthusiastic.

💡  Tip:  Modulate your voice to keep listeners interested, keep your facial expression friendly, and smile.

Don’t restrict yourself to a single elevator pitch.  Maybe you’re interested in pursuing two fields — public relations and content strategy. Many of your communication skills will apply to both those fields, but you’ll want to tailor your pitch depending on who you are speaking to. You may also want to have a more casual, personal pitch prepared for social settings.

Elevator Pitch Examples

Use these examples as guidelines in crafting your own elevator pitch. Make sure your speech includes details on your background, as well as what you’d provide an employer with:

• I recently graduated from college with a degree in communications. I worked on the college newspaper as a reporter, and eventually, as the editor of the arts section. I’m looking for a job that will put my skills as a journalist to work.
• I have a decade’s worth of experience in accounting, working primarily with small and midsize firms. If your company is ever in need of an extra set of hands, I’d be thrilled to consult.
• My name is Bob, and after years of working at other dentists’ offices, I’m taking the plunge and opening my own office. If you know anyone who’s looking for a new dentist, I hope you’ll send them my way!
• I create illustrations for websites and brands. My passion is coming up with creative ways to express a message, and drawing illustrations that people share on social media.
• I’m a lawyer with the government, based out of D.C. I grew up in Ohio, though, and I’m looking to relocate closer to my roots, and join a family-friendly firm. I specialize in labor law and worked for ABC firm before joining the government.
• My name is Sarah, and I run a trucking company. It’s a family-owned business, and we think the personal touch makes a big difference to our customers. Not only do we guarantee on-time delivery, but my father and I personally answer the phones, not an automated system.

🔎Key Takeaways

KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET:  Your elevator speech is a sales pitch. Be sure you can deliver your message in 60 seconds or less.

FOCUS ON THE ESSENTIALS:  Say who you are, what you do, and what you want to achieve.

BE POSITIVE AND PERSUASIVE:  Your time is limited. Focus on what you want to do, not what you don’t want to do. Be upbeat and flexible.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE:  Deliver your speech to a friend or record it, so that you can be sure that your message is clear.

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• Business strategy |
• 15 creative elevator pitch examples for ...

15 creative elevator pitch examples for every scenario

A good elevator pitch can be the difference between landing your next big opportunity or falling short of the competition. But the reality is, people want to have meaningful conversations without the forced sales pitch. So how do you pitch yourself during a job interview or client meeting with authenticity? 

First things first: What is an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch, also known as an elevator speech, is an opportunity to share a quick summary of yourself and your product offerings. But a pitch can also be your chance at making a real connection that you can use later down the road. It’s not always an immediate benefit, but you should be prepared for any scenario in which you could be giving an elevator pitch. 

In reality, most people have given an elevator pitch whether they realize it or not. That’s because there are many different types of pitches—from interviews to new business opportunities. That makes preparing for your next pitch an important step in marketing both yourself and your company. 

When it comes to figuring out who to deliver your pitch to, you should aim for the best point of contact, not just the highest point of contact. Choosing connections that are related to or interested in what you’re offering will give you a better chance at making your sale. 

How long should an elevator pitch be?

One of the biggest unknowns about creating sample elevator pitches is how long they should be. In most cases, it will depend on what it’s about and who you’re pitching. A good rule of business etiquette is to make it as short as possible by carefully selecting the most important points. 

A study conducted by Microsoft found that the average person has an attention span of around eight seconds, meaning you’ll have to fight for that undivided attention. That’s no small task. So when it comes to a great elevator pitch, aim to keep it around 30 seconds—though the exact length can vary depending on your industry and what you’re pitching. 

When looking at pitch length based on industry, each one differs to some degree. Let’s take marketing for example. Your pitch opportunities will likely be to customers that come across your brand. And in that case, you have very little time to get your message across—whether it’s text, video, or imagery. But when it comes to sales, you may get the opportunity to expand your elevator pitch past 30 seconds. You will likely have plenty of networking opportunities where people are more than willing to listen to what you have to say. It really just depends on your medium and the audience’s eagerness to listen. 

But what if you can’t cut your elevator pitch down to 30 seconds? It may seem like your brand is too complicated to distill down to such a short timeframe, but if you’re pitching to the right audience you shouldn’t have that problem. Make sure you pitch to people related to your industry or a tangential audience that will be able to interpret your offerings. 

How to write an elevator pitch 

When it comes to writing an elevator pitch, it can be hard to decipher important facts from unimportant ones—this is why knowing how to effectively communicate in the workplace is important in the first place. For example, while it’s good to personalize your communication tactics wherever possible, it’s not necessary to give prospects an entire history lesson on your business. Only the most recent and relevant details should be included. To get started creating your own pitch, you first need to understand the basic components that make up any good elevator pitch.

Introduce yourself

All good pitches start with a short introduction. It could be as simple as stating your name and who you work for if those details apply. But the more personal you can make it, the more natural your elevator pitch will seem. Body language is also an important part of a solid introduction, as is eye contact. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when introducing yourself to a new prospect. 

Greet your audience in a way that’s appropriate for the occasion. Go formal for a business pitch or more casual for a fun event. With business meetings and networking events being held virtually, you’ll need to get creative with your introductions over video chat. You could even start with a lighthearted joke to break the ice. But whatever you do, make sure it’s relevant to your audience. 

Present the problem

All solutions start with a problem. Whatever you or your business is trying to solve, it’s important to get the point across early on in your elevator pitch to set the theme for the rest of your speech. An example problem: coordinating work between teams is chaotic.  

If possible, relate the problem back to your audience by using real-world examples. This will help make the problem more relevant and, hopefully, grab your audience’s attention. If your problem isn’t easy to explain, try using more than one example or a visual to really paint a picture for your audience. 

Offer the solution

If the problem is what draws the audience in, then the solution is what hooks them. This is your time to show them why they need your help. Here’s an example solution: Asana gives teams a system to organize and manage work so they know what to do, why it matters, and how to get it done.

The solution is arguably the most important part of an elevator pitch, so spend time perfecting it. If you’re pitching for a business, it’s likely the quick solution pitch has already been created. But again, it’s always better to personalize your pitch. So don’t be afraid to tweak it to fit your audience. If pitching for yourself, talk about the unique skills you’ve developed and why they would be beneficial to your prospect. 

Explain your value proposition

Now that you’ve piqued your audience’s attention, it’s time to seal the deal by explaining why your solution is better than anyone else's. An example value proposition is: Asana is the only platform that connects goals with the work needed to achieve them. 

The value proposition differs from the solution by focusing on why your audience should use your solution over a competitor’s. If you don’t have that answer just yet, perform a competitive analysis to compare your offerings or look to your executive summary. 

If your market is extremely niche and you don’t have a clear differentiator or significant competition, look to communication and interface capabilities. Consider why your idea or solution is original enough that someone would want to use it.   

Engage the audience

While most of the hard work is done, it’s important to engage your audience with a compliment or question before you part ways. Always err on the side of being genuine rather than delivering a scripted goodbye. 

There is no right or wrong way to engage your audience. While ending with a question can create a dialogue between you and your audience, a genuine compliment can go a long way. Think about what made you want to pitch them in the first place and use that to end the conversation. Lastly, don’t forget to swap contact information, such as a business card, if you don’t already have it. 

A foolproof elevator pitch template

Now that you know the basic components of a pitch, the next step is creating your very own elevator pitch. This template can work for just about any situation, from a job interview to pitching a small business or startup. That’s because we analyzed some of the most famous templates from industry experts—from Harvard research to Guy Kawasaki’s art of pitching—to create a foolproof template that will work in any situation. 

Plug your information into our elevator pitch template to draft a quick speech. While you won’t necessarily recite it word for word, it’s a great model to keep in mind in case you find yourself in a position where you’re not prepared with a personalized pitch.

Whether you’re looking for a pitch template for a job interview or for pitching your business, this template is a foolproof example for any situation you might find yourself in. 

General elevator pitch template

Use our elevator pitch template to start constructing your speech by adding statistics and personalized greetings where needed. This template incorporates the four parts explained above to hit all of the important details of a good elevator pitch. 

Introduction : “Hi I’m [name], a [position title] at [company name]. It’s great to meet you!”

Problem : “Since you work with [company name or industry] I figured you’d be interested to know that [problem + interesting statistic].”

Solution : “The great part about working at [your company’s name] is that we’ve been able to fix just that problem by [solution].”

