Every small business owner needs to be equipped with an elevator pitch; something they can pull out to show off their business a little bit. When you think about the name: elevator pitch, you get the perfect idea of what the pitch should be- something quick, that would take up the time it takes to, say, ride in an elevator.
Though, for something so brief, the elevator pitch is not easily mastered and frequently stressed over. So if you’ve ever doubted your pitch, check in with these 4 tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of your elevator pitch!
Tell just enough
As mentioned above, the point of an elevator pitch is to keep them brief. The person you’re talking to should know all they need to know within one minute of talking to you. This can prove to be a challenge for many entrepreneurs. Being the owner, you can probably go on and on about your business- it’s the product of your blood, sweat, and tears, after all. So getting to the meat of your pitch may take some prep work. Start by practicing at home. Write out everything you’d like to say in your elevator pitch. Chances are, it’s too long. Now cross out everything that’s not: explaining what you do in just one sentence, and why it’s a beneficial opportunity to be a part of. What’s left should be your pitch!
No one wants to hear you drone on and on about your business for 10 minutes at a networking event, or, even worse, simple meeting a new colleague in a setting that’s not work-related. Give just enough, and if it’s a good fit, the two of you should be able to tell right away.
Keep your pitch clear
The clearer you are in your pitch, the better. Everyone, from a child to your grandpa, should be able to understand what your business does by listening to your elevator pitch. By being clear and concise, the contents of your pitch will be easier to remember, which is great if whomever you’ve pitched to would like to relay your information on to someone else. Being clear equates to being memorable.
Identify opportunity areas
If you’re talking to someone you’re already familiar with, or if they’ve told you about what they do before you’ve had the chance to give your pitch, be sure to add any opportunity areas to the end of your pitch. Tell them what your business does, why it’s great to get involved with, and how they can become involved themselves. Even if your businesses don’t directly correlate (you don’t necessarily need to be partners) you can still create some form of business relationship. You can always pass along other business owners that you think would work better with them, and vice versa. Business owners can always help one another out, even if not through directly sharing clients.
Part of pitching is listening
Because the actual pitch itself is what’s really focused on, the other half of the elevator pitch equation is often forgotten. Not only do you have to explain what your business does to the best of your ability, you have to listen to what their business does to the best of your ability as well. There should be as much of an emphasis on listening as there is on sharing. No one wants to do business with someone who’s so focused on themselves that they don’t want to hear about any other business venture if it doesn’t directly involve them. Be confident speaking about your business, but listen genuinely and intently.