The Best Elevator Pitch: Samples and Template

how to write an elevator pitch
Created by CakeResume

There are a number of situations in which you can use an elevator pitch. It’s a great way to network, and it functions as a self-introduction when you meet someone.

You might also use an elevator pitch for an interview, when you’re asked the question “tell me about yourself.” You could use a business elevator pitch to promote your service or product. 

An elevator pitch is an important networking tool. Having a perfected elevator speech ready can help you deliver your introduction more smoothly, or help you sound more polished when you come across a professional contact.

Practicing your pitching speech can also help you with your interview skills, and it takes some of the stress away from meeting new people.  

Preparing an elevator pitch for the first time can be intimidating, but thankfully there are many tips and tricks to creating the best elevator pitch. 

What is an Elevator Pitch

The meaning of an elevator pitch can seem ambiguous. An elevator pitch is a short introduction or sales pitch that is meant to introduce yourself, your business, or your product. 

It’s called an elevator pitch because the speech can be delivered within the duration of an elevator ride, or under a minute. An elevator pitch is sometimes also called an elevator speech, a 30-second introduction, or an elevator statement.

There are many situations where an elevator pitch is useful. 

  • When you are promoting a product or service: you can use a business elevator pitch if you have a brand, product, or service to offer.
  • When you are looking for a job: An elevator pitch for an interview can answer the common question “Tell me about yourself.” You could also use an elevator pitch for a job application when you meet people who are professional contacts.
  • When you are at a networking event: it’s good practice to have an elevator pitch about yourself ready for a networking event. An event could generate future jobs or leads for your business or product, and you can use your elevator pitch to easily connect with people and exchange information. 

How to Write an Elevator Pitch

The perfect elevator pitch starts with some preparation. Writing an elevator pitch is a good way to get your ideas down and make some adjustments. Here are a few tips for writing a great elevator pitch. 

🎯 Identify your goal. 

Your elevator pitch should be customized to your goals. Consider the situations for which you would need to pitch yourself.

If your goal is to sell a product, your elevator speech will be specific to that product. If your goal is to introduce yourself for job search reasons, then you will talk more about your experience and skills. 

🎯 Know your audience.

A good elevator pitcher will also be customized to the listener. After you’ve identified your goal, think about who you will pitch yourself to and do some research.

If the listener is a potential client, you must think about their needs and how you meet them. If your listener is a hiring manager, you can tailor your elevator pitch to the job you want. 

🎯 Emphasize your selling points.

Try to think about what makes you unique. When you pitch yourself, you should have something special to say about yourself, your product, business, or service.

It could be a special skill that you have, or a market need that you meet in a unique way. The best elevator pitch has a hook to help people remember you. 

🎯 Decide the action you want your audience to take. 

Do you want your listener to offer you a job or a contact? Do you want them to buy a product or invest in your business?

Think about what you want to happen after your elevator speech and consider the ideal response from the person you are pitching to.  

🎯 Include necessary information. 

Elevator pitches should be short and sweet. Avoid adding too many unnecessary details and make sure you get to the point quickly. When writing an elevator pitch, be direct and brief. 

Also, make sure they know how to reach out to you if they are interested in your pitch.

Tips for Delivering an Elevator Pitch

Preparing your elevator pitch can be nerve-wracking, but there are some easy ways to design a great pitch. These tips will get you well on your way to delivering an elevator pitch that meets your goals and catches attention. 

💡 Time it well. 

An elevator pitch should be short, ideally under a minute. The utility of an elevator pitch is that it can be delivered quickly and gives only pertinent information. When you are networking, a long elevator speech could result in your listener getting distracted or losing interest. 

💡 Don’t mumble. 

Speak clearly and enunciate. An elevator speech should be an engaging pitch about yourself or your product. Mumbling will give the impression that you lack confidence, and really doesn’t compel people to listen. 

💡 Be conversational. 

