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What our members have to say...
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"DONE DEAL - Pulse Tidal has developed a machine which can generate electrical power from the ocean tides; offering clean, renewable, invisible, and totally predictable, electricity. Their product, the Pulse-Stream generator, has been developed to provide cost-effective electrical output and minimise environmental impact."
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9 Tips for Developing a Solid Elevator Pitch
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The concept of the elevator pitch is mostly self-explanatory – if you had to sell someone an idea in the amount of time it takes to ride the elevator to your floor, what would you say?
If they aren’t hooked and interested in hearing more after those crucial few seconds, they aren’t going to buy it, so you need to make sure you say the right thing.
When it comes to your job search, a solid elevator pitch is invaluable as you navigate career fairs, networking, and other moments where you need to quickly sell yourself to get a foot in the door with a potential employer or possible connection.
So, how do you sum up all the great things about yourself in a persuasive way that will leave the person wanting to know more?
We’ve compiled 9 tips for developing the answer: your solid, selling elevator pitch.
• Concise – An effective elevator pitch contains as few words as possible, but no fewer. Remember, you have to cram all the important stuff in only about 30 seconds. A good way to start is to hash out a full-blown description of all you want to say, then figure out how you could say each sentence more concisely, or if it’s necessary at all.
• Clear – Rather than use with acronyms, MBA-speak, and ten-dollar words, your pitch should be easy for anyone to understand – your spouse, your friends outside of your industry, even your grandparents. The person to whom you are pitching will most likely not be who would ultimately consider you for the job, so they might not understand all your industry jargon; they just need to understand your primary goal.
• Compelling – Rather than just listing off your qualifications, address a problem or a need in your industry or that an employer has and explain how you offer a solution. Tell your audience what’s in it for them.
• Credible – You need to explain why you are qualified for the position you seek. Pick out a few skills or traits you have that are directly relevant to the positions you seek. Try to be unique – don’t just say you’re “responsible” and “courteous”, rather, “decisive” or “self-starter”. Then prove it with an example.
• Conceptual – You only have to sell the concept at this point – the general idea of who you are and what you can offer. Don’t go into too much unnecessary detail, or you’ll lose focus and lose your audience.
• Concrete - As much as is possible, an effective elevator pitch is also specific and tangible. As in your overall job search, you can’t expect results if you apply to any job with a paycheck. What kind of positions are you looking for, at what types of companies?
• Customized - An effective elevator pitch addresses the specific interests and concerns of the audience. Change up your pitch depending on whether you’re speaking with an employer at a career fair, a possible connection at a networking event, or a mutual friend in your industry.
• Consistent – Although you customize your pitch for every situation, it should always effectively convey the same basic message.
• Conversational – The ultimate goal of an elevator pitch is to start a conversation, not close a deal. End with something that prompts the person for a response, like a question. Your pitch should also be conversational in that it doesn’t sound like an automated response – you want to sound natural and engaging, not like a robot.
So go get started before you end up in that hypothetical elevator with nothing to say! Have fun with it. And practice, practice, practice – on friends, neighbors, pets, even strangers. Never lose the art of the pitch – this tool will be with you the rest of your career and has a lifespan well past your job search.
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