Create a Killer Elevator Pitch

Create a Killer Elevator Pitch with great communication results.

You’re in an elevator and you find yourself next to an old school colleague. You know she’s made a name for herself in the business world and you want to make a good impression. After a quick catch up, she asks about your business. You stall for a couple of moments as you think about what to say. You manage to spill out a few words but then you hear a ‘ding’. The elevator arrives at her floor and off she goes, none-the-wiser of what you do.

What could have turned this situation into a more fruitful exchange is if you’d had an elevator pitch already prepared.

What is an elevator pitch? An elevator pitch is a short presentation of who you are and what you do. It’s normally about 20 to 30 seconds long and in that time it should give a concise overview of your business and explain what makes you unique. It’s your chance to deliver an amazing impression of yourself and your business. Despite the name, it’s useful in any situation and not just for those chance encounters in elevators.

The risk of not having an elevator pitch prepared is that you may feel put on the spot should you suddenly and unexpectedly have to explain your business and what you do. The benefit of having it prepared is that you can deliver your speech with confidence and with an air of authority that will leave a lasting, positive impression.

Here are some tips to create that killer pitch that will leave you confident in any business situation:

Define What You Want to Achieve

The first step in creating your perfect elevator pitch is to define what you want to achieve from it. Identifying this goal will make it much easier to write up your summary. Do you want to tell people about your business? Do you want to explain what you do and what you specialize in? Do you have an incredible offer that you want to highlight? Or perhaps you want to create a general yet compelling resume of your job? Whatever it is you want, keep that objective in mind when you’re crafting your pitch as this will help you keep focused on what you’re writing.

Describe What You Do

Whatever your objective, a good place to begin your elevator pitch is by describing what you or your business do. Think about what you do, who you help, how you help them, and what problems you solve. Gather together some important facts and figures that can provide some concrete evidence to support your summary. For example, if you say your real estate business is the best in the city, add some proof to that claim. Do you have 100% customer satisfaction? Was your work recognized by some publication or governing body? Make sure you consider how you can prove what you are claiming to ensure your elevator pitch remains credible.

To describe what you do, imagine who your audience is, be it a colleague or a potential client. At the end of your speech, what do you want them to remember about you? Once you’ve figured out what that is, your next step is to make it exciting and memorable.

For example, imagine you are a real estate agent in New York. Someone asks you what you do. This is your moment to shine and leave a lasting impression of your business. You could reply, “I’m a real estate agent and I sell affordable apartments and houses in New York”. It’s simple and straight to the point – but it’s unlikely to get your audience excited.

You could also say, “Well, you know how challenging it is to find an affordable property in New York? My job is to make that process easy and stress-free.” This beginning is far more memorable. It draws the listener in by asking them a question. It then goes on to explain your unique value proposition. Above all, it’s different to a standard elevator pitch, which makes it more compelling to listen to.

Reveal What Makes You Unique

This is the next part of the elevator speech that describes your unique selling point. In other words, what makes you so special? What makes you stand out from the rest? This is where you describe how you solve people’s problems or how your work helps them.

For example, you could continue the elevator pitch above like this: “I do this by setting up one-to-one consultations that focus on gauging what ‘affordable’ means to the client in order to present them with properties that match their needs. I’m more than a seller. I’m someone the client can totally trust and rely on, both before and after buying their dream home.”

Wrap Up With a Bang

Your final words can make or break your elevator pitch. How you end your pitch will depend on who you are talking to, but it should always finish with a flourish. A final shrug followed by, “and that’s pretty much it” can leave your entire pitch feeling limp.

Instead, decide where you want the conversation to lead and end the pitch accordingly. You could end by asking them a question about their business or profession and find out more information about them. If you’d like to keep in contact with them, you could then follow up with, “it’s been great meeting you. Can I get your business card? I’d love to hear more about your business.” You can then spend a follow-up e-mail later to ask some thoughtful questions about them and invite them for a coffee.

If you feel it’s too soon to ask to meet again, then end with a tagline that will wrap up the pitch. For example, you could say, “I’m thrilled to say I have 100% customer satisfaction so far. My clients love my work and so do I.” It’s a simple ending yet it once again highlights the value of your business and shows your passion for your work.

Practice

Once you have your perfect elevator pitch, the next step is to practice it until you feel confident in delivering it. However, when the opportunity comes to use it, make sure you talk naturally – you don’t want it to sound wooden as if you’re reading from a script.

An elevator pitch is part of your brand and professional image, so it’s a good idea to make sure you have one in mind for any kind of business situations. For more tips on the best real estate practices, visit the Leads using social media site.

About the Author

About the Author

Cindy Bishop is a highly accomplished real estate professional with a proven track record in the industry. As the founder of a prestigious real estate education school in Virginia and a former sales performance coach with decades of experience, she has honed her expertise in achieving sales success.

With a focus on developing soft skills and cultivating effective habits, Cindy transformed her own real estate sales business. Starting out with traditional methods like door knocking, sphere marketing, and open houses, she quickly realized the power of effective communication and became a top producing agent.

Today, Cindy is recognized as a respected figure in the real estate community. Through her educational initiatives and personalized coaching, she empowers others to reach their full potential in the competitive world of real estate sales.

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