Value proposition : “In fact, we’re the only company that offers [value proposition].”

CTA : “I think our solution could really help you. Are you available this week to speak further on this?”

Don’t be afraid to change up your pitch template based on your personality and professional expertise. We’ve also included personalized 30-second elevator pitch examples below to inspire personal facts you can add to create a more engaging speech .

30-second elevator pitch examples

Let’s dive into the best 30-second elevator pitch examples to help you create a pitch that’s both engaging and informative. Our examples take inspiration from the four elements included in the template above, to demonstrate how you'd pitch project management software to  increase productivity . Try a few or try them all to find one that best fits your personality and value proposition. 

Example 1: Short and sweet

This example is one of the most common you’ll come across. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best, but it’s a great example of a quick and easy pitch that fits almost any situation. When working on this type of elevator pitch, be sure to keep it as short and to the point as possible. Try to stick closely to the 30 seconds or less rule since the point is to be brief and transparent.

The problem is that work is chaotic no matter what industry you’re in or how good you are at your job. But a good project management software can help improve productivity and communication. I haven’t missed a deadline in years. If you’re interested in how it can help your team, give me a call and I can take you through some numbers. 

Example 2: Relatable over reliable

Sometimes the best way to grab your audience’s attention is to reel them in with a personal anecdote they’ll relate to. While it’s still important to drive home your solution, this approach puts more weight on making a personal connection rather than an immediate sale. 

It’s so great to finally meet you. How is business going? I heard you’ve been struggling with communication issues. My team and I struggled with that too. It wasn’t until we added project management software into our routine that we really saw an improvement in teamwork and overall communication. I hope you find a solution that works for your team. 

Example 3: Savvy with stats

Start your pitch off with a hook by dropping an attention-grabbing statistic. It’s important to have hard data to back up your statistics to ensure their accuracy before pitching. When it comes to a statistics pitch, it’s a good idea to come full circle at the end and connect how your solution can help solve that statistic.  

Did you know that despite having more ways to connect remotely, 60% of workers’ time is spent on work coordination with just 26% spent on skilled work and 14% on strategy? No wonder teams need help with project management. Implementing project management tools can decrease time spent on work coordination and help increase skilled work.

Example 4: Question everything

This example uses questions to make your pitch easily comprehensible. It also forces the audience to join in on the conversation rather than just presenting them with a speech. Try starting and ending with a question that makes the audience think about your pitch long after you leave the room.

Do you ever feel like you spend too much time on work about work? I’ve talked to so many people who share the same frustrations. I used to work long hours every day just trying to catch up. But do you know what? Ever since we started using project management software, I've been able to get so much more work done. Have you tried anything similar in the past?

Example 5: Comedic twist

If your pitch isn’t about a serious topic, you can add comedic twists to engage the audience. This is especially useful if giving a presentation. Add a GIF or quick funny clip in between slides to lighten the mood. If using this example, be sure it fits the occasion and tone of your company. 

Did you know that the average person can only pay attention for eight seconds? That’s not even long enough to place my coffee order in the morning. Maybe that’s why my barista always gets it wrong. But seriously, I think that’s why so many companies struggle to hit deadlines. 

Example 6: Tell a story

Use customer testimonials or your own personal story to paint a picture for the audience. This can be especially helpful if your topic is hard to explain in 30 seconds or less. Telling a story is a great way to add a relatable twist. 

We have a customer that transitioned to a fully remote workforce this year and needed help making sure deadlines were met. With our help, they were able to get up to 10% of their time back in their day and focus on more important things like strategic planning.  

Example 7: Emotionally driven

While this type of pitch may be more difficult to create, you have a better chance of winning over your audience if you can make your pitch emotionally driven. It’s also more likely they’ll be willing to share the experience with someone else down the road. It’s important to keep the emotions on the lighter side to prevent the conversation from steering too dark. Here is an example to inspire your own speech. 

It may seem like any other tool, but when you look closely it really is helping teams connect. And not just that, but it’s helping cultivate teams that actually enjoy working together on new projects. That’s something that’s hard to come by, but something everyone is looking for.  

Example 8: Write it first

While most speeches start by writing a general outline, you can opt to write the entire pitch from start to finish. This tends to create a thought-provoking and poetic flow once you do present your pitch. You’ll have to memorize this pitch, so practicing is a key element to this strategy. 

Hi, my name is Kelly! It’s great to meet you. You work for Apollo Enterprises, right? I’ve heard a lot about them. I actually heard that you’re looking for project management help. In my experience, any organization—whether sales or suppliers—needs help coordinating work and team communication. Work can be rather chaotic, especially now, without it. That’s why we’ve created a software tool that helps both individuals and teams organize their projects and communications all in one place. Have you ever thought about using something similar?

Example 9: End with a one-liner

Making a grand exit doesn’t come easily, but if you can pull it off your audience is sure to be impressed. Stay away from cliche one-liners and make your closing authentic to you. The point here is to leave them with a thought that they’ll remember after the meeting is over. Consider sharing a surprising statistic or question relevant to their business.

Over one-quarter (26%) of all deadlines are missed each week because of a lack of clarity. But with the right project management tools, that number could be much lower. So the question is, can your business afford not to use project management software? 

Elevator pitch examples by scenario

Now that we’ve covered the types of pitch examples, let’s dive into example elevator pitches for different scenarios. Whether you’re pitching for your business or yourself, you can use an elevator pitch to organize your thoughts and prepare for the real deal. Let’s look at key tips for any situation you may find yourself in. 

Example 10: Networking event

A networking event is probably the most common scenario you’ll run into. And with the new virtual-first culture, it may be even more challenging to make meaningful connections over video chat. That’s why it’s so important to prepare an elevator pitch that’s compelling no matter where you’re pitching it from. While most salespeople pitch casually in this environment, you may get the opportunity to meet an important executive. In which case, you’ll want to be prepared with a versatile pitch template. 

Great to meet you, I’m Kelly with Apollo Enterprises. We’ve been able to improve productivity and collaboration for teams all over the world. If you ever need help with project management, just reach out. I think we could make a huge impact on your company. I’ll make sure to keep your contact information handy as well. 

Example 11: Job interview

Looking for a new job or have career fairs coming up? Most interviews—whether with human resources, a recruiter, or a hiring manager—start with some form of the phrase, “Tell me about yourself.” This is an opportunity for job seekers to briefly explain themselves and their professional experience using industry buzzwords and key skills. Having an elevator pitch ready can ensure that you’re prepared when the opportunity presents itself. 

I’m Kelly, a specialist at Apollo Enterprises. I chose a career in project management because I had a passion for it, and now I can proudly say that I’ve been able to make a real difference in people’s lives. That’s why I’m looking to continue my career with an employer who shares those same values. I know my unique skills can make a big impact at your company because I’ve proven my results with a few key projects. 

Example 12: Formal meeting

You’ve landed the meeting, congratulations! Now is the time to create a formal elevator pitch to really get them interested. When presenting a formal pitch, a presentation can be a great addition to traditional elevator speech examples. But whether or not you choose to create a presentation, this meeting is about selling your product in the most professional way possible. So dress the part and don’t forget your unique selling proposition. 

I took a look at your current productivity figures and noticed an opportunity for improvement. With our project management software, you could get back up to 10% more of your workday. Not only would that mean more work getting done, but it would also have a positive impact on the overall success of your business. Not to mention, our tool is the only one in the industry that has goal capabilities to ensure teams stay on track. 

Example 13: Sales pitch 

Professionals often pitch traditional sales jargon, but the real key is creating a human connection while lightly sprinkling in what you’re selling. Start with a personal story or light-hearted introduction instead of the typical sales presentation. You can also prepare by creating sales team goal templates to ensure your team is on the same page. 

Our team really struggled to transition to a remote workforce. Communication wasn’t organized and people struggled to find the correct information to complete projects. But, thankfully, we found a solution to our problem. Implementing project management tools not only improved productivity but also improved overall teamwork. Every company prefers different tools, but I can say without a doubt that our software was the best at connecting goals with the work needed to achieve them. 

Example 14: Social introduction

Now, more than ever, professionals are choosing to meet virtually rather than face-to-face. Whether you’re chatting over LinkedIn or have a virtual meeting set up, it’s important to make your pitch personal and use clear visuals to help sell your point. Here’s a great example of a social media pitch. 

