Elevator Pitch: what it is and how to introduce your idea in a few seconds

Mastering your voice and emotions is key to presenting successfully, laying out ideas and plans in a concise and successful way.

What does “Elevator Pitch” mean?

Elevator Pitch is an idiom that could be expressed as “quick and short chat” or even better “flash presentation“. The idea behind this communication technique is to take advantage of short moments of “dead” time, such as the time you spend in an elevator between floors, to introduce yourself concisely and immediately empathize with the other party.

You need to be prepared because when you have the opportunity to “accidentally” meet someone important, perhaps at a job interview or a business meeting, you have at most a few seconds to grab their attention and immediately define why we are important to them.

What is the fundamental aspect of an Elevator Pitch?

In university textbooks, on Internet sites and in Public Speaking courses, you can find countless tips and tricks on how to “introduce yourself” effectively. However, they all forget the fundamental element, the only one that can help make any human interaction successful: the voice.

Here at Inborn Voice, not only do we not forget that the preparation of any speech, including an Elevator Pitch, lays its foundation on the effective ability to master the voice and convey emotions appropriate to the message, but we believe it is the key to all success.

That said, in the case of a “flash meeting” it’s always good to be prepared. Let’s see how.

How to make your own Elevator Pitch and what it should include

1. Context
   First and foremost, you need to be clear about your starting position and the career or the outcome you want to achieve (such as a promotion, assignment/project, establishing a future meeting or business relationship). Without context, your flash introduction will be meaningless, even to you.
   
   For example, if you happened to run into Elon Musk in an elevator, you would probably get emotional and stay silent, missing the opportunity to present your revolutionary idea. Being prepared for the opportunity of a chance run-in is critical, especially if what you believe in comes from deep within you, from your Inborn Voice. As Mylena Vocal Coach says, chance doesn’t exist, magic does.
   
2. Who You Are
   Once the context is set, it will be easy to explain who you are, your background, and other activities relevant to the context you are proud of. Don’t include unnecessary details, such as that you are the third of four siblings or that you know the other side’s accomplishments. Time wasted on things that are irrelevant or already known.
   
3. What you are doing
   Next, you need to flesh out what you are doing. Just point out one or two things, the things you want the other person to remember and to understand the underlying motivation of the whole meeting.
   
4. Emotions aroused by the idea, project or goal you have set yourself
   This part cannot be put down on paper, it cannot be “faked” or even improvised. Yet it is the fundamental part. If, while you are speaking, the emotions that come through your voice are embarrassment, fear, anxiety, or anything else, your Elevator Pitch will not be successful because the other person will not only receive your words, carefully weighed and calibrated, memorized and obsessedly reiterated, but they will also receive all the other messages you send through your voice that only Inborn Voice training can help you manage.

How to Conclude an Elevator Pitch

The most important aspect of your “flash speech” is clearly what you’re interested in gaining from the person you’re interacting with; therefore, it’s critical to end it all with a question. An open-ended question that allows the other party to interact, for example you could end with “What do you recommend?” or “Do you already know about this?”.

Sometimes it may not be necessary to ask a question, but it is still good to end with an explicit request to stay in touch.

Elevator Pitch Examples

1. “I am John White, a graduate student at Harvard. I am participating in the accounting internship next door. Do you happen to know if your company offers such opportunities?”
   
2. “I’m Shamala, a 2020 graduate. I came to this Alumni meeting to learn more about how seniors have approached their careers. Can you tell me how yours has developed in the world of finance?”
   
3. “I am David Ross, a PhD student at this university. I enjoyed your presentation on new methods of treating epilepsy. I know you are busy and don’t have time right now. Would you mind if I email you to ask for your advice on how I could find a research lab to conduct a project on epithelial cells?”

To be avoided: Virtual Elevator Pitch

Nowadays it’s all in the fashion to write these kinds of presentations and send them via social media. Clearly, we do not recommend doing this because your message will come across as sterile and emotionless. If it is ever even read by the target person, it will surely be ignored. Far better to use social media only to follow up on an already happened meeting in the real world and reactivate the other party.

Elevator Pitch to present a business