Elevator speech (some also prefer to call it elevator pitch because basically you are pitching) is a speech that you give in an elevator. Not literally, but this is the underlying meaning of the term; it’s like, you have something really solid to say if you meet someone in the elevator for a few seconds or a few minutes. Further it means you should be able to convey your message clearly, as completely as possible, in the least amount of time.
Why do you need an elevator speech?
To impress people in the elevator, for starters. But more importantly, you need an elevator speech if you need to sell your service or idea immediately and you don’t want people to wander in the alleys of their pre-conceived notions. Pre-conceived notions put you at a disadvantage and afterwards whatever they view, it is viewed with colored glasses. So better start with a bang, with a clarity that kills obscurity.
Your elevator speech must also help you make your listener interested in what you have to offer. There should be a sense of curiosity, but your speech should be clear enough, compelling enough, to make that person want to meet you again to explore business opportunities.
You elevator speech defines your current standing, and it defines your future goals.
How do you prepare your elevator speech
For instance, if someone asks you, what do you do for a living? In my case I would say, through my writing services I help businesses and individuals convey their written messages effectively in order to improve their conversion rate and search engine rankings, and I mostly write for websites, blogs and online marketing collateral. Or something to this tune.
What if I simply say that I’m a writer?
Mostly everybody thinks that a writer is someone who writes stories and novels, and if you are not a known writer, then you must be a struggling writer, and if you are a struggling writer, you don’t do much for a living. By saying something vague and generic you initiate a stereotype that you don’t have much time to dispel. With a single sentence, albeit a bit longer sentence, I am able to tell that I am a writer, what benefits my writing service provides and for what medium I primarily write.
What sort of elevator speech do you have?
This reminds me, I must properly prepare one for myself.