Thanks for connecting! I noticed that your competitors are outperforming you when it comes to year-over-year growth. I took the liberty of doing a competitive analysis and didn’t find any outlying problems. I’m wondering if it could be an issue with productivity. How has the transition to remote work been? If you’re interested, I could run you through some productivity figures if you were to add project management tools to your current processes. 

Example 15: Entrepreneurs and business owners

Pitching to a business owner is much different than pitching to an executive. They can be harder to sell because they are often hesitant about new investments. The most important tip is to use examples as they pertain to the business when explaining a problem and solution.  

I love your products at Apollo Enterprises. I’m a huge proponent of your mission. I did realize that there may be some opportunities to improve productivity and collaboration internally. Have you ever considered project management software? I think it could have a big impact on business growth now or even down the road. 

4 tips to perfect your elevator pitch

In addition to creating the perfect elevator pitch, you should also work on sprucing up your delivery. There’s nothing worse than sitting through a boring speech, so make sure yours is anything but. From posture to tone, there’s a lot you can practice to make sure you look professional and knowledgeable. Consider these four tips when trying to nail a successful elevator pitch. 

1. Stick to your outline

To prevent getting off-topic, it’s important to stick to your outline at least to some extent. While you don’t need to recite it word for word, it’s best to memorize the majority of your pitch. That way you won’t need to worry about checking your notes. 

2. Speak slowly and clearly

Many professionals tend to talk quickly when they’re nervous—hey, we’re only human. But it’s important to enunciate and speak slowly so the audience can understand you. This is especially important when presenting over video chat. But try not to slow yourself down too much or you’ll go over your allotted time. 

3. Record your pitch

Record yourself reciting the pitch to work on any areas that need improvement. Practice your pitch a handful of times by playing the recording back and working out any pain points. A couple of key areas to focus on are speed and tone. It’s better to sound overly energized rather than monotone. 

4. Practice, practice, practice!

There’s nothing more effective than practicing your pitch until you’re able to recite it in your sleep. If possible, practice in front of friends and family to get constructive feedback on how you can make your pitch even better. Even if you have years of experience, you can never go wrong with being overly prepared. 

Elevate your first impression with an elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is a chance to show off your strengths and pitch your solutions. While it may sound nerve-wracking, using the 15 elevator pitch examples above will help you develop your own method using personal tidbits that tie into your innovative solutions.

While your pitch is an important part of leveling up your business, there are many avenues you can take to achieve growth. One of those ways is by determining whether project management vs. work management tools are right for your team. Not only will they help connect your team members, but the right tools and software can also help your organization set strategic goals. That means more time spent on bigger projects to help your business reach next-level growth. 

Related resources

Unmanaged business goals don’t work. Here’s what does.

How Asana uses work management to effectively manage goals

Beat thrash for good: 4 organizational planning challenges and solutions

How Asana uses work management to streamline project intake processes

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How to Prepare an Elevator Pitch

You have just commuted to work, and are on your way up the elevator. It’s a normal day, until the CEO of the company you’ve always wanted to work for steps on the elevator. To break the silence, they ask you “So, what line of work are you in?”

This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. If this conversation goes well, you could walk out of the elevator having broken the ice with someone who could open doors in your career. But what do you do in this situation to make an impression? 

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In this guide, we’re going to talk about elevator speeches: the concise introduction that is used to make a first impression. We’ll walk through what elevator speeches are, why they are important, and what they should include. We’ll also explore an example of an elevator pitch that you can use to inspire you when you start writing your own.

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short speech that gives the person who you are talking to an idea of who you are, what you do, and what you want to do in the future.

Elevator pitches are named after how long it takes to travel a few floors on an elevator. It usually takes under a minute to get to the floor you need to be on in a building.

Elevator pitches are used in a wide range of contexts. Often, they are used to pitch products or services to prospective clients. In the professional world, they have become a common tool used to sell yourself to prospective employers and networking connections.

Why Should I Have an Elevator Pitch?

There are a few reasons why you should have an elevator pitch prepared.

If you end up in a situation where you are close to someone with whom you want to talk, having an elevator pitch is a good way to break the ice. You won’t have to think about what you are going to say, or what is worth mentioning: you’ll already have a pitch that you can give to the person who you are talking to.

Elevator pitches can also be used to introduce yourself in a job interview.

When you walk through the doors into an interview, one of the first things you’ll be asked is to give a brief introduction of who you are. For instance, you may be asked “tell me about yourself” or “I’d love to hear more about your background.” If you have an elevator pitch ready, you’ll be able to make a strong impression as soon as you start your interview.

What Goes Into an Elevator Pitch?

There are three main questions that your elevator pitch should answer.

#1: What do you do?

To start your elevator pitch, you should provide a brief description of who you are and what you do. In this part of your pitch, you should discuss all the work experience and skills you have which are relevant to the listener.

Suppose you are talking with a prospective employer. You may want to mention the work experience you have in their industry, and discuss a few of your main accomplishments from your last role.

#2: What makes you stand out?

Elevator pitches are your chance to make a good first impression on someone. If all you do is list out your accomplishments, the person with whom you are talking may lose interest.

You need to have a hook: something that makes you stand out. What is it about you that you want the other person to remember? What makes you different?

Suppose you are a salesperson with a strong work ethic. You could talk about how that work ethic helped you boost sales by 15% in the space of two quarters in your last job. This is a fact that the person with whom you are talking is likely to remember.

#3: What are your goals?

Toward the end of your pitch, you’ll want to bring everything you have said together. This will help you create a more cohesive narrative that is easy for the person with whom you are talking to remember.

The best way to do this is to end by discussing your main goals. What do you want to accomplish in the future? What drives you to accomplish these goals? Answering these questions will give the listener an indication as to why you are so passionate about your work, and help you end off on a high note.

Your elevator pitch should be its own story. Rather than listing off accomplishments or ways in which you stand out, you should try to weave everything together. Make it clear why you are mentioning each accomplishment, and link all your past experiences to the goals that matter most to you right now.

To do this effectively, you’ll need to consider your audience. The pitch you give to a prospective employer will be different from the one that you give to the person who you met on an elevator. Before you give your pitch, always think about how you can help another person—don’t rush into thinking about how they can help you.

Preparing an elevator speech is a good way to make sure that you cover all the main points you think will convey the best image of who you are and what you have accomplished.

There are a few things you should keep in mind when preparing an elevator speech.

First, you should consider all of your accomplishments and skills, then note down the ones that you feel are particularly important to you. What jobs have you held that paint a good picture of who you are and what impact you have had on businesses in the past?

Once you know what you want to include in your pitch, you should go through the above questions and try to answer each of them. Come up with a few reasons why you stand out, and practice weaving everything together into one single narrative.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The best way to prepare your elevator pitch is to practice as much as possible.

Practicing will help you memorize the key points that you want to mention in your pitch. Ideally, you should try to practice with a friend, coworker, or family member. These people will all be able to give you feedback on your pitch so that you can refine it before giving it a shot on a prospective employer, client, or professional contact.

With that said, you should avoid memorizing your pitch exactly. You may have a few key points that you want to highlight, but the last thing you want to do is seem like you are reading from a script. Remember, different people may need to know different things about you, and so writing a one-size-fits-all script and memorizing it is not a good way to approach preparing an elevator pitch.

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

The person with whom you are talking will likely be able to tell if you are reciting a pre-written script, and this is not the impression you want to leave. When you are delivering your speech, be natural, and make sure that you don’t sound too robotic — people want to talk with you as a person.

Keep it Simple

Elevator pitches don’t need to be complicated. In fact, you may only have thirty seconds or so to deliver your pitch (again, that’s why it’s called an elevator pitch!).

When you are preparing your elevator pitch, you should make sure that you keep it concise and simple. Only use words that you think the layperson will understand — never assume that the person with whom you are talking will know about everything you mention.

As you practice, keep asking yourself: do I need to mention this piece of information? If not, remove it from your pitch. You want your pitch to be clear, and mentioning too much information will only make it more difficult for the listener to develop a good understanding of who you are.

Elevator Pitch Example

Below is an example of an elevator pitch that you can use to help inspire you as you write your own. In this example, the person giving the pitch is talking with a hiring manager and is interested in hearing about whether they have any open positions.

Hello, I’m Mohammad. It’s great to meet you. I am a salesperson at SoftWeb Tech, where I have acquired five years of experience selling CRM software to local businesses. In this year alone, I have been able to exceed my sales expectations every month, and have won “Salesperson of the Month” three times.

