Imagine this scenario: You unexpectedly meet with key decision-makers from your company. It's the perfect opportunity to share a new idea you've been toying with for a while. Unfortunately, there's only time for a brief exchange of pleasantries before your conversation partner takes their leave.
In the following article, which also includes 6 elevator pitch examples, you will learn how to better prepare for such and similar situations in the future using an elevator pitch.
The history of the elevator pitch
The term "elevator pitch" originated in the USA in the 1980s. Young entrepreneurs were forced to develop creative ways of contacting executives in order to present their ideas. Over time, the practice of waiting for an executive outside the elevator and then trying to convince them of an idea during the short elevator ride became established.
The goal was to attract attention with a short and concise presentation and to receive an invitation to a follow-up meeting where the idea could then be presented in more detail.
What is an elevator pitch?
The basic idea of the conversation during the elevator ride remains the same. The very word "elevator" confirms this. A pitch, from the English "to pitch" meaning "to throw," metaphorically refers to the short period of time in which you can present your idea.
An elevator pitch is therefore a special form of short presentation of your company, business idea, or product. The focus here is primarily on the benefits for potential investors, buyers, or customers.
The intention of the elevator pitch is to win the other person's interest and receive an offer to talk more about your topic.
How long does an elevator pitch take?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this, except "short." Generally, the duration depends on your topic and target audience . If we stick with the classic elevator ride analogy, we'd be talking about one to two minutes. These days, the ideal length is around 60-90 seconds . The goal is to whet the appetite for more and convey only the most important information within this short timeframe.
Here you will benefit from a good pitch.
Sales pitches in elevators are probably a rarity these days. Nevertheless, you will repeatedly find yourself in situations where you have very little time to convince your conversation partners. For example, in the following situations:
- When visiting job and career fairs
- During networking, for example at after-work parties
- During telephone calls
- Chance encounters in everyday life
- At (marketing) workshops
In all these situations, a well-delivered pitch can be the deciding factor between success and failure. The next section will explain what you need to pay attention to for a successful pitch.
What makes a good elevator pitch?
A successful pitch requires thorough preparation . Therefore, invest sufficient time in crafting your pitch. Use the following questions as a guide in your preparation:
- Who should the pitch be directed at?
- What do you want to achieve with your pitch?
- How do you manage to convince your conversation partner?
- Where and in what setting will the conversation take place?
Try to reduce your core message to the essentials and summarize it in as few words as possible . When structuring your pitch, you should use the so-called AIDA model as a guide. This acronym, originating from the advertising industry, stands for Attention-Interest-Desire-Action and describes a four-stage model for building suspense. Applied to an elevator pitch, the individual stages are defined as follows:
Attention:
Use a concise opening to capture your counterpart's full attention. Aim for an emotional connection, ideally using vivid language and appropriate metaphors.
Interest:
Highlight your USP ( Unique Selling Proposition ). What are your particular strengths? What sets you apart from others? Make your conversation partner curious about what you have to offer. You can find more information in our USP blog post .
Desire:
Use your recipient's curiosity and try to awaken in them a desire for your product or a collaboration with you.
Action:
Motivate your conversation partner to take action. This could be, for example, exchanging business cards or inviting them to a follow-up conversation.
When formulating your pitch, make sure to keep it as simple and understandable as possible. Avoid foreign words and technical terms. Ask friends and acquaintances to evaluate your pitch. A good pitch is worth the intensive preparation, because you only get one chance to make a first impression.
Tips for the right ending to your elevator pitch can be found in the call-to-action article .
How do you start a pitch?
The AIDA formula taught you that you need a concise opening for your pitch. This is due to the short timeframe in which you have to convince your audience. First impressions count. This means that your first sentence must be well-thought-out and perfectly delivered. You can't afford a slip of the tongue.
For example, start with a question, a thesis, or an interesting fact about your idea. These elements create suspense and, if used effectively, can captivate your audience. Furthermore, you need to support your pitch with the right body language and presence. Be confident and convinced of your idea, and maintain eye contact throughout.
For more information on how to score points with the right body language in elevator pitches and PowerPoint presentations in general, see our article on body language .
How do I write an elevator pitch? 6 elevator pitch examples
What could an elevator pitch look like that stays within the allotted time while conveying all the essential information? Here are 6 elevator pitch examples that will also work for your business idea:
#1 General Elevator Pitch
You can't go wrong with a general formulation for your elevator pitch. You can clearly and intuitively include all the important points in the short presentation. However, you can also modify or adapt the basic structure as needed.
Pattern:
My name is
Unlike
#2 The narrative pitch (also Pixar pitch)
In this type of elevator pitch, the narrative structure takes center stage, much like in Pixar films. Use storytelling to build a compelling narrative around your business idea and make it persuasive.
Pattern:
Once upon a time
Learn more about the Pixar pitch in our full article on pitch presentations .
#3 Realistic Elevator Pitch
You can often score points with an anecdote from your life , thus illustrating the reality of your business idea. Anecdotes help you capture the audience's attention and simultaneously create a personal connection.
Pattern:
It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard
#4 The Facts Elevator Pitch
Build your pitch from facts, using statistics to captivate and persuade. Start with one statistic. Tailor it to your audience and ultimately connect it to your business idea and how it can improve the numbers.
Pattern:
Did you know that
#5 The Sales Pitch
Sometimes you'll need to deliver your elevator pitch directly to potential customers. Pay attention to their needs and desires and skillfully present your solution.
Have you ever
Different to
#6 The Emotional Pitch
Similar to a realistic pitch, you reach your audience through the development of an emotional connection . Such a pitch isn't always easy to create. But if you can evoke emotions, success is guaranteed.
Pattern:
Take a look
These are just a few, but important, generally applicable examples of elevator pitch patterns. Of course, there are many more variations and possibilities where you can apply other patterns, depending entirely on the situation, the topic, and your audience.
Conclusion: Skillfully using elevator pitch
Use an elevator pitch to draw the attention of potential customers to yourself and your business idea. Always be well-prepared , because the window of opportunity to make a convincing case is short, and you never know when you might run into an important person who could support your business idea.
Use our tips and the 6 elevator pitch examples as a guide. Try to lay the foundation for your next elevator pitch today!
Do you have questions about elevator pitches or PowerPoint in general? Feel free to contact us by email at becker@presentationload.de . We're happy to help.
If you've fully developed your business idea and would like to give a longer-term PowerPoint presentation about it, feel free to browse our shop on our website . We offer professional slide templates on a wide variety of (business) topics. These will definitely help you present your project in the best possible light!
Feel free to browse our blog for other topics as well. You might also be interested in these posts:
- Pitch presentation: Convince with a short version of your idea
- Body language during the presentation
- Storytelling for PowerPoint presentations
- Call-to-action for your presentation
- Presentation introduction: Effective ideas for the right start
- End of presentation: How to successfully end your presentation