How To Write and Implement Your Best Elevator Pitch

Make sure your elevator pitch is moving you up! Last week we discussed the essential elements of a great elevator pitch.  Now we discuss the specific how-to's to flesh out, write and put the perfect pitch into practice. This article's original post is referenced below and is the best summary of a specific plan I have found. I have used it to perfect my own pitch and I hope it helps you too.  Cannot wait to hear it!

Write down what you do. Write it several different ways. Try writing it at least 10-20 different ways. Don't edit yourself at all. You will edit later. This first step is for generating ideas. Don't hold back. Ideas can be goofy, serious, wild, funny, or conservative. It doesn't matter. The goal is to get at many ideas as possible down on paper.

Write a very short story that illustrates what you do for people. If necessary, the story can be long. You will boil it down later. Paint a picture with words.

Write down your objective or goal.Do you want to make a sale, gain a prospect, enlist support for an idea, earn a referral, or something else?

Write 10-20 action statements. This is a statement or question designed to spur the action associated with your goal.

Record yourself. You can use Jott if you don't have a recording device. Jott is a free phone based service that translates your messages into text as well as providing an online link to the original audio.

Let it sit. Come back to what you've written with fresh eyes and ears the next day or later on in the same day.

Highlight the good stuff. Listen and read through what you've recorded and written. Then either highlight or circle the phrases that hook you with clear, powerful, and visual words. Obviously not all the words will fall into these categories. You still need connector words, but you want them to be as few as possible.

Put the best pieces together. Again you'll want to write down several versions of this much tighter pitch. Tell us what you do and why people should want to do business with you. Include elements from your story if you can fit it in.

Record these new ones. 

Do a final edit cutting as many unnecessary words as possible. Rearrange words and phrases until it sounds just right. Again, the goal is 30-60 seconds maximum.

Dress Rehearsal. Run it by as many people as you can get to listen to you (read poor Uber drivers... I pitch all day long to them).  Get feedback from colleagues, clients you trust, friends and family.

Done for now. Take your final elevator pitch and write it down. Memorize and practice it until it just slides off your tongue naturally.

Continue to improve. Over time, always be on the listen for phrases that you think could make your elevator pitch more clear and impactful. And then test it out. Every once in a while you will probably benefit by starting from scratch because things always change: you, your business, your goals, and your clients' needs.

Original post written by K. Stone, the author of Life Learning Today.  
​Pic courtesy of Pinterest.
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Additional Resources:  How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less by Milo O. Frank is a great resource for clear concise communications in general.