Everyone needs the perfect 30-second elevator pitch: a well-thought, meaningful, and practiced brief overview of who you are, what you offer, and how your clients can benefit from it.
People often struggle to explain the value of what they do. When asked, they go quiet, look at the floor, or stumble over their words. Until they have created the perfect elevator speech, they don’t have an easy and simply way to explain what it is they do and why purchasing their product or service is of value.
Whether you’re at your friend’s barbecue or literally in an elevator — once you introduce yourself, you need to be able to explain who you are, what you do and how you can add value to their life — clearly and quickly.
A good pitch takes planning. Practice delivering your speech quickly and on the spot. Believe in yourself and what you do. Speak with pride. Get prepared for that elevator ride and talking about what you do!
Four steps to consider when crafting your speech:
- Express your strengths as you define who you are. Keep it short.
- Elucidate what you do, revealing the benefits that you bring.
- Explain what sets you apart. Demonstrate some part of what you do that makes you stand apart.
- Ensure a definite call to action, which should lead the listener to want to know more about you.
Once you have created the perfect elevator speech, know that you can tweak, evolve, and tailor your pitch for your audience.
“Linda has published sixteen books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish.”