7 Key Tips for Shaping a Powerful Elevator Pitch
In today’s business world, we all know that communication can be a power conduit to help sell your brand and its image. To ensure your brand engages your target audience, a vital communication strategy is to develop an effective elevator pitch.
Here are our top tips for shaping a pitch that is sure to position your business above competitive brands.
1. KEEP IT SIMPLE
Like anything in life, we prefer to take the simple path, rather than follow a complicated one. Your elevator pitch should be no different. A powerful elevator pitch grabs the target audience’s attention with a hook, then expands to detail your brand’s objectives as clearly and concisely as possible. Your pitch is an opportunity to emphasize what your audience will gain from investing in your business – for example, the problems it can solve – and the role they play.
2. ENCOURAGE A RESPONSE
A powerful elevator pitch entices your audience to actively want to learn more about your brand. To ensure your audience is interested and engaged, you’ll want to encourage the listener to ask the right questions. Some questions may include:
What do you do exactly?
Present a brief rundown of the company’s history, including an integrated explanation of what led you to your current endeavour. Take your cues from them – if they’re looking for me, it might be a good time to detail some previous experiences and success stories.
How are you unique from your competition?
Highlight exactly what specific features advantageously set you apart from other competing companies. For example, you might tell them how your brand is modelled toward helping other small businesses.
How do you help your clients?
Specify particular features and strategies of your services/products and how they manage and ensure client success.
3. SKIP THE INDUSTRY JARGON
An effective elevator pitch is free of professional jargon and concepts that are only prevalent to fellow colleagues. Your audience is more likely to invest in your brand if they understand your objectives and goals. Keep in mind: you’re connecting with an individual, so talk to them using conversational – not clinical or technical – language.
4. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
At Integram, we use our Brand Essence framework to shape an effective pitch. If it helps, write it out, whatever your frame of reference. Some key points include:
– Company history and business plan
– Problems you tackle/resolve
– Client successes
Ultimately, an effective pitch is second nature to any discussion. It shouldn’t sound like you’re reading from a script. In order to deliver a compelling pitch, practice it…as often as you need to before it feels natural. Say it in the mirror, or to yourself while you’re driving, cooking or when lying in bed.
5. SHOW YOUR PASSION
The expression in your delivery is as impactful as the words you use to phrase your pitch. Remember, you’re speaking to a person, not a robot (at least I hope not!) – and people are more likely to react to something they feel in your delivery.
6. BE CREATIVE IN YOUR APPROACH
More often than not, a successful business is able and willing to make structural changes and experiment with other alternatives, if necessary. Your pitch can be equally experimental, especially if you’re trying to stand out.
A few suggestions on being more creative with your pitch include tailoring it to the company or audience to whom you’re presenting. If you’re pitching to a golf store, try using golf visuals or terminology whenever possible. For example, “Partnering with my brand is a bogey-free collaboration.” Incorporating relatable and relevant stats is another helpful approach in creativity when presenting your pitch.
7. CREATE AN ACTION
When it’s all said and done, a powerful elevator pitch entices your audience to buy your product or service, or at least invite an opportunity to learn more. To ensure your business is on the right path to success, make sure you have a plan or process in place that proactively addresses the next step. Have you set a date to meet again? Do you have a booking system that arranges and secures the next meeting? The end action should be to seal the deal.