You might have issues if your elevator pitch is too formal, or too pushy. Try to make it sound natural and not stiff or rehearsed. The best elevator pitch will go with the flow of conversation and not sound too much like a script.  

💡 Smile. 

A warm friendly smile and open body language will help people respond positively to your elevator speech and listen to your message. 

💡 Rehearse. 

The only way to perfect the best elevator pitch is to practice. Repeat your elevator pitch enough times that it feels fluid. Try doing it in front of a mirror or recording yourself to see where you can improve. 

Elevator Pitch Examples

Here are some strong elevator speech examples that work for different situations. 

Elevator pitch example for students with no experience 

This example elevator pitch emphasizes studies, academic history, or extracurricular activities: 

Hi, my name is Neil, it’s nice to meet you. I’m a statistics major currently in my last year at Great University. My field of interest is the analysis of variance, and my background makes me a good fit for this company. Apart from my studies, I frequently volunteer as a tutor for first-year undergraduates. 

Your internship intrigues me because it would be an opportunity to use the skills I’ve learned in my program. I’m happy to give you more detail, how can we stay in touch? 

An elevator pitch example for job seekers

This elevator pitch example is useful when you are looking for work and might be at a networking event or speaking to a professional contact: 

Hi, I’m Neil and I have a background in statistical analysis. In addition to my degree in statistics, I’ve spent the last three years doing an analysis of variance for a major government stats program. 

I’m looking for an opportunity to use the skills I’ve learned as a statistician. I’ve spearheaded a few government-funded projects and I think my leadership and organization skills make me a good fit for your company. Would you mind if I arranged a time to call and talk about your current opportunities? 

Business elevator pitch example

This business pitch example can be used to promote your company across a variety of situations:

Hello, I’m Neil and I have a background in statistical analysis. I’ve been working as a statistician at Better Stats for the last couple of years, and its founders were inspired by the idea of demystifying market research. My job is to help our clients with their market goals and increase their profits. 

I understand you are looking to expand your share of the telecommunications market, have you given any thought to how you will perform your market research?

Entrepreneur elevator pitch example

You can use this sample elevator pitch to sell a product or service:

Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I understand you are interested in increasing your share of the telecommunications market. There’s a lot of consumer research out there, do you find it challenging to get through the noise?

I’m a statistician and I started a company called Better Stats after I identified some gaps in the market. My experience with statistical analysis has allowed me to help over 160 companies perform more accurate market research, which has increased their profit margins by an average of 16%. How can I help you save time and improve revenue?

Elevator pitch example for networking events

This 30-second elevator pitch example can be used to make connections at conferences, social events, and trade or career fairs:

Hi, my name is Neil. I have a background in statistical analysis, and I’ve been doing analysis of variance for a market research company for the last few years. I’ve been able to use my quantitative skills to help several major brands improve their market share. 

Outside of work, I sit on a statistics advisory board and in my spare time I volunteer tutoring high school students in math. It's great to meet you, what’s the best way to stay in touch? 

Elevator Pitch Template

Use this template to guide your elevator speech structure and help you design a strong and compelling pitch. 

Hi, my name is [name], it’s nice to meet you. 

I have a background in [career or education history] and I graduated with [diploma or degree] from [school name]

In my previous job, I was responsible for [responsibilities or tasks] at [place of work]. I used the skills I learned in my [diploma or degree] to [an accomplishment at work] at my company. 

I understand you have an opportunity opening in [department that is hiring]. I believe my skills in [skills] will be an asset to your organization.

Would it be possible to send you my resume?

🔑 Key Takeaway:

An elevator pitch can be useful in a variety of situations, from promoting a business to making a sale. Having a well-designed elevator pitch will help you prepare for interviews but can also be used as a networking tool when you meet new people.

When writing an elevator pitch, think about your goals but also consider your audience and take some time to prepare what you will say. A brief, strong elevator speech will grab attention and help your listener remember you, and the best elevator pitch can create new opportunities from a brief encounter. 

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--- Originally written by Tiffany Quinn ---

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