TIME TO IMPRESS! 7 Power Tips for Your Confident and Authentic Elevator Pitch
Before we dive into the topic let´s look at the question: Why have an elevator pitch at all? Whether we're working offline or online, if you want to make a difference or achieve something for your career, if you want to convince others about your topic or yourself, then you can't avoid the topic of Elevator Pitch. What are the factors that contribute to the success of your Elevator Pitch?
Let´s start with the preparation:
You need to answer the questions what is your Elevator Pitch for?
What do you want to achieve with your pitch? I know, this sounds so obvious, but often if you try to write it down it is not so easy anymore. Topics can be: You want the results of your latest project to make an impression. You want to get someone to mentor you. You want to find out if there are jobs for you in a field/company. You want to stand out from the application process..... Whatever the purpose of your pitch is: Make it clear before you start working on preparing the pitch.
The next question to answer is: Who is the audience?
Be clear who you are pitching to! What are they interested in? What is the best way to appeal to them? Tailor your pitch to the audience and keep it interesting for them.
The third factor is a clear structure as a good pitch answers 5 questions:
Who are you?
What have you done and why are you passionate about it?
What makes you so special?
What are the next steps?
Your question/ your ask!
Here are the 7 power tips for a confident and authentic elevator pitch;
1. Keep it punchy
A good elevator pitch should take no longer than 2 minutes (yes, that's the average length of a lift ride - 45 seconds!). It should be interesting, memorable, short and you should feel comfortable delivering it. It should sound natural and not like an elevator pitch! Make it exciting, add your personality. Don't use empty phrases, choose words that are personal. This makes the speech authentic. It creates curiosity and allows real connection.
2. Keep if focused
You need to tailor your elevator pitch. Focus on this in your two or three line pitch. Be as detailed as necessary while being as concise as possible.
3. Mention your professional experience or goals
Make your experience or business goals clear. Say that you have been working in 3D printing for how many years, that you are an entrepreneur or a human rights advocate. Mention any specializations without going into technical jargon, and be careful not to go into too much detail.
4. Highlight what makes you unique.
Think about what makes you different from others. Do you speak other languages? Have you worked or volunteered abroad? What unique qualities or experiences make you memorable?
5. Finish with your question
Your Elevator Pitch is not a party interlude that just ends and that's it. It's an invitation to continue the conversation. At the end of your pitch is your question, your conclusion. This is where you come back to the reason you made the pitch in the first place.
6. Slow down!
In your zeal to get your elevator pitch across, it's easy to talk too fast or even seem desperate to impress. Remember to breathe, speak more slowly and smile! Make eye contact and let your counterpart respond.
And now the final and maybe most important point!
7. Prepare and Practice!
No pain, no gain. As with everything else, practice makes perfect. Use the structure as a framework and think about all the points, write them down.
Above all, once you have written your Elevator Pitch, practice and refine it until it is second nature to you. This will help you to overcome potential fear when speaking in public.
There are 3 key points when delivering it:
What you say (content), how you say it and the structure. The KISS principle hits it on the head here. Keep it simple. Articulate clearly - show your communication skills.
Practice repeatedly with your partners, a friend or even your dog. Practice in front of the mirror and observe your facial expressions and body language. What image are you projecting? You want to appear calm, confident and engaging. You can video yourself, this works with Zoom or in teams on your computer or phone. Ask for constructive feedback and improve your presentation accordingly.
In my program SHOW UP! the development and delivery of your personal Elevator Pitch is a core part. And the central theme of this pitch is you and your next step.
Sounds exciting? It is. Many people shy away from this topic and in being in a peer group with support and feedback makes it much easier for them!
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You cannot know everything there is to know about how to get where you want to be in life. While it’s possible to learn the needed skills, this will take time and likely a lot of money. Instead, what if you had someone (or a group of people) who can help guide you to success?
A mentor is someone who currently is where you want to be. The relationship you have with a mentor can be an official one, or it can be informal such as following in the footsteps of someone you admire. Mentors have experience and have gone through growing pains towards success. They will know what kinds of training you may need or skills to develop.