Your Elevator Pitch

Imagine attending a social event and someone you’ve not met before asks you: “What do you do for work?” How would you answer this question?

Most people wouldn’t discuss their strengths or their business skills. Some might share their job title: “I’m a Web Designer.” Some might generalise and respond with the field they work in: “I’m in the Design Industry.” It's surprisingly easy to mince your words when explaining what you do for a living to someone you’ve just met. People often struggle to articulate what they do and as a result, are at risk of being overlooked when an opportunity arises.

So what is the solution to this problem? Having your elevator pitch ready for every opportunity!

Now imagine you’re in your building’s elevator and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a company you want to work for, races between its closing doors. You have one goal: To pitch to the CEO before the elevator has finished ascending to their floor (approximately 30–60 seconds). Within this timeframe, you should aim to make a great first impression and convey your message.

Developing a great pitch isn't a simple task. It can be difficult to explain to someone what you do in such a short time. However, there are guidelines you can follow to improve your elevator pitch and maximise its impact.

It should be focused

Before writing your elevator pitch you will need to clearly define what your objectives are, so that can refer back to them as you write and keep your pitch focused.

Perhaps an objective of yours is to relocate to another city. Or you might be in the middle of a career transition chasing your big break. You could just be looking for some advice and mentorship from someone with more experience.

You should remember your objectives throughout the entire pitching process, not just during writing. Don't forget what you're trying to achieve when having a conversation. Everything you're communicating should be relevant to at least one of your objectives.

Your objectives will likely change over time. When this happens, you should review your pitch and ensure it is meeting your new objectives.

It should be clear

Avoid using technical terms and industry jargon in your elevator pitch. Albert Einstein once said, “If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.” It’s important to explain things in simple terms. This will help to ensure everyone has clarity and clearly understands what you do, as well as demonstrating that you have a good grasp on the concepts you are communicating.

If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.

It should be concise

Your elevator pitch shouldn’t be long-winded. It should be brief and effective, coming straight to the point. This will show that you respect other people’s time and understand that it’s important. When delivering your pitch, it pays to keep in mind you only have a short window of time to get your message across. Say what you need to say efficiently—you only have the length of time it takes to ride the elevator.

It should be targeted

Everyone and every situation are different and each time you deliver your elevator pitch will likely be different too. Be sure to consider the needs of the person you would like to speak to, as well as the time and place, then decide if your approach needs adjusting. Carefully targeting your message in this way will assist you in establishing a connection with each person that you have the opportunity to speak to.

Below is an example of a web designer meeting with the owner of a musical organisation, outlining the impact her work had for another client in a comparable situation:

One of my clients—The Metro West Symphony Orchestra—recently approached me because their old site's rehearsal and concert schedules required regular updating. Every time changes needed to be made, they were having to rely on my predecessor to make the update. I designed them a new, user-friendly site that has enabled anyone to make their changes. This has saved them a lot of time and money.

It should be engaging

Your pitch needs to be engaging. It should tell a story so that you're more likely to hold the interest of the person you are speaking to. You wouldn't want their eyes to glaze over! As an example, instead of saying “I'm just a Copywriter” you might say “I create content for my clients, that enables them to communicate with their target audience effectively.”

I create content for my clients, that enables them to communicate with their target audience effectively.

As well as following the guidelines outlined above, you'll want to ensure your pitch includes:

• - A brief introduction explaining who you are, as well as your background.

• - Your own take on what makes you different, what sets you apart from other people that offer similar products and services, or are in the same line of work. Do you have superior qualifications or experience? Perhaps you offer a unique perspective that others aren't able to. Or are you so passionate about your field that you accept pro bono work occasionally?

• - A list of your strengths, including any interpersonal skills you may have, such as being a team player, dependable, punctual, confident or a strong communicator.

• - An explanation around why you would like to work in the creative industry and how your strengths will help to facilitate this.

Let's have a look at how this may come together by review an example below: