The Elevator Pitch
Sometimes called an elevator pitch, a pitch is a concise, tailored, benefit-focused description of your career background. Elevator Pitches are used most often by entrepreneurs looking to raise venture capital to fund a new business. You can also use an elevator pitch to sell yourself in the job searching process.
The elevator pitch is your short tv commercial discussing why a company should “buy” you. Imagine you are at a Clemson football game standing in a long line to get a coke and a pretzel, and you strike up a conversation with the gentleman in front of you. You find out that he works for Naturally Fresh in Atlanta, GA. He asks you what you do. Here is your opportunity to give him your elevator pitch. Unfortunately, you don’t have anything prepared and fumble around with your words. Here is a wasted opportunity.
A good pitch is the following:
Concise: 30-60 secs
- Persuasive: Use words that are powerful and strong.
- Memorable: A good story is essentially this: someone with a problem either finds a solution or faces tragedy. Either type of story can be used to illuminate what you do. This is the element that literally snags your listener’s interest and makes them want to know more. This is the phrase or words that strike a chord in your listener.
- Audience Centered: A great elevator pitch is aimed for a specific audience. If you have target audiences that are vastly different, you might want to have a unique pitch for each.
- Conversational: Use words and phrases everyone understands.
- Not a Used Car salesperson: You want to come across you want to be of-service to this company.
Keep the following in mind when crafting your pitch:
Pitch Delivery:
State your whole name
Give a firm handshake
Make good eye contact
Pitch Content:
What are your strengths or selling qualities?
What do you have to offer?
How do you solve problems?
What is unique about you?
What to wear:
Men: Golf/Polo Shirt; Khaki Pants; Jacket/Suit; No Cologne, no Jewelry, Neatly Style Hair
Women: Nice Shirt/Sweater; Dress Pants; Suit; Minimal Jewelry, No Perfume, No Heavy Make-up