Your work at ABC Web is really interesting, especially your design-driven approach to building software. I would love to talk more with you about whether you’re hiring for any sales positions.

Elevator pitches allow you to introduce yourself effectively to other people.

In an elevator pitch, your goal should be to inform someone on who you are, what makes you unique, and what your goals are. This information will give the listener all the relevant background they need on who you are, which will help you break the ice.

But elevator pitches are not just about what you say. You also need to present yourself well. Be confident in sharing your elevator pitch, and act like a professional. Focus on the other person, and be engaged in every word that you say, and every word that they say.

Once you’ve written a pitch, you should practice it as much as possible. This will help you iron out any rough patches, and prepare for the real deal. Your elevator pitch may be what helps you land your next job!

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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Creating the Perfect Elevator Pitch: Tips to Get Your Message Across

Get the perfect elevator pitch that will captivate your audience with these tips. Learn how to craft your message to create dynamic and engaging elevator pitches.

Having a high- quality elevator pitch is essential for networking and making a great first impression. An elevator speech, also known as an elevator pitch, is a brief summary of yourself and your skills, experiences, and accomplishments. As its name implies, an elevator speech should be brief enough to deliver during a short elevator ride.

An elevator speech should be well-crafted, concise, and memorable. It should grab the listener's attention and provide them with a clear overview of who you are, what you are looking for, and why you would be an asset for the company. A good elevator speech should be customized for the listener, tailored to their needs, and should end with a strong call to action.

The structure of an elevator speech is important. It should include an introduction, a value statement, some evidence of your experience and, as we mentioned, a call to action. A template can be used to help develop an effective elevator speech. Examples of successful elevator speeches can also be used to gain inspiration and learn the elements of a great elevator speech.

For best results, it is important to practice delivering your elevator speech. It is also important to consider the non-verbal components of your delivery. Eye contact, body language, and vocal tone all play a role in the success of your elevator speech.

Learning strategies and techniques to create and deliver a strong elevator pitch is key to making a great first impression. Preparation and practice are also essential for success. Coaching may be beneficial for honing your elevator pitch and gaining confidence when delivering it.

Overall, having a high quality elevator speech is essential for networking and making a great first impression. It is important to craft a well-structured, concise, and memorable speech, practice delivering it, and consider the non-verbal components of your delivery. Learning strategies, techniques, and tips for developing a strong elevator pitch and preparing for its delivery is also key to success.

What is an elevator pitch and why is it important?

An elevator pitch is a short, informative paragraph about your business. It's supposed to be descriptive enough that someone can get a sense of what you do and interested enough that they'd want to know more.

But an elevator pitch is useful for more than just selling your business. It provides you with a framework for explaining what you do to other people. When you articulate your business in a clear, concise manner, it helps you identify the most important aspects. You can use this framework to explain your business to other people, whether they're investors, employees, or customers.

How can I create a memorable elevator pitch?

If you're an entrepreneur, you're probably already aware that your elevator pitch is important "' very important. In fact, it could be the deciding factor in whether a venture capitalist decides to invest in your idea or not. That's why it's so important to make sure that your elevator pitch is memorable. And the best way to do that is to make sure that it's concise.

Elevator pitches are always short and to the point, and that's exactly what makes them so effective. You have a very limited amount of time to get your point across, so you need to make sure that your elevator pitch conveys your idea in the most concise and effective way possible.

What should I include in my elevator pitch?

What investors do first is scan your pitch for the key elements they are looking for to determine whether they want to hear more. Those include how you plan to solve a problem, how big the opportunity is, and how much you've raised. If those elements aren't there, or if they are poorly communicated, you'll lose the investor's attention. Follow the investor's lead and talk about those things first.

What kind of tone should I use in my elevator pitch?

The tone of your elevator pitch should be concise, powerful, and seductive. You don't have much time, so make sure to use the most important words. However, don't forget that the pitch should be clear, so that people understand it.

How can I make sure my elevator pitch stands out?

If you are pitching your business, you need to be authentic. You need to be genuine about your business and about who you are as a person. When you are being yourself and being genuine about what you want to do, how you want to help others, and how you want to make a difference, other people are more inclined to want to help you. Being authentic is crucial when doing an elevator pitch because it allows you to be yourself and it allows others to get to know who you are and what you are about. Be yourself and you will find success.

How can I practice delivering my elevator pitch?

The best way to practice delivering your elevator pitch is to practice with your close friends, family, and colleagues.

By practicing with those you are close with, you can get a feel for what tone and attitude you should have when delivering the pitch. You can also get a feel for how to adjust your pitch based on the different audiences you would be pitching it to and their valuable feedback.

How much time should I spend developing my elevator pitch?

You should think about it the way you would think about any other pitch. Think about what you want the person to leave with and make sure you cover all the important points. The time spent on an elevator pitch should be no less than the time spent on a regular pitch because it's just as important.

What resources can I use to get feedback on my elevator pitch?

You need to be crystal clear on what you're offering your audience. When you're presenting your elevator pitch, you need to make sure that you're not leaving anything out. You're not only talking about what you're offering, you're talking about why you're offering it. What problem are you solving? What's going to make the lives of your audience better? Why should they care? You have to be clear and precise when it comes to your elevator pitch, and you need to offer a clear and precise solution.

How can I make sure I stay on track during my elevator pitch?

Your elevator pitch should be a snapshot of your business. It should be concise and to the point. Think about your business in terms of a simple equation:

(product/service) + (target market) + (unique selling proposition) = (business idea).

This is the formula for your pitch. You want to focus on the value you provide your customers. You want to highlight the pain points you're relieving and the way you're doing it better than your competitors. Here's an example: if you're starting a weight loss business, you could pitch it as "a weight loss app that helps clients lose 10% more weight in 10% less time!"

This is just one example of an elevator pitch. Be sure to practice your pitch often, and you'll be ready to confidently deliver it at any time.

What should I do if I get stuck during my elevator pitch?

If you get stuck during your elevator pitch, don't worry. People love to hear about the struggles of other entrepreneurs. They want to know that you're not perfect, and that you face the same problems that they do. Instead of trying to make up an answer, just be honest. Tell them that you're struggling with finding the right marketing channels and you'd love to hear their advice. This will make them feel connected to you and they'll be happy to share their thoughts. Just remember that you don't have to take their advice if you don't want to.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when creating an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch helps you sell your product or service to a potential customer. It's the first step in the sales process. And the first step is always the hardest. So, you have to be able to convince your audience in a very short time that your product is the best choice. This is tricky, so you have to be very good at what you do and have a great product to make this work. Otherwise, you will have a very high conversion rate but only a small number of sales.

What tips can I use to make sure my elevator pitch is effective?

The most successful entrepreneurs are often those who know how to sell themselves. In addition to pitching your product, you also have to pitch yourself. If you are unable to effectively communicate your passion and dedication, potential clients will have no reason to trust you.

What questions should I be prepared to answer after delivering my elevator pitch?

This is a question that can be answered with a simple, "What do you want to know?" If you've practiced your elevator pitch enough, it should flow easily from your mouth and flow into a conversation. But don't overact, if you've practiced it too much, it can sound rehearsed and make you seem robotic.

Think of it like a conversation with a close friend about your business. If they ask you a question, it's because they really want to know the answer, not because they're simply being polite. So, be prepared to answer any question they might have .

How can I make a lasting impression?

Asking for a business card is the easiest way to make a lasting impression. It's a small, simple gesture that demonstrates that you are actually interested in the person you are speaking to. If you're able to remember their name and their company, you come off as a person who pays attention and can remember details.

An elevator pitch is an essential tool for anyone looking to make a positive impression when networking and promoting themselves. Crafting a memorable elevator pitch requires an understanding of the audience and an effective delivery. It should include the basics of who you are, what you do and what you offer, as well as a unique selling point and a call to action. Tone is important in a successful elevator pitch, and it should be conversational, confident and concise. To stand out, make sure to use storytelling and provide tangible examples. Practicing your elevator pitch before delivering it is key, and it should take no more than a few minutes to develop. Feedback from trusted sources can help make sure your message is clear and effective, and staying on track during delivery can be achieved by having a few key talking points in mind.

Common mistakes to avoid include rambling, being overly rehearsed, and providing too much detail. Effective delivery tips include making eye contact, speaking clearly, and pausing for impact. It is also important to make sure to have questions ready to answer after delivering your elevator pitch. Ultimately, using an elevator pitch is a great way to make a lasting impression and promote yourself in the best possible light.

