If you’re interested in, or currently sell a product or service you need a really good elevator pitch. But what the heck is an elevator pitch?

There are a lot of different definitions out there, but Investopedia explains it best:

(Elevator pitch) is a slang term used to describe a brief speech that outlines an idea for a product, service, or project. The name comes from the notion that the speech should be delivered in the short period of an elevator ride, usually 20-60 seconds.

Chances are, at some point, you’ll be doing in-person networking, or simply meeting a mutual acquaintance for the first time, that doesn’t know anything about your work. This is where having a really great elevator pitch really comes in handy! 

But how do you tell people about you have to offer, without making them either confused or unsure about what you do and what you have to offer?

Today I’m going to show you how to create an elevator pitch that’s easy to understand and attention-grabbing. So, let’s get started!

1) Have an attention-grabbing answer to the question: “so what?”

Unfortunately, it’s way easier to get the “elevator part” of an elevator pitch: (the part where it’s quick and to the point,) than the actual pitch.

When you’re developing your first elevator pitch, you need to ensure that you’re always answering the question: “so what,” otherwise your reader will stop paying attention, and look elsewhere for similar services.

For instance, here’s an email I received from an SEO company that checked out my blog:

And here’s how Melanie Kernodle, the founder of CopyRefresh,introduces her services to prospective clients:

Which one would you be more likely to find out more info about/ actually follow through on their call to action?

Chances are you’ll pick number two. It’s friendly, engaging, and the copywriter clearly knows their audience.

Number one simply says that you’ll have access to bargain bin prices, and bargain bin prices don’t always lead to high-quality results. Not to mention, they haven’t bothered to use my name in the email.

2) Simplification is key

When it’s time to update/enhance my elevator pitch, Twitter is often a valuable source of inspiration.

But why Twitter? Because, for professional accounts, it’s often a digital, 24/7, elevator pitch. As a result, your twitter bio should be short, sweet, and straightforward. Otherwise, all you’ll do is confuse your readers. For example, here’s a Twitter bio that needs to work on its simplification:

Although it proves that the person is credible, not everyone will fully understand what this person does, and how they can help.

Instead, focus on describing what you do and how you can help, in simple straightforward, simple, English. A great example of this is a Twitter bio of a freelance writer that I actively follow:

 Really easy to understand, am I right? In fact, it’s so easy to understand that you don’t even have to know anything about blogging or copywriting to know what she does, and how she can help!

Keep it simple, and no one will feel excluded. Not to mention, a lot more people will be interested in finding out more information about what you have to offer!

3)Be specific

If you want to maintain people’s attention you need to be as specific as possible.  For instance, if you’re a travel blogger, don’t just say you’re a travel blogger otherwise, you might put this kind of image in the person’s head:

Photo courtesy of www.thetraveltart.com

Instead say something like: “I’m a travel blogger that helps make travel a lot less overwhelming for families with kids,” or something like that!

4) Know your audience

I saved this one until last because let’s face it: it’s an essential ingredient. No matter what, never create the same elevator pitch for everyone.

Create a simplified version of what you do, and then adjust the phrasing and discussion points based on what you already know about the company, individual, etc that you want to try out your elevator pitch on.

In the marketing world, this is called a marketing persona, a detailed layout of your ideal buyer and their typical needs, interests, etc. If you don’t know who you’re trying to reach, start making a list of who you’re interested in working with, and how you can make their life a little bit easier.

Knowing your audience will make you a lot more confident, and a lot more well-prepared while trying to make a really good first impression, on or offline.  The truth is, I’m a shy introvert, and this is a tactic that has helped me overcome the feelings of anxiety that I often feel while trying to make a really good first impression.

You don’t need to be the life of the party or behave like a camp counselor to make people interested in what you have to offer. You just need to be really well-prepared, while having a really good ear for details.

If all you really need is a thorough proofreading job on your web & blog content projects, then feel free to visit my website’s editing services tab for further details.