An ʹelevator pitchʹ is a term taken from the early days of the internet explosion when web development companies needed capital. Finance firms were swamped with applications for money and the companies that won the cash were often those with a simple pitch. The best was those that could explain a business proposition to the occupants of an elevator in the time it took them to ride to their floor. In other words, an elevator speech that worked was able to describe and sell an idea in 30 seconds or less. Today, an ʹelevator speech should be sticky. It is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what you or your organization does. It should create curiosity and remain in their minds after you leave. The best ones remain in others for years, sometimes decades. So, how can you create messages that stick?
It can take time to get your pitch right. You'll likely go through several iterations before finding one that is compelling, and that sounds natural in conversation. But based on my previous work with Emmy Award winning storyteller Park Howell, using the ABT (And, But, Therefore) exercise will help you create a great pitch with clarity and concision. This method uses a three-act structure of setup, problem, and resolution that triggers your audience’s curiosity and leaves them wanting more. Remember, the ABT method is the simplest way of telling a story, and you’re going to use it to tell your story, whatever it might be. The focus is not necessarily the whole story, but the story of how your business changes the lives of its customers. So, let’s get started.
1. IDENTIFY YOUR GOAL - Start by thinking about the objective of your pitch. For instance, do you want to tell potential clients about your organization? Do you have a great new product idea that you want to pitch to an executive? Or do you want a simple, heartfelt, and engaging speech to explain what you do for a living?
2. OUTLINE YOUR PITCH – Create an outline of your material using bullet points. You don't need to add any detail or put them into an ABT format at this stage; simply write a few notes to help remind you of what you really want to say. Consider answering the following questions to start your outline:
1. Who am I?
2. What do I offer?
3. What problem do I solve?
4. How do I make a difference?
5. What should the listener remember most after hearing this?
3. KNOW YOURSELF - Before you can inspire anyone to want to know more about you it’s vital that you are confident in yourself and you’re offering. It must come from your heart and define precisely what you are offering, what problems you solve and what contributions you bring to society, or the prospect. Consider the following reflections:
1. Why do you care about what you are doing?
2. What is it you are trying to ʹsellʹ or “advocate” for?
3. What adjectives come to mind describing you?
4. Why are you interested in the person you are targeting or interacting with?
4. EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DO – Briefly describe what your organization does. Focus on the problems that you solve and how you help people. If it makes sense, add information or a statistic that highlights the problem or value in what you do. Your pitch should excite you first; after all, if you don't get excited about what you're saying, neither will your audience. Your pitch should bring a smile to your face and quicken your heartbeat. People may not remember everything that you say, but they will remember your enthusiasm and how you make them feel.
5. COMMUNICATE YOUR USP - Your elevator pitch also needs to communicate your unique selling proposition or USP. Identify what makes you, your organization, or your idea, unique.
6. PUT IT ALL TOGETHER - When you have completed each section of your pitch, put it all together using the ABT formula. The key to doing this is to expand on the notes you made by writing out each section in full to ensure your ideas are crystallized. To help you do this, follow these guidelines:
1. Take each note you made and write a sentence about it.
2. Take each sentence and connect them together with AND, BUT, THEREFORE phrases to create the structure.
3. Go through what you have written and change any long words or jargon into everyday language.
4. Go back through the re-written material and cut out unnecessary words.
5. Finalize your pitch by making sure it is no more than ninety words long.
Now, read it aloud and use a stopwatch to time how long it takes. It should be no longer than 20-30 seconds. Otherwise, you risk losing the person's interest or monopolizing the conversation. Then, try to cut out anything doesn't absolutely need to be there. Remember, your pitch needs to be snappy and compelling, so the shorter it is, the better!
HERE IS MINE – I am Thomas Ahern, a Chief Marketing Officer, and former Educational Psychologist. I help small business owners with their sales, but the problem is that 60% of entrepreneurs report elevated levels of anxiety and depression that negatively impacts their business and personal lives, therefore I founded a Holistic Sales Management practice that improves sales and well-being of business owners and sales team.
7. PRATICE – As Angela Duckworth revealed in her groundbreaking research, the right practice makes perfect. If you don't practice, it's likely that you'll talk too fast, sound unnatural, or forget important elements of your pitch. You want it to sound smooth in conversation, not like a sales pitch. Remember, how you say it is just as important as what you say. And, be aware of your body language, which conveys just as much to the listener as your words do. Practice with colleagues who are willing to offer feedback until the pitch is perfected and feels right. Good luck and good selling.
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