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I was on a networking video call this week and died a little inside as I watched a new member throw away one of the greatest free marketing opportunities ever invented- sucking us in with a great elevator pitch. This simple marketing tactic is often misunderstood and regularly botched, so I present how to write the best elevator pitch ever in six easy steps.
What is an elevator pitch?
An elevator pitch is a brief introduction, lasting 90 seconds or less, which entices someone to want more information from you. Entices is the key word here. Your elevator pitch isn’t really about you at all; it’s about piquing the other person’s interest.
Why 90 seconds? A minute and a half is the perfect amount of time to capture someone’s attention and still leave them wanting more. We’ve all met someone who blathered on and on for five minutes but didn’t say much. And we’ve met those robot-like small business owners who share their name and business and nothing else like you’re supposed to know what Elemenopee from Sacramento does.
Why does it get ignored?
It may be a mindset issue, but I think the primary reason microbusiness owners don’t have a fantastic elevator pitch is because they are so in love with their business, they forget what it’s like to be on a first date.
What now?
From inside your business, you know how awesome it is. You know exactly how you help your ICA. You’ve spent years mastering your craft, and you know how life-changing your solution is. And during that time, you started thinking like an expert and forgot how to think like a newbie.
Even worse, you assume everyone has the same definition of what you do as you do.
If we met at a networking event, and I said I was a marketing coach, you might define that to mean I teach clients how to write social media posts. Or maybe create Pinterest pins. Or write blog posts. Or run Facebook ads. Or do market research. All of those examples are accurate tasks that a marketing coach could offer. But I don’t do any of those.
My husband and I have been married for 98 years {in dog years}. I don’t have to tell him much for him to know what I mean. If I say I want pizza for dinner, he knows that means a white pie from Johnny’s. If I say I want to wash the towels, that means stop treating the dryer like an auxiliary dresser and put your freakin’ clothes away already.
But it wasn’t always like that. On our first date, we had a long conversation about the pros and cons of every pizza place in the county. We established the criteria for what was good and not so great, so we were on the same page.
Remember, a networking event is a first date.
Six elements of the best elevator pitch ever
#1: Who you are
Don’t overthink this. It’s one sentence about you and a high-level view of what your business offers.
I’m Windy Lawson, a microbusiness marketing coach.
#2: Who your ideal client is.
You serve a specific person, and you want to highlight her. If the person you are talking to is your ICA, you want her to walk away from the conversation with a burning desire to engage with you further.
I help overwhelmed female microbusiness owners who have hit a plateau in their business and are ready to accelerate their marketing efforts and make more money.
#3: How you maximize value for her
This may be the most important element of your elevator pitch. This is not the time for generic features of your business- you want to dig into the benefits of your business for your ideal client. What’s in it for her?
In my coaching program, I teach how to shift the marketing approach from the tactical level to a strategic level that won’t break the bank or add more tasks to their already overflowing to-do list.
#4: How you are different from every other business that offers similar products or services.
Yup, we’re talking about your USP, unique super power {or unique selling proposition}. You may be one-of-a-kind, but your business is not. Or is it? When you showcase what makes you different, you separate yourself from rest of the pack.
As a former Chief Marketing Officer in the live event/music industry, I spent 20 years in niche marketing where every sale counted, and we operated on a shoestring budget. In my coaching practice, I apply productivity principles to marketing to sell more in less time.
#5: What happens next
What would you like to happen next? Do you want them to download your lead magnet, or book a consultation call? Give them explicit instructions on how they can connect with you. Seriously. Make it easy and obvious.
I’d love to chat with you a little more about your current marketing struggles. Book a consultation call at…
#6: An attention-getting hook.
Get their attention and suck them in with “You know how…” that addresses the pain point of your ideal client. Start your pitch with that question and they will pay attention.
You know how there’s never enough time to do all the marketing things, and then new ways to market pop up overnight?
Bring it together
You know how there’s never enough time to do all the marketing things, and then new ways to market pop up overnight? I’m Windy Lawson, a microbusiness marketing coach. I help overwhelmed female microbusiness owners who have hit a plateau in their business and are ready to accelerate their marketing efforts. In my coaching program, I teach how to shift the marketing approach from the tactical level to a strategic level that won’t break the bank or add more tasks to their already overflowing to-do list.
As a former Chief Marketing Officer in the live event/music industry, I spent 20 years in niche marketing where every sale counted, and we operated on a shoestring budget. In my coaching practice, I apply productivity principles to marketing to sell more in less time. I’d love to chat with you a little more about your current marketing struggles. Book a consultation call at
Once you’ve written your elevator pitch, practice it out loud, until it rolls of your tongue and sounds conversational.
I’d love to see your elevator pitch. Write yours in the comments.