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Can you confidently promote yourself in 60 seconds or less? It’s a practised skill and one that’s worth perfecting. Used by business people, actors and serious networkers, the Elevator Pitch is meant to encapsulate your story in a quick and engaging statement. But there’s a way to deliver it that hooks your listener and begs the responses we all want to hear ‘How do you do that?‘ and ‘Tell me more,’

The secret to a great Elevator Pitch is to identify the answers to five key questions. In the video I outline these simple questions that anyone can answer.

  1. Who are you?  Your name.
  2. What do you do?  Your occupation.
  3. Who do you do it for? Your customer, client, audience, etc.
  4. What do they need or want? The problem or challenge you are solving for them.
  5. How are they changed or transformed as a result? The outcome or benefit they receive from you.

Where this approach turns the standard elevator pitch on its head is that you are putting the emphasis on the benefit you deliver to your customer. This can also be truly transformative for you too. It shifts the perspective of ‘what do you do?’ to ‘here’s how I serve people.’ Don’t overlook this simple change. Personal fulfilment in your career comes not in performing the function but in making a difference for someone else. When you start to see your occupation as one of giving rather than doing, it opens up a whole new conversation about why you’re passionate about what you do.

Here’s the magic part. Take all the answers to your 5 questions and string them together into a statement. Practice it until it becomes a natural reflex when you’re at a cocktail or networking event. Now, strip out your answers to questions 2 and 4. Your statement now comes across as ‘Hi, I’m….I help (your core client group)…’ and add the final answer that only tells the benefit you provide. Your listener will want to know more.

How can you put this to work with your online marketing? Now you can use your abbreviated version as an opener and follow up with case study examples, testimonials, a new product or service, introducing a team member or behind the scenes. It becomes a way to quickly engage your viewer. The best part about it being video is that it’s available online, 24/7 working for you even while you’re sleeping.

At Vitamin Media we help our clients share their stories, successes and purpose with the world. What can we do for you?