The Art of a Personal Elevator Pitch

There are several reasons to give an elevator pitch whether that be for sales, a project or an idea, but today I’ll be focusing on how to pitch yourself since it’s the one students use the most, and once someone is sold on you, it’s much easier for you to pitch your ideas to them or get them to hire you.

An elevator pitch is a 30 to 60 second pitch that summarizes who you are, what you do and why you’re a great fit. It’s called an elevator pitch because you should be able to deliver it in the time you spend in an elevator - more specifically a regular elevator, not the slow ones at Ted Rogers. This may sound easy but there’s an art to being able to gather your information in a persuasive and concise manner.

Last semester, I was a Semi-Finalist for the Great Canadian Sales Competition. As the name suggests, this is a sales competition where students have to give a short 2-3 minute pitch on a topic of their choosing. From there, the top 25% from across Canada are taken into the Semi-Final round. As a Semi-Finalist, I’ve had the opportunity to attend networking events with VPs from several high profile companies such as IBM, Telus and Sycso. It’s essentially a business student's dream come true. Having this amazing experience made me realize the value and practicality of having a personal elevator pitch.

The first step to a stellar elevator pitch is to practice. This may seem obvious, but it’s something that many people overlook and the saying practice makes perfect really is true. I visited the Business Career Hub to hear their tips and Medhat, the co-op specialist’s top recommendations were not to talk too long along with knowing who you’re talking to and who you are. A crucial part to this is knowing your brand. This essentially means knowing your specialty and honing in on that rather than branding yourself for something you’re not. Medhat says employers can tell when students are genuine and passionate so make sure you’re pitching yourself to someone whom you really care about rather than to everyone and anyone who will listen.

His recommendation on personal branding also means dressing to suit your brand. Whoever said looks don’t matter may have had good intentions, but reality is the first impression you make is your visual impression. You don’t need to dress for to the nines, just ensure you look clean and put together, especially if you’re attending an event where you know you’ll be meeting with someone you want to give your pitch to. You also need to know what will engage the person you’re talking to and what will not, so be sure to tailor your pitch to your audience if you know who they will be ahead of time.

Another important part of practicing is to write it down. This is a really easy way to see if you overuse a word and you can easily tell what parts you can edit out. Keep it as concise as possible to avoid rambling and make sure it’s easy to understand. A good tip is to not to use any industry jargon. You may think it makes you sound professional and well informed, but you run the risk of the person you’re talking to not understanding you, so it’s always best to play it safe. Also, make sure you know what you’re pitching and keep your target or goal of your pitch in mind. Finally, say it out loud! FastCompany recommends recording yourself to see where you can improve and practice in front of your friends and family to get feedback from others. It’s also better to make a mistake in front of them rather than when it really counts.

Now that you have practiced, it’s time to introduce yourself. Your introduction can begin when you meet someone unexpectedly in an elevator who you want to connect with, at a networking event or at a planned panel event like the Great Canadian Sales Competition. You are likely introducing yourself to a future mentor, or employer. You want to tell the person who you are which can be as simple as saying your name. You next want to give the person a brief background on who you are. TheBalance.com suggests to inform them what or where you study or let them know of any previous work or projects you’ve completed that are relevant to them.

Next, you want to tell them what benefit you bring to them. Make sure your pitch is tailored to them rather than just bragging about your accomplishments. Make sure you know your audience, for me in the Great Canadian Sales Competition, I researched each panelist and their companies prior to the event. Also show them you did your research. Forbes suggests that this is the most important part. An easy way to do this is to mention an award their company has won, an article they were recently featured in or something the person has personally accomplished or worked on.

Next, you want to engage with them by asking a question. Mindtools’ article on elevator pitches says it’s important not to have a one-sided conversation. People love talking about themselves and asking a question is the perfect way to let them do that. It’s also a good idea to ask since you may learn something new about the company or person and it’s a great starting point for further conversation. This is also a great way to show them if you did your research by relating the question to some of the background research you did on them or their company.

The final and most crucial part is the ask. Geoffrey James really emphasizes this point in his article on how to give a flawless elevator pitch. It’s really as simple as asking for what you want. After they have answered your question you want to find a way to stay connected with them. Asking for a coffee is a great way to keep in touch. You can also ask for a business card -or even better giving them yours along with connecting with them via LinkedIn or email. After you’ve asked, make sure to show gratitude by thanking them and wishing them well.

It’s really that easy to craft and execute the perfect elevator pitch. All it takes is practice, a strong introduction, knowing what benefit you bring, engaging them with a question and asking! Now that you have these tools, you’ll be able to effectively create a great impression which can lead to a lasting connection.