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14 Elevator Pitch Examples to Inspire Your Own [+Templates]

Published: December 13, 2023

Whether you're introducing yourself at a networking event, telling new colleagues about your business, or pitching to another professional — you want to capture attention and get it fast.

In situations like these, you need a short and easy-to-grasp explanation of your company and its products, like an elevator pitch.

In this post, we'll discuss why you should use a pitch, discuss different types, learn how to write your own, and give you tips on how to make a memorable one.

What is an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch — also known as elevator speech — is a short, memorable description of what you do and/or what you sell. The goal is to earn a second conversation, not to convince the person you're talking to that they should hire you or buy your solution.

An elevator pitch is never an opportunity to close a deal. It's an opportunity to close more of your prospect's attention and time. It's a quick introduction to you, your company, and how you can help your prospect.

Elevator Speech Example

Hi, I'm an account manager with Vacation Locator. We help travelers across the world plan their perfect holiday based on their interests, budget, and location preferences. With travel experts assigned to each account, we find the best deals and most unique experiences for each client, so they can enjoy their vacation, instead of stressing out about planning it. On average, we're able to save travelers up to 30% on expenses such as hotel and airfare.

Download Now: Free Elevator Pitch Templates

E-pitch templates to better sell your product, fund your business, or network.

• 4 Fundraising Pitch Templates
• 2 Networking Pitch Templates
• 2 Sales Pitch Templates

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Free Elevator Pitch Templtes

Fill out the form to get the free e-pitch templates., when to use an elevator pitch.

Pull it out at networking events, conferences, warm calls — and even job interviews or career fairs. Keep your elevator pitch goal-oriented (e.g., "I help companies like yours increase production by up to 30% without additional cost.") and always end with a business card or request to connect on LinkedIn.

If you're curious about what an elevator pitch should look like, or simply ready to jumpstart the pitch creation process, download the templates below. We've compiled several types of templates — from sales pitches to funding requests.

No matter which type of pitch you're delivering, concision is essential. You don't want to waste your prospect's, investor's, or fellow professional's time. With that in mind, how much time should you spend on an elevator pitch?

How long should an elevator pitch be?

An effective elevator pitch is meant to be no more than 30 seconds, just like the length of time you ride in an elevator. You want to keep your words easily digestible, so avoid trying to get too deep into specifics as it can drag on the conversation — and lose your prospect's attention.

You should have an effective elevator pitch prepared before you need it, since you have such a short time to deliver it.

To show your value in under a minute, your pitch needs purpose, flow, and a hook to reel in attention.

How to Write an Elevator Pitch

Download Free E-Pitch Templates

Get your pitch started by using HubSpot's easy-to-use templates. As you write your pitch, you can adjust it as required to address the specific needs of the recipient.

The templates include three different types of pitches: For sales prospects, investors, and potential network connections. No matter what you aim to do with your pitch, having a strong starting framework is essential. Telling your or your company's story in less than a minute can be a challenge, and using templates can help you more effectively hone your message.

Once you've downloaded your templates, tailor them by following the steps below.

2. Introduce yourself.

Before jumping into your elevator pitch, you'll need to introduce yourself to the person you're talking to. Write a sentence about who you are and what your role is at the company (e.g., "I'm a sales rep at Better Than the Rest Cable."). This will help you start the conversation off on the right foot.

Remember not to ramble. Researcher Diana Tamir shows that when we talk about ourselves, our brains show activity in the areas linked to value and motivation. Our bodies are rewarded when we talk about ourselves, so, especially when we're in high-stress situations, we resort to what feels good.

Tamir says , "This helps to explain why people so obsessively engage in this behavior. It's because it provides them with some sort of subjective value: It feels good, basically."

The problem with rambling in an elevator pitch scenario is that you haven't earned the prospect's interest or attention yet. They don't care who you are yet, how long you've worked in your company, or what job you had before. Keep the information about yourself to a minimum and earn the right to share more later in the deal.

3. State your company's mission.

Have a clear understanding of what your company does. What's the company's mission and goals for its product or service? Include a section in your pitch where you introduce the company. The more you know about the business, the easier it will be to cater your pitch to the person you're talking to.

For example, "I'm a sales rep at Better Than the Rest Cable. We help hotels across the U.S. pair with the perfect cable provider and plan for their region and needs."

This is a succinct description of what the company does — without getting into the weeds. If you were to be cut off after these two sentences, the prospect would still know exactly who you are and what your company does.

4. Explain the company value proposition.

What does your company do exceptionally well that sets its product or service apart from the rest? Write a brief, 1-2 sentence statement about the value the product or service provides to current customers.

You've introduced yourself and your company, now it's time to get to the goods. Let's see what that looks like:

"I'm a sales rep at Better Than the Rest Cable. We help hotels across the U.S. pair with the perfect cable provider and plan for their region and needs. With regional experts assigned to each account, we help hotels identify the most cost-effective and guest-delighting cable plan for them."

In one sentence, you've told the prospect what sets us apart and how you can bring them value. You've likely piqued their interest, but how can you really grab their attention? Read on.

5. Grab their attention with a hook.

Pull in your audience with an exciting story about a customer or the company founders. Or offer up a fascinating fact or statistic about the product. An attention-grabbing hook keeps people engaged with what you're saying. Let's finish up our pitch below with an attention-grabbing statistic.

"I'm a sales rep at Better Than the Rest Cable. We help hotels across the U.S. pair with the perfect cable provider and plan for their region and needs. With regional experts assigned to each account, we help hotels identify the most cost-effective and guest-delighting cable plan for them. On average, we're able to save hotels up to 25% on their annual cable bills."

6. Read and edit the pitch.

Read your pitch aloud and make sure it sounds natural. If your pitch is overly formal, you could come off as stuffy and uptight. Instead, make your pitch conversational. This will keep your audience captivated and more likely to continue the conversation.

Elevator Pitch Templates

Now that you know how to write an elevator pitch, download HubSpot's eight free elevator pitch templates to put your learnings into action. These templates can be used to make a sale, start networking, or jumpstart a deal for business capital.

Featured Resource: 8 Free Elevator Pitch Templates

Our templates follow established best practices for elevator pitches. Each one includes:

• A personal greeting: Start every pitch by establishing a human connection and making your prospect feel seen and heard.
• A statement of your company's mission: Your mission can be blended with your value proposition and vice versa. But this piece of information is essential to get your prospect's buy-in, quickly.
• A hook to get your audience's attention: The hook can be as simple as a probing question or a highly personalized statement that's been tailored to your prospect's needs. Either way, the hook will often seal the deal.
• A real example: See the template in action by reading a filled-out example, allowing you to visualize what your pitch may look like as you refine and edit it.

Using these templates allows you to save precious time and focus on the essence of the pitch instead of minute details, such as how to start it off or how to organize it. Your prospect's time is valuable, and so is yours.

30 Second Elevator Pitch Examples

If you're looking for some inspiration, look no further. The following elevator pitch examples illustrate different ways to describe what you can offer in 30 seconds or less.

1. An Attention-Grabbing Question

This elevator pitch is effective because:

• It grabs your attention with a question.
• It reminds you of an annoying — and frequent — pain.
• It demonstrates empathy for your situation.
• It's straightforward and doesn't use jargon.

2. The Credibility Boost

As an account executive for AnswerASAP, I talk to hundreds of marketers per month. And 99% of them hate creating reports. It's time-consuming, it's tedious, and it's usually not your highest priority. That's where our tool comes in — it pulls from all of your data to create any report you want in less than the time it takes to pour a cup of coffee.

• It demonstrates the speaker's authority.
• It reinforces how strongly you hate making reports.
• It uses a common metaphor to highlight the tool's ease of use.

3. The Surprise Ending

You want to know how many leads from your webinar campaign became customers versus leads from your trade show booth. But only customers who bought two products — and weren't already in your database.

How long would it take you to create that report?

If you had AnswerASAP, a data and reporting tool, you'd already know. It creates reports in a matter of seconds.

• It has a "surprise ending."
• It illustrates how valuable the product is creatively.
• It forces you to compare your current situation to a better world.

4. An Outlandish Stat

It demonstrates value.

It gives you a chance to say, "Sure, tell me more," or "I'm good, thank you."

