How to Develop an Effective Elevator Pitch

Elevators in corporate office hold quite a few people. In this instance, the Editor-in-chief and CEO of the magazine I had just interviewed to intern for was standing next to me.

He turned his head and looked at me quizzically.

"Do you work for me?" he asked me.

"Not yet," came out of my mouth. And the entire elevator filled with business professionals became incredibly quiet.

He was taken aback at first. Then he laughed and everyone laughed.

"Good answer," he told me.

My academic advisor died laughing. She said that was the shortest elevator pitch she's ever heard. I was surprised I had an elevator pitch.

An elevator pitch is a clear, brief summary about you, your work and what you can do for a company. Think of it as an oral cover letter that's 30 seconds or less. It's quick—normally the length of an elevator ride— hence the name. An effective pitch normally has three parts.

Start with who are you. It's pretty basic. Summarize your skills and unique traits into clear, concise thoughts. Emphasizing your distinctive take on a skill is important to standing out. If you're a social media expert, what is your area of expertise? "I am adept at turning niche content into viral hits on Instagram and Twitter" is far more memorable than "I am a social media savvy millennial."

The second piece is your ask or your goal. Are you looking for an opportunity to work with or for a company? Or are you asking from an interview, advice, or connections? Be honest and specific about what you want. It shows you have a goal in mind and are interested in completing the necessary steps to achieve the goal.

End with your why. Why do you want what you are pitching for? It needs to be genuine and or compelling, because otherwise why grant your request? "I want help people" or "I want to make your company better" is not enough. "I'm interested continuing research in food production in countries with high malnutrition rates in order to find a reliable solution to improving children's health." Or "I believe in your company's philosophy and helping you helps bring a bigger audience to the issue of the pay gap."

Once you've put all of your pieces together, it's time to practice delivery. There's a very fine line between being confident and cocky. Don't promise the moon when you know you can't deliver it. Knowing how to tip toe the line into delivering a strong, elevator pitch takes practice. Try your elevator pitch to yourself in a mirror. Then try it on friends and family until you can deliver it with confidence and without stuttering.

PayPath
Follow Us on

Southwest Companion Pass

There’s all this talk about solo travel. And for good reason — no wasting precious time waiting for others to get their act together, take the plans out of the group chat and actually buy the tickets. Going solo, you can be spontaneous. You can plan your trips according to your precise tastes. You can hop on any flight and fly awayyyyyy.

Keep readingShow less

Oh, how far we’ve come!

Women’s History Month is here. What a pertinent reminder of how far women have come in society — but this far is far from far enough. From the pay gap to daily microaggressions, it’s still obvious that women are treated as lesser-than in society. This is especially clear when you look at how few female-founded businesses there are.

Keep readingShow less

Why You Need Cometeer Coffee: Coffee You Can Take on the Go

Cometeer Coffee

There’s an internet trend that says that everyone has three drinks: one for energy, one for hydration, and one for fun.

Hydration drinks are usually seltzer, a sports drink, or good old-fashioned water. Fun drinks can be anything from boba to kombucha to a refreshing fountain sprite. But the drink you choose for energy says the most about you. Are you a chill tea drinker? An alternative yerba mate devotee? A matcha-obsessed TikTok That Girl wannabe? A chaotic Red Bull chugger? Or are you a lover of the classics, a person after my own heart, who just loves a good cuppa joe?

Keep readingShow less