Yes, you should have an elevator pitch!

Here’s the thing about the elevator pitch: every business absolutely must have one. “One” is the key word here. While many companies don’t have an elevator pitch at all, others have too many.

Why you should have an elevator pitch

First, let’s figure out why it is so important to have one. The answer is simple. You never know when you will share a brief moment with somebody who could make a difference in the future of your company.

Whether that’s in a coffee shop, in an airport, in a brief interaction online or in an actual elevator. When that moment comes, you should be prepared instead of fumbling for words. So be ready to explain in a few words what your company does and what sets it apart.

And it’s not just the CEO or top managers who should be familiar with the elevator pitch because any employee can find themselves in a pitch perfect situation.

Do the pitch test

If you think your company is ready, why don’t you take a quick test? Ask a handful of your team members for your elevator pitch and see whether they are on the same page. Chances are that you’ll get all different answers.

Obviously, that’s a problem because you want each of them to be able to make the best possible pitch. And if you get five different answers from five people, at least four of them aren’t the best.

Your perfect pitch

So the first step is to come up with that ideal pitch. It should be brief (about 30 seconds) and concise.

The best pitches offer a solution to a problem, are intriguing and/or offer the listener an opportunity. That means don’t get lost in generalities. “We make machine parts,” is not going to get anybody excited about your company. Even throwing in “high quality” won’t set you apart.

However, “We use patented and innovative technology to produce machine parts that are lighter than any others to save you a lot of money” might just get somebody interested.

• it could meet the need of a business that wants to make its machines lighter.
• the other party might be intrigued and wants to find out more about the innovative technology that achieves this reduction in weight.

You could also add some of your best credentials. For example, “We are an award-winning small business with customers on four continents.” Talk about specific credentials. Calling yourself “leading” has never convinced anyone that you actually are. When nobody has heard of you, then try to make sure you convey the necessary credibility in your pitch.

Finally, your pitch should try to get the other party to take some action.  This could range from simply accepting your business card to a promise to keep the conversation going.

All of the above has to be achieved in just a few seconds – seconds that could be vital to the future of your business. Which is why it is so important to invest some time and effort into coming up with a really good pitch that everybody in a company knows by heart.