7. The Reality Check

• It helps you understand exactly how the product works with a simple example.

8. The Joke

How many marketers does it take to do monthly reporting? None if they've automated the process with AnswerASAP. Each employee that uses this tool saves 30 minutes per day on average, which is time they can spend on marketing tasks more worthy of their time such as improving performance on campaigns and increasing ROI across the board.

• It engages the audience (at least, if you use a joke that's actually funny).
• It provides instant relatability.
• It draws on a known truth about the industry and positions an unexpected solution.

9. The Emotional Appeal

When I started my career in marketing, I thought I would be making a difference for my organization right away, but as the junior member of the team, all the reporting and administrative tasks were pushed onto me. I was spending so much time creating reports for key stakeholders that could've been diverted to more important revenue-generating activities. If you're not using AnswerASAP, you're spending too much of the organization's time, money, and talent on something that can be generated by our tool on-demand in 30 seconds.

• It evokes emotion and empathy through storytelling.
• It establishes a pain or problem you can relate to.
• It draws a hard-hitting conclusion as a natural "moral of the story."

10. The One-Liner

It's too familiar with the prospect to the point of discomfort.

It makes assumptions about the prospect's work-from-home tendencies.

It uses informal slang ("the absolute pits," "pupperino") for unnecessary humor.

4. Don't under-emphasize the problem you're solving.

It's possible that you may run into issues when putting reports together for your boss. For instance, things may go awry every once in a while, such as disappearing data or disagreeing sources. With AnswerASAP, you can lay those worries to rest. We have a few features that will help you with those issues if you ever run into them.

• It treats a customer problem as a possibility and not an urgent reality.
• It's vague ("things may go awry") and doesn't emphasize how those issues can hurt the prospect.
• It doesn't specify the product features that will solve the prospect's challenges.
• Because it never goes into detail, it shows little research and care.

Remember, an elevator pitch should only come at someone else's prompting. If you're spontaneously reciting it to random people, you're not doing yourself any favors. But if they ask, you want to be prepared with an interesting, well-crafted pitch.

Elevator Speech Best Practices

1. Keep it brief.

The purpose of an elevator speech is to be as brief as possible while capturing a prospect's attention. Try to stay under sixty seconds — including your introduction. Even if you're delivering your elevator speech during a formal presentation, where you have time to elaborate if needed, keep the bulk of your pitch under sixty seconds.

If you don't, you won't be able to use your pitch when you're chatting with prospects in situations with tighter time constraints — such as a tradeshow or a chance meeting.

2. Practice multiple times beforehand.

You may have written the most incredible elevator speech for your product, but if you hamper the delivery by misremembering or even forgetting parts of your pitch, it won't be an effective tool. Be sure to practice by yourself, with your manager, and with your colleagues.

The goal isn't just to memorize it, but to practice your tone, pace, and overall delivery.

3. Come prepared with additional materials.

When you're delivering your elevator pitch, be prepared to provide your prospect with what they need to continue the conversation. Whether that's a business card, a brochure, or a short demo, carry all that you might need with you.

The elevator speech is your opportunity to begin a deal on the right foot and speed the nurturing process. Typically, you might take weeks emailing a prospect before they're ready to schedule a meeting with you, but an elevator pitch speeds that work. You want to have the materials you need to keep the conversation going.

4. Be positive and enthusiastic.

It's essential to show your personality during your elevator pitch, but whether you're a quiet, calm introvert or a charming, excitable extrovert, you should still convey positivity and enthusiasm.

You can use your body language and expression to keep things positive, even if your tone is quiet and calm. You might highlight the amazing benefits your prospect will enjoy if they sign up, or tell a positive story from one of your previous clients.

Most importantly, you should make it obvious that you want to help your prospect more than anything — which will make you sound positive by default.

5. Vary the tone of your voice.

As you deliver your pitch, vary your tone and modulation to keep your listener engaged. This will help you emphasize the most important parts of your speech — such as the benefits — while keeping your prospect's attention. The pitch may be short, but you'll be surprised at how easily people can tune out based on your tone alone. We don't want to risk it! Especially if it's a prospect you've never spoken with.

Reel in Clients with an Effective Elevator Pitch

While a short speech may seem insignificant, those first conversations can hold some weight. With a well-crafted pitch, you can turn a single conversation with a prospect into a long-lasting customer, or even into a business partner. We hope you found these examples helpful and are inspired to craft your own effective elevator pitch.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Elevator Speech: What To Include And How To Write An Elevator Pitch

Elevators can be a tough place to break the ice. One of the best ways to get off on the right foot or start your conversation is with an elevator speech. But what is an elevator speech, and how do you write one? Find out in this article!

An elevator speech is a pitch for your business or product to make in less than 60 seconds. It's typically used as a quick pitch for potential clients or investors. In this blog we will discuss how to write an elevator pitch!!

The goal of an elevator pitch is to convince the listener to give you more valuable time and focus on what you are offering and not how much time it will take. Keep your elevator pitch short, sweet, and informative. 

An elevator speech is a way to quickly introduce yourself and what you do, who you are, or your company in only 30 seconds. It's meant for when an elevator door opens and one person gets stepped into the elevator with another person. 

The goal of an elevator speech is to keep the other person engaged as long as possible. An elevator speech is a one-minute or less pitch that can be delivered in an elevator. 

You should use the elevator speech to introduce yourself and your company when meeting new people. The study of the elevator speech is called "Elevatorology." 

A "elevator pitch" is a short reply to a question you are asked in an elevator or on the phone. It can be used to introduce yourself and quickly give a few details about who you are and your business. 

An elevator speech is essential for launching your career. It is a short, but memorable description of what you do and what makes you unique. Job seekers should include their professional goals and a brief description of their expertise in the beginning of an elevator speech. 

An Elevator Speech is a shortened version of your brand, company or product that you can use to sell in the time it takes an elevator ride. 

It should be a few seconds long and include the following: what you do, why you do it, how much you charge and if you offer anything else. An elevator speech is a marketing tool which gives an overview of your company's products and services. 

They are typically 30-60 seconds long, so they are the perfect time to quickly introduce your company. Your sales pitch will be successful if you show details of your product or service while using general terms that don't need any technical explanation. 

An elevator speech is a short, powerful piece of information that's designed to get someone interested in your product or service. It can also be used to introduce yourself and increase the chances of getting an interview for a job. 

It's not about talking about your entire life story at first meeting but telling them what you're selling and why they should buy it. Let’s discuss how to write an elevator pitch!!

Types of Elevator Speeches

There are many types of elevator speeches that can be written, but the most common ones include: 

1. Introducing yourself and your company 

2. The competitive landscape 

3. The business model and revenue 

4. Product or service features 

5. Core values

Elevator speeches are meant to be brief introductions of a product or service, so they're going to have to have to be quite succinct. The best elevator speeches are about 5-8 minutes long and feature just one main point. 

There are many types of elevator speeches. Some are formal, structured speeches that have a beginning, middle, and end. Others are informal and don't develop the idea too much further. 

The latter type is usually used when you're in a limited amount of time at work or if you're on the phone with someone. There are three types of elevator speeches: the elevator speech, "you deserve better," and the "elevator pitch." 

The first type is used when you're trying to sell a product. You want to appeal to your audience in a concise manner so they'll be interested in purchasing what you have to offer. 

The second type is used by entrepreneurs or business owners that want people to know who they are without having to give away all their information right away. 

Elevator speeches are one of the most common and important means of pitching your business idea. However, making an elevator speech can be difficult and intimidating, especially if you are not used to speaking in public. 

Since elevator speeches have a limited time limit, it's important to know what should be included and what not to include. 

Some elevator speeches that you should include in your pitch are: 

a) An overview of the company and its services, 

b) Your prior work experience and how it helps you, 

c) What makes your company different from competition, 

d) Leadership qualities, and 

e) Why you are the best person for the job.

How to write an Elevator Pitch?

It is not only important to be able to articulate your product or service, but it is also important to lead with what you want people to know. It is the idea of starting at the top and working down that matters. 

When writing a pitch, start by describing who you are and what your company does. Then describe how your company makes money and why your product solves a problem for customers. 

When you are in the elevator, do not waste time. Instead of being polite and asking questions you really don't need to know, just say what you have to say. Afterwards, ask if they had any questions. 

An elevator pitch is a short and concise summary of who you are and what you do. It is best to keep it simple and let your personality shine through. Note that your elevator speech should only be about two minutes long! 

