Elevate Your Pitch

Your answer, whenever anyone asks about your services, must be quick, crisp, precise, and to the point. Take time to craft it well, then have everyone practice until they all deliver the same pitch.

The concept of the “elevator pitch” is so old, and so overused that we may not take it very seriously.

So, step out of the elevator and confront the person who has just asked you to explain your company and your services. You’re not in an elevator. You’re at a conference, or in an airport, or on the phone, or just about anywhere. The question has been put to you. Do you know exactly how you’re going to answer? Will your answer convey certainty, pride, and the true value you deliver? Or will you wordwander about how great this or that is?

Messaging Starts Here

Your fundamental statement of what your business does is both the distillation and the seed of all your messaging.

It’s similar to your mission statement, which serves as the yardstick by which all your actions must be measured. For any decision you make, any action you take, you can ask whether or not it helps fulfill your mission to determine whether you should move forward or not. Similarly, all other messaging you construct can be measured against what is most often referred to as your “elevator pitch.” Is your new messaging consistent with that fundamental statement? If so, proceed.

The concept behind calling it an “elevator pitch” actually helps us a great deal. A ride in an elevator is a fairly brief event, giving you very little time to deliver your entire message. This encourages you to be brief, concise, and yet fully informative. It’s never as simple as you think.

But extending the metaphor helps us even more!

When you go to craft your elevator pitch, start by deciding what floor you’re going up to. The second or third floor is a very, very brief ride. The tenth gives you more breathing space to further develop your message. New Yorkers talk about going to the hundredth floor of the Empire State Building. That’s probably not a great model, as you will very likely bore your listener to distraction.

Building Your Elevator Pitch A Few Floors at a Time

Many times, I’ll work with clients to craft a series of elevator pitches based on going to specific floors, or achieving specific word counts that can be applied in various situations. The fifth-floor message would be relatively brief, perhaps 50 -100 words. The tenth-floor message takes that out to perhaps 250 words. The fifteenth floor would run perhaps 500 words. You’d be astounded how much content fits into 500 words. In fact, as you’re reading this you are approaching the 500^th word of this article. That’s a lot of talking.

Where Do I Begin…

Beyond being the opening of a great love song, the question where to begin your message is a very good one, the answer to which may determine how successful your pitch will be.

Begin with the Customer

When someone asks what you do, you’ll be tempted to answer directly. Something like,

“We provide data and network security.”

Okay. So do thousands of other companies. The listener’s reaction may be, “Oh, you’re one of those companies…” Not where you want to be.

When we begin with the listener, the potential customer, it sounds quite different:

“Your business data is your most valuable asset. That makes your network critical to getting that data where it needs to be. Both must be protected and that’s exactly what we do.”

Not only do you begin with the customer, but your entire answer is also stated in the context of that customer.

When someone asks you what you do, realize that’s not what they really want to know. What they do want to know is what you can do for them! What’s in it for them? Why should they care about you or what you do unless it’s of value to them. That’s the real question here.

Your Elevator Pitch Must Fulfill the Same Requirements as All Your Messaging

For the fifth-floor version you want to at least include all the barebones messaging requirements:

·         All your messaging begins with a hook to capture the listeners interest, which is easiest when what you’re saying is all about them and something they care about.

·         Once that’s delivered you want to give evidence of your quality. Perhaps mention a few clients you’ve satisfied.

·         Finally, you close with a call-to-action (CTA). It could be as simple as asking, “would you like to know more?” in which case you might present your business card or give them your URL.

If possible, have your evidence include a clear statement of your sustainable competitive advantage, the characteristics, value, process, or other element that makes your company stand out from its competition.

If you have more time, you might want to insert some information about the size and history of your company before the CTA. Also, perhaps some details specific to the service you think your listener may be interested in.

Consistency

While longer versions of your pitch may benefit from customization on a case-by-case basis, your core “fifth-floor” message should always be the same no matter who in your organization delivers it. Consistency is highly valued, and when prospective customers hear the same from each of your people they encounter, they are bound to be impressed.

My Pitch

IT experts are not necessarily messaging experts. You may want to bring in a messaging expert to help you craft your messages and perhaps even help your people learn how to deliver them most impactfully.

You want content that compels that listener to take the next step in your sales motion. I’m a creator of compelling content who consistently provides just that! Reach me at hmc@howardmcohen.com.

Second floor, anyone getting off?