Great Tips for Your 30 Second Business Pitch

Date: April 11, 2015
By: Stan Washington

“Instead of killing your neighbor try saving them” were the words that perked my ears to listen on. Perking the ears to make the audience listen to more is very important! You could be on an elevator with the right person someday and the ride is only 30 seconds. What will you say? How passionate are you?

Some call a pitch an ELEVATOR SPEECH, others call it a MEANINGFUL INTRODUCTION. Whatever you call it, this is your chance to tell people about your company and what you offer!

The goal is to get the audience to understand what the business is about and what it can do for them. The purpose of an elevator pitch is not to close a deal or a sale; rather, it's to make the audience want to continue the conversation. Your pitch should contain salient, intriguing details about your company rather than dry figures.

When writing an elevator pitch, consider the nine C's:

• Concise. Keep the pitch succinct with as few words as possible.
• Clear. The pitch should be easily understood by a layman, rather than filled with acronyms and industry terminology.
• Compelling. What problem does your business solve, and what can you do for your target audience?
• Credible. Spell out what makes you qualified to do what you do without using buzzwords like outside the box or synergy. Using credibility-driven words like certified will help sell your business.
• Conceptual. Keep your pitch broad; don't go into too many details.
• Concrete. The pitch should be tangible and easily grasped by your audience.
• Customized. Each target audience is different. The pitch should be tailored to the listeners.
• Consistent. No matter how many versions of your pitch you have, they should all convey the same basic message.
• Conversational. Start the conversation, and hook your target. Keep it casual. Don't try to close a deal in the pitch

It’s not “your” pitch that’s important here, it’s “their” need being filled. Don’t make it all about you rather make it about your audience. Start off with a strong headline, ask questions, get the audience involved.  Show what value you bring. Practice, but don’t parrot! Having a canned response sounds phony! Know what you are going to say but tailor it to the occasion.

By executing a great pitch you could be on your way to wonderful opportunities with that unexpected meeting.