When you are applying for a job, you will likely be asked what your elevator speech is. It's short and sweet, also known as an elevator pitch. The elevator pitch is not easy to write. 

It is important to make sure that the elevator pitch includes what you are selling, who you are, and why your product or service is better than the competition. You should also make sure that the pitch is concise and doesn't take too long. 

It's one of the most important pieces of your overall marketing strategy . Your elevator pitch communicates your message to a potential customer in just a few minutes, which is why it's so important. 

Examples of Elevators Speeches

There is no standard pitch format. All the information in an elevator pitch should be tailored to the audience. 

An elevator speech can take on many forms, but most are three to five minutes long and are meant to "elevate" or "lift" a decision maker into understanding your organization and trust you enough to consider your proposal. 

Many people find speaking in elevators to be a daunting task. The question is what would you say to someone you just met and wanted to make a good impression? 

This blog discusses how to write an elevator pitch that is both memorable and persuasive, and offers advice for writing your own. 

An elevator speech is a brief overview of your qualifications that you give to someone while waiting for the elevator in order to land a job. 

These speeches can be used in various different settings, with sales people using them to get a foot in the door, interns trying to impress their bosses during the hiring process, or even potential dates trying to get a date. 

It is important that these speeches have key selling points so that they can quickly and easily wrap up their pitch and leave the other person feeling like they will be getting what they are looking for. 

Elevator speeches are important to help convey the value of your business, ideally in 400 words or less. You should include a bio or introduction of yourself, your company and what makes you special. 

Make sure to define the importance of your industry, why it's worth investing in and touch on how your services will benefit people. Elevator pitches are nothing more than a way of introducing yourself to someone you've just met. 

They are also a great way to introduce yourself to people outside of your industry or company. An elevator pitch is never too long, but it should contain all the information needed for someone to decide whether or not they want you to speak with them further.

Elevator speeches are a great time to introduce yourself, why you have chosen to work with your specific industry and what sets your company apart from others. Like anything discussed in an elevator, it is important to keep things short and sweet. 

One of the biggest challenges in trying to make a sale is coming up with an elevator pitch that helps you get recognized. One way to do this is to ensure that your elevator speech includes the following five points.

What problem you're solving, why your company can solve it, what makes you different from other companies in this space, how you're going to achieve your goal and what's unique about you and your product. 

If you don't know what to say and your elevator pitch is a no-show, it's probably because you haven't defined the scope of the conversation. 

You need to be clear with what you want to talk about and why, then follow up with specific examples to back your claims up. 

The blog title is an article talking about how to write an elevator pitch. It talks about the essential elements of a pitch and mentions that you should have an introduction, a hook, and some market research.

Heba Arshad

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20 Unique Elevator Speech For Every Situation

I like building and growing simple yet powerful products for the world and the worldwide web.

Published Date : November 11, 2021

Reading Time :

A speech is a form of communication that conveys information to an audience. It is one of the most important and highly valued forms of communication in human society.

Speech has been used throughout history for various purposes, such as social interaction, education, and entertainment. However, we’ve recently learned how to use it daily.

In this blog, we will discuss the exact details of how to write a great elevator speech . Plus, we will give you ample material on what types of speeches are great for each situation you might be in. If you write your pitch, you’ll find some spectacular elevator speech examples here.

Getting Ready: What is an Elevator Speech?

An elevator speech lets you  provide a fast rundown of who you are and what you do. A pitch might be an opportunity to make a genuine relationship with an audience member that you can use in the future. There may not be an immediate advantage, but you should be ready to make an elevator pitch at any time.

In truth, whether they know it or not, most individuals have done an elevator pitch . As a result, pitches come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from job interviews to brand-new company prospects. Preparing for your next pitch is an important part of marketing yourself and your business. You can do it by scanning through elevator speech examples.

Furthermore, an elevator speech is essential because:

• It doesn’t make your listeners yawn.
• Organize your thoughts briefly.
• It helps to identify your market.

When to use elevator speech depends on the audience you are speaking to. For those who have been out of school for a while, you might want to use it for the introduction. There are also elevator speech examples for students that may vary.

Steps on How to Make an Elevator Speech

Separating key information from less significant information is necessary to make a good elevator speech . Hence, being able to communicate successfully at work is critical.

The solid elevator speech examples have many key components you must grasp before developing your own.

1. Introduce Yourself

The best pitches always begin with a brief introduction . It might be as basic as saying your name and employer if applicable. 

As with eye contact, body language is vital to a strong introduction. Here are a few pointers for your pitch while meeting a new client or customer:

• Make a good first impression by greeting your audience appropriately for the situation.
• Consider dressing formally for an important business meeting or casually for a pleasant get-together.
• You’ll have to think outside the box for the video chat introductions for virtual meetings and networking events.

2. Describe What You Do

If the issue draws the audience in, then the solution will keep them interested. It is your opportunity to demonstrate why you’re the best person to assist them. Spend time honing your solution since it is the most crucial component of your elevator pitch .

3. Provide Your Value Position

Having gotten your audience interested, you need to close the offer. Describe how your answer is superior to everyone else’s.

4. Engage Your Audience With a Question

Before you go, leave your audience engaged by offering praise or asking a question. Always err on the side of sincerity instead of saying goodbye in a prepared manner .

Nail your Elevator Speech , practice with Orai

How to Write an Elevator Speech?

1. identify the needs.

Your elevator speech should have a great beginning, but you must first determine what need your business is trying to fill. Why should your audience, customers, and future consumers choose you above the competition?

2. Determine Your Target Audience

As previously said, recognizing the issue you can address for your readers and clients is the first stage. However, the second step is identifying who those people are.

3. Straight to the Point

It’s okay to be creative while drafting your elevator speech , but don’t be too brilliant that people don’t understand! You should be able to give your elevator pitch when it takes to travel the elevator.

4. Be Memorable

In your elevator speech , you may utilize humor, paint a mental image, and be animated. Be careful not to oversell your abilities or yourself.

5. Dig Deeper

Provide yourself the space and time to further identify your target audience’s problems. Then, identify how you’re going to solve them.

General Elevator Speech Examples

Start building your speech using our elevator speech template, and then add facts and customized greetings as required. This template contains all four components to ensure that your elevator pitch hits all the right notes.

30-Second Elevator Speech Examples

Template 1: sweet and short.

It is a regular occurrence. That is not to say it is the finest, but it is an excellent elevator speech example of a fast and simple pitch that works in virtually every setting. 

When developing this elevator pitch , make it as brief and concise as possible. Consistently adhere to the 30-second or fewer guidelines since the aim is to be brief and honest.

“The issue is that work is chaotic regardless of industry or skill level. However, effective project management software may assist in increasing productivity and communication. In years, I haven’t missed a deadline. If you’re interested in learning how it may benefit your team, call me, and I’ll go over some stats.”

Template 2: Be Relatable

When you want to get your audience’s attention, use a personal narrative they can identify with. If you want to sell anything, you need to make a personal connection with the customer first.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you at long last. What is the current state of the company? Communication has been a problem for you recently. That was a problem for both my team and myself. After using project management software, our cooperation and communication significantly improved. That’s great that you’ve found a solution that works for you and your group.”

Template 3: Knowledgeable With Stats

Start your pitch with a bang by revealing eye-catching facts. You must have concrete data to back up your stats before throwing a pitch to verify their correctness. An effective statistics presentation concludes with a connection between how your solution may help address the problem.

“Despite greater distance connections, 60% of employees’ time is spent on work coordination, 26% on specialized work, and 14% on strategy. Did you? It’s reasonable that organizations need help managing projects. Using project management technologies may save coordination time and boost skilled work.”

Template 4: Savvy With Questions

This example employs the use of questions to help your audience understand your pitch. Because the audience is involved, they are forced to participate rather than merely listen. Start and conclude your speech with a thought-provoking question that will linger in the minds of your listeners.

“Have you ever felt like you’re working too hard? I’ve heard similar complaints from numerous people. I’d work hard days and nights to catch up. But do you know anything? Our project management software has increased my productivity. “When did you last do anything like this?”

Template 5: Humorous Approach

The audience will be more receptive if your elevator speech is lighthearted. Use a GIF or a short amusing video between slides to lighten the atmosphere. Consider the occasion and tone of your organization before utilizing this elevator speech example.

