Perfecting the Art of the Elevator Sales Pitch
What is an "elevator pitch"? Quite simply, it is a short presentation designed to
grab the attention of new prospects in a succinct yet comprehensive way.
Nobody seems to remember who first coined the term elevator pitch, or elevator
speech, but I know it's been around a long time, and I am often asked to help
design such speeches for clients.
An elevator pitch is a short presentation that you could deliver to someone in an
elevator as it travels from top to bottom, or vice versa. It must be compelling as
well as descriptive. It should contain such punch that the other person would love
to buy from you. Of course, you can present such a speech in places other than
an elevator!
When cold calling in person, it is a good idea to have your pitch ready. When the
buyer meets you in the reception area, deliver the elevator pitch with
enthusiasm, and he or she is much more likely to agree to allocate time to you.
On the phone, you can use this method to obtain an appointment. You may even
want to use it in a sales letter where you introduce your company to the
prospect.
For those who work trade shows, have your elevator speech ready for people as
they approach your booth.
I use my elevator pitch as a networking tool, and I deliver it by way of an
introduction of myself and my companies.
The Main Components of the Pitch
An elevator speech should meet the following criteria:
 Keep it brief -- long enough to convince, but short enough to hold the other
person's attention.
 Be articulate. Use the right tone and speed so that you don't rush the message.
 Make it sincere -- the buyer must feel that you're a credible source (which of
course you are). Be enthusiastic. Use appropriate excitement when telling your story. Buyers
take their leads from salespeople. Enthusiasm is infectious, and if you are not
enthusiastic about your products/services or your company, change jobs!
Your elevator speech should answer these questions: Who are we? What do we
do? To whom do we sell? What makes us unique? How do we bring value to our
customers?
An elevator speech might sound like this: "My name is John Brown, and I work
for Packaging R'us, a global leader in packaging technology. Our 20 European
technical sales and service centers specialize in helping many Times Top 1000
companies solve their biggest handling, packaging and shipping headaches. Our
product lines include packaging equipment and shipping supplies. Our customized
solutions increase production uptime and throughput. Our customers tell us that
we stand out because of our troubleshooting expertise, problem-solving
creativity, and quality solutions. Last year, we won the Packaging Association
Customer Satisfaction Award."
Do remember that knowing what you want to say and rehearsing it will make this
sound natural. This may be the first time the buyer has heard it -- but you don't
want it to be the first time you deliver it.
Used effectively, the elevator pitch can be a good salesperson's foot in the door.
Once you get your break, it's up to you to finish the deal.