Elevator pitches are sales speed runs. Get in, go for the pitch, then you’re out. Give your all in the next 30-something seconds because that’s all you’ve got (relatable?).
What can you do in such a short amount of time? A lot, actually. It’s not about the length of a spiel that matters. It’s the quality. Prospects won’t have time for long speeches.
You just need the proper structure—an elevator pitch template to get you to the top. We’re here to help! In this article, we’ll be covering:
- The fundamentals of great elevator pitches.
- How to write your own elevator pitch.
- Elevator personalizable templates you can steal.
- Where you should use an elevator pitch.
The Fundamentals of an Elevator Pitch
Who, what, and how—these are the three fundamental questions answered in an elevator pitch. Who are you, what do you sell, and how can you solve a prospect’s problems?
The fundamental formula for a solid pitch could be: “I do X to help Y achieve Z”—identity, product, and value. Now that we have a formula, let’s dissect what makes it good.
What Makes a Great Elevator Pitch?
We’ll go off-topic for a bit and use Quora and Reddit email notifications as examples. When we get an email, we’ll see the title and a quick snippet. So, why do we click on them?
- The title is attention-grabbing.
- It’s relatable.
- It might provide us with value.
This is what your elevator pitches should be—engaging, relatable, and providing value. But that’s just an outline. It needs to be personalized and catered toward solving specific issues.
How do you make Elevator Pitches Engaging and Personalized?
The easiest approach to personalization would be finding a template and changing XYZ to fit each prospect.
Here's an example:
“Hi, I’m Dave. I work as a social media ads manager and help brick-and-mortar stores like yours find revenue online”.
This just isn’t engaging. What’s the fix?—telling a story. It’s the perfect way to get prospects engaged and help them contextualize the value you provide.
Real problems. Real solutions. Plus, story-telling already works threefold as an elevator pitch:
- It works as a testimonial.
- It serves as a proof of concept of what you’re selling.
- It’s a more engaging sales strategy.
Let’s write our own elevator pitch using an engaging and relatable story.
How to Write Your Own Elevator Pitch?
Let’s use Dave as an example. We already know he’s a social media ads manager helping brick-and-mortar shops find revenue online. Here’s how he could write a better elevator pitch:
Establish a Relatable Problem
In our earlier example, Dave was almost on the right track. He said, “I work as a social media ads manager and help brick-and-mortar stores like yours find revenue online.”
This could work…But, his intro didn’t establish a relatable problem. He went ahead and immediately pitched his service. Dave’s prospects probably get hundreds of those each day.
We’ll change the intro and establish a problem right off the bat. A pro tip when presenting a problem is to use a hook. These are engaging phrases like:
- Tired of...
- Ever wondered…
- This is how…
- That’s when…
Here’s how we can change Dave’s intro using a hook to establish a problem:
“X almost went out of business when a mall opened in their area, this is how he not only survived—but thrived”.
We used “this is how” as the hook, then “almost went out of business when a mall opened” was the main problem. This helps set up the next step—introducing the solution.
Present the Solution—This is Where You Pitch
After you’ve established the problem, it’s time to pitch your solution. Integrate your pitch into the story. Try steering the story from a “relatable problem” to a “personalized solution.”
You want to provide immediate value. When you’re pitching your idea through your story, focus on the benefits—not the features.
Show Benefits, not Features
After situating yourself as the solution to a problem, present the value or benefit your products or service provides. In Dave’s case, instead of saying, “I manage social media ads” (feature), he could say:
“I helped X sell products online, created new revenue streams, and even brought more foot traffic than he did before the mall opened” (benefit).
This is your value proposition—the core of your pitch. After you’ve demonstrated your value, all that’s left is closing with a solid CTA.
Close with a Solid CTA
The finale of any elevator pitch should always be actionable. This is where you ask your prospects to do an action. It could be anything from buying products to downloading an eBook.
For Dave, it’s getting brick-and-mortar stores to get his online advertising management services. But he’s too specific of an example. You’d need templates you can personalize.
7 Elevator Pitch Templates Worth Stealing
Using the fundamentals we’ve learned on how to write great elevator pitches, here are 7 templates you should steal and add to your next pitch:
The Common Issues Questions
There will always be common issues that everybody gets in any industry. We want to tap into this, empathize, pivot, and present our value proposition. Here’s an example:
“Is your boss still forcing you to use spreadsheets to track applicants? That just doesn’t make sense, right? Our recent client, X manually tracked applicants on a single spreadsheet for years. 10-15 recruiters would be opening it at a time. This led to the spreadsheet being insanely slow and constantly crashing.
That’s why our company, ABC created a tool that centralized all applicant data in one place and even import data from spreadsheets so you can automate the entire application process and create reports in less than 30 seconds!”
Why it works:
- It starts off with an engaging question.
- It emphasized a common pain point or issue.
- You understood the struggles of dealing with that issue.
- You showed value by concisely presenting the benefits.
“This Isn’t What You Think It Is” Elevator Pitch
Prospects have preconceived ideas when it comes to pitches. Surprise them with something completely left field. Think jokes or outlandish statements. Then steer it back to your pitch when you have their attention.
This elevator pitch works great for both in-person pitches or even cold emails. You can try out this formula:
[Joke or Hook] + [Pivot] + [Introduction] + [Benefit] + [Common Issue] + [Value Proposition] + [CTA].
Here's this formula in action:
“Good News—this isn’t about Crypto! Bad news… I am trying to sell you a product that we used to 5x our leads, meetings, and sales in 3 months. We’re not a crypto company. What we are is a group of cold emailers that built a tool to specifically optimize and automate our repetitive tasks.
Personalizing, validating, and setting up campaigns took hours. To top it off, conversions were abysmal. Up until we finalized our product. Entire campaigns were automated and we expanded our business at a record pace. We did the same for thousands more businesses. We’ll do it for you too! So, how about a personalized demo?”
Why it Works:
- Jokes keep prospects engaged.
- You directly pivot into an introduction + the benefits you provide.
- Common issues are addressed.
- Value proposition solves these issues.
Build Stats. Then We’ll Talk
Authority and trustworthiness are essential to securing a sale. Those are two things you often don’t have when doing cold elevator pitches.
So, how can you position yourself as an authority? You present prospects with statistics that you’ve built up over the years—something unique to your business, like in this example:
“60% of workers in industries like real estate spend at least 10 hours a week doing manual and repetitive tasks. That leads to productivity taking a nose dive. The key here is understanding that if a task needs repeating—it can be automated. That’s where we come in.
Our product automates everything from listings, scheduling, and a majority of back-office tasks. Clients like X, Y, and Z, saved 14 hours worth of manual labor weekly thanks to our product. That means they can focus on what really matters—making sales”
Why it Works:
- Citing your own stats acts as a proof of concept.
- It helps build authority and trust.
- It offers something unique.
We Love What You’re Doing! — Complement Elevator Pitch
We all want to be appreciated. It’s human nature. And it’s a great way to break down walls so you can start building a relationship with prospects right off the bat.
This template caters to our human desire to feel appreciated. Talk to your prospects about what really matters to them. Be genuine about it. Get as specific as you can. Like this:
“Our team loves your platform. We learned about you when you did {{project X}} and since then, we’ve been fans. Your product helped us reach {{goal}} and we were ecstatic to learn about {{feature/benefit}}.
There’s a lot built-in and that shows just how robust your product is and the time it took to develop. But, some users might have trouble finding what they need right away. We think we can help with that.
We created {{product/service}} to help your consumers {{benefit}}. We can cut down the learning curve and get the ball rolling instantly”.
Why it Works:
- Complements are great conversation starters.
- It can help build relationships faster.
- It speaks to what prospects are most proud of.
Job Interview Elevator Pitch
We are constantly selling even if we don’t know it. In an interview setting, what we’re selling is ourselves. For example, the question “Tell me about yourself” seems simple enough to answer. Unfortunately, this is where a lot of us choke.
If you’re scheduled for an interview, try this formula:
[state fact] + [show evidence] + [relate to the job description].
Here it is in action for a salesperson position:
“My name is Jonas—but everybody calls me JJ. After graduating, I worked at my aunt’s coffee shop as a barista for the summer. I loved it, and worked full-time for 6 months. The best part of my day was meeting someone new and striking up a conversation.
I didn’t realize it at first but, I was already helping the business earn more just by building new relationships. Newcomers started being regulars and were more willing to spend more if I had a recommendation. That’s why I wanted to work in sales because I believe that my talents fit perfectly here”.
Why this works:
- It opens with a fact about yourself.
- You backed it up with evidence.
- It’s directly related to sales.
Fear Tactics
Using fear is another tactic that leans on human emotions. But you don’t necessarily want to scare your prospects. Instead, you want to nudge them slightly and make them realize that there could be underlying issues that can lead to massive repercussions down the line.
Then, you present yourself as the solution. Here’s a quick example:
“A customer gave us a call about a termite problem. It should’ve been a standard job. Turns out, the mites spread across adjacent homes. That’s because homeowners wanted to “save” and skip out on termite treatment.
Our customer and their neighbors ended up paying 3x more for repairs. That’s why we’ve developed our own termiticide formula that’s 30% more affordable than the national average price”.
Why It Works:
- Fear can become a great motivator when used correctly.
- It addresses issues straightaway.
- You bring underlying issues to light.
Freelancer Elevator Pitch
The freelancer industry is competitive. Just look at sites like Upwork or Fiverr. Most potential clients are just going to skim through your profiles or bids. You need to sell yourself fast.
“Tired of looking for diamond-in-the-rough marketers for your brick-and-mortar business? Are you spending way too much money with an agency that doesn’t get you the results you hoped?
Let me DEMONSTRATE how fast I can learn the ins and outs of your business, understand your audience, and get you conversions faster than ever before!”
Why It Works:
- It’s short and concise.
- It’s witty but presents your value.
- It’s perfect for clients that mostly skim through freelancer profiles.
Where Should You Use Elevator Pitches?
If you get the chance, definitely use an elevator pitch inside an elevator. But, the chances of this perfect set-up are abysmally low (but never zero). So instead, use your elevator pitches in the following scenarios:
Cold Sales Emails
If you’re sending a cold sales email to a prospect, chances are your competitors are doing that too. You need to stand out and show value fast—the perfect opportunity for an elevator pitch.
Optimize the subject lines for better open rates, personalize the body, and use solid CTAs. In most cases, your pitch should be in the subject lines or intro.
Email marketing templates can help you get started. If you want to do cold sales at scale, you need to use a tool to help you automate campaigns, personalization, warm-ups, and analytics.
Influencer Outreach for Partnerships
Working with influencers is great for building an audience and improving conversion rates. Before sending your elevator pitch, make sure the influencer fits your brand image.
Micro-influencers are excellent for improving conversions despite having a smaller audience. Macro-influencers are better for boosting brand awareness and finding new audiences.
You can either send messages directly on their social media accounts or send them your pitch on their business emails.
Backlink Building/Guest Posts
Building backlinks is one of the most important aspects of search engine optimization. When relevant and authoritative sites link back to yours, it’s a signal that your content is trustworthy.
If you want to get a backlink or a guest post, the best way to do so is through emailing the webmaster or sending them a DM on socials like LinkedIn.
Using an elevator pitch can help you get more responses when backlink building. Just remember to provide value and situate yourself as an authority in your niche.
Networking Events
Being in an industry event where you can network personally demands you to be in your A-game. You’d need to go beyond: “Hi, I’m X with Y years of experience in Z”.
Remember the fundamentals of great elevator pitches. Tell a story to grab attention. Steer the conversation from relatable to specific. Show benefits, not the features.
Getting Capital From Investors
Success could be as simple as a combination of analysis, capital, and execution. But, finding capital to get your business started or expand is hard, even with the right team and product.
An elevator pitch to investors can get you the capital you need to fulfill your vision. Once you have their attention, you can get the conversation going.
Key Takeaways
An elevator pitch is designed to answer the who, what, and how of your business. That means it covers your identity, product, and value.
You need to present these three concepts quickly, clearly, and in an engaging manner to spark interest. Done right, it helps land more leads, close more sales, and build relationships.
When doing an elevator pitch, remember these best practices:
- Establish the problem.
- Present yourself as the solution.
- Show immediate value by focusing on benefits, not features.
- Close with a solid CTA
We won’t often get a chance to pitch to prospects in an elevator. But, we can consistently do so in our cold email campaigns. If we want to do this at scale, we need an email tool to take us to the top. This is where Instantly comes in! Try our free trial today!