“Most people can only pay attentively for around eight seconds before losing interest. That’s not enough morning time to place my coffee order. That might explain why my barista consistently makes mistakes. But in all seriousness, I believe it is why many businesses have difficulty meeting deadlines.”

Template 6: Storyteller

Use real-life examples from customers or your life experience to engage your audience. This is extremely useful if your subject is difficult to describe in 30 seconds or less.

“One of our customers switched to a remote workforce and needed assistance meeting deadlines. Their productivity increased by up to 10% after working with us so that they could spend more time on higher-value tasks like strategic planning.”

Template 7: Driven With Emotions

If you can make your pitch emotionally charged, you’ll have a higher chance of winning over your audience. To avoid the talk from devolving into anything depressing, maintain your emotions on the positive side.

“While it may seem to be another tool at first glance, closer inspection reveals that it aids team collaboration. Not only that, but it also aids in forming cohesive teams that look forward to working on new projects. That’s difficult to come by, yet everyone wants it.”

Template 8: Ending With Surprise

Good elevator speech examples have surprising conclusions and creatively display how beneficial the products are. You’re compelled to weigh your existing circumstances against a better one.

“You’re curious about the conversion rate of leads generated by your webinar campaign vs. your trade show booth. However, it applies only to consumers who purchased two or more items and were not previously in your database. You’d already be aware if you used our data and reporting tools. It generates reports instantly.”

Template 9: One-Liner

Avoid cliché one-liners and personalize your ending. It’s important to leave them with a lasting impression with a unique concept.

“Every week, more than a quarter (26%) of deadlines are missed due to a lack of clarity . However, using the appropriate project management tools might drastically reduce this figure. Can you afford not to utilize project management software in your company?”

Template 10: Mutual Understanding

“William Koch, I believe, is someone to whom we both have a connection. He’s one of our clients. By using our technology, his organization reduced the time it takes to build new software in half. Since your businesses are of a comparable magnitude, the outcomes will probably be the same. Interested in learning more about what we could do on his behalf?”

Template 11: Written Speech

Once you give your pitch, it produces a thought-provoking and lyrical flow. Because you’ll have to recite this pitch from memory, practice is essential to your game plan.

“Wendy here! Nice to meet you. Do you work for Apollo? I’ve heard good things. I heard you need project management assistance. Anyone in business—sales or suppliers—needs assistance managing tasks and teamwork. Without it, work may be a mess, particularly today. That’s why we built a software application that helps people and teams manage projects and communications. Have you considered utilizing anything similar?”

Template 12: The Advisor

“We’ve discovered that content marketing is a major challenge for fledgling B2B SaaS enterprises. We helped many of your colleagues produce, publish, and promote blog material last year, resulting in a 20% increase in leads. Want to know more?”

Template 13: Attention Grabber

“Have you ever been told to “whip up a short report before the day ends”? You say yes, but your heart sinks because it won’t be fast. As marketing professionals, my company’s founders had to deal with this issue repeatedly. So they built a program that consolidates data and generates reports in under 30 seconds.”

Template 14: Credibility Boost

“Every month, I speak with hundreds of marketers. And they despise writing reports. It’s tiresome, time-consuming, and not your priority. Our tool uses all your data to produce whatever report you want in less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee.”

Elevator Speech For Every Situation

Let’s look at some of the best examples of elevator speeches. An elevator pitch may help you arrange your ideas and prepare for the real thing.

1. Formal Meeting

A presentation might be a terrific supplement to typical elevator speech examples. Whether or not you produce a presentation, the goal of this meeting is to sell your product professionally.

“I reviewed your existing productivity metrics and saw room for improvement. Our project management software may help you reclaim up to 10% of your workday. That means more work gets done, and more work means greater success for your company. Not to add, our product is the only one in the business with goal-setting features.”

2. Job Interview

Whether with HR, a recruiter, or a hiring manager, most interviews begin with “Tell me about yourself.” Preparing an elevator pitch may help you be ready when the chance arises.

“The most common instance is a networking gathering. Establishing friendships through video chat maybe even more difficult in the emerging virtual-first society. That’s why creating a great elevator pitch is critical regardless of where you’re presenting.”

3. Networking Event

“Hello, I’m Orai from Apollo Enterprises. Around the globe, we’ve improved team productivity and cooperation. Reach out if you need project management support. Let’s create a big influence on your organization. I’ll also have your contact details available.”

4. Sales Pitch

Professionals frequently use sales jargon, but the trick is to create a personal connection while selling softly.

“Our team struggled to become a remote workforce. People struggled to locate the right information and communicate effectively. But happily, we discovered a solution. Using project management tools enhanced cooperation and production. Every firm has its preferences, but I can vouch for our software’s ability to link objectives to the effort required to attain them.”

5. Virtual Meeting

“Thank you! I saw your competition exceed you year-over-year. I ran a quick competitive analysis and found no major flaws. How’s it doing with remote work? If you’re curious, I can give you some productivity gains from adding project management tools to your present workflow.”

6. Meeting With Business Owners

There are significant differences between pitching a firm owner and an executive. They’re more difficult to market since they’re wary of making additional financial commitments.

“I enjoy your company’s goods. And I fully support your objective. I realized there might be ways to boost internal productivity and cooperation. Do you use project management software? It might significantly influence company growth today or in the future.”

What are some tips for refining your pitch delivery, body language, and voice?

Master your pitch by crafting a clear and concise message, practicing confident delivery, and projecting your voice from your diaphragm. Use VR for realistic practice, mirror checks for body language , and feedback from others to refine your presentation and leave a lasting impression.

What should be the focus of a pitch to set yourself apart and hook people in?

The focus of a pitch should be on highlighting what makes you and your company unique, what is fascinating about your story, and what will captivate the audience’s interest and make them eager to learn more.

What role do eye-opening statistics play in a pitch?

Leverage eye-catching statistics to supercharge your pitch. They grab attention, build trust, and showcase your value. Data appeals to both logic and emotions, making your message persuasive and memorable. Highlight expertise and achievements with impactful numbers to resonate with your audience.

How can you identify your goal for the pitch and your ideal audience?

Before crafting your pitch, solidify your goal (promotion, awareness, sales?) and target audience (who benefits most?). Research their demographics, interests, and needs to tailor your message and maximize engagement.

What should you consider before writing a pitch?

Craft a winning pitch: Know your goal (promotion, awareness, sales?) and target audience (who benefits?). Tailor your message to their needs, highlight your USP , and answer “What’s in it for them?”. End with a question to spark conversation and connection.

When should you use an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch is your versatile tool to showcase yourself, your product, or your idea in 60 seconds. Use it for investors, website bios, social media, book blurbs, management pitches, or job interviews. Be prepared to strike anywhere and leave a lasting impression.

What are the advantages of using an elevator pitch?

The advantages of using an elevator pitch include being well-prepared for networking events, reducing nervousness, and building confidence . With a practiced elevator pitch , you have a clear and concise introduction ready, eliminating awkward pauses and ensuring a professional and polished delivery. This preparation allows you to make a positive first impression on new contacts, speak confidently without stumbling over words, and initiate conversations effectively.

Why is having a clear call to action essential in a pitch?

A strong call to action (CTA) is your pitch’s closer. It tells the audience exactly what you want them to do next, whether it’s contacting you, trying your product, or learning more. A clear CTA guides them toward your desired outcome, boosting engagement and conversions. It sets you apart, leaving a lasting impression and making them eager to connect.

Why is asking a question at the end of a pitch important?

End your pitch with a bang : surprise, intrigue, and a thought-provoking question . This sparks curiosity, engages the audience, and opens the door for a deeper conversation. A well-crafted question can build connections and turn your pitch into a valuable dialogue, paving the way for future success.

How do you get your pitch right?

Shine in 60 seconds! Craft your elevator pitch by considering your goals, audience, and USP . Engage with a thought-provoking question , address pain points with solutions , and use statistics, social proof , and your experience to stand out. End with a clear call to action and leave them wanting more.

How and where can you practice delivering an elevator pitch?

Master your elevator pitch with Passage_1’s tips: practice delivery , try the Orai app , or find online simulations for feedback. Explore additional resources and start practicing today!

Key Takeaways

An elevator speech is a chance to show off your strengths and pitch your solutions. While it may sound nerve-wracking, using the 20 elevator speech examples above will help you develop your method.

This tutorial should have helped you learn how to remember a speech quickly. You may also get a free trial of Orai on the App Store. Start your free trial in the app store now.

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