As a salesperson, it is vital to have a great elevator pitch in your repertoire. The purpose of an elevator pitch is to give a basic overview of the company and its services in the time it takes to ride an elevator. Sometimes all you have is thirty seconds to get someone interested, whether it be in an elevator, at a networking event, or at a party—but sometimes that’s all you need. The key is to have your elevator pitch be informal—it’s not a sales pitch, because you’ll need it at times when you are having casual conversation. The goal of the elevator pitch is to cause the other person to ask to learn more.
To write an elevator pitch, you’ll need to include all of the most important information about your organization, along with the reasons why the listener should be interested. Use the five W’s.
- Who are you and what is your relation to the company?
- What does the company do?
- Why is the company better than its competitors?
- Where is its target market?
- When should you schedule a follow up to discuss this further?
Once you’ve written the pitch, make sure you practice it thoroughly so you don’t forget the essential points, though it is important to avoid sounding too rehearsed. Be natural.
Describe what sets your company apart from others in the same industry. This is the hook, so make sure to make this the most robust part of the pitch. Give one specific example of what makes the company great for its clients.
If the person you’re talking to finds this interesting and asks a follow up question, then you’ve gotten the green light. If they seem disinterested, then they are not a potential client. If you’re still not sure, ask them if the company’s goals match their needs.
Be sure to end with asking the listener if they would be interested in a follow-up meeting. Keep it simple and informal—ask them if they’d like to chat more about it at a later date. Then make sure to swap business cards so you can contact them to schedule that follow-up meeting.
The more you use the elevator pitch, the more you can edit it using the feedback of the listener. Pretty soon you’ll find yourself scheduling sales meetings everywhere you go—like in line for coffee or at the hair salon.
If you would like help with writing an elevator pitch or any other sales tips, Salefish LLC would love to help. We specialize in sales training. Contact us to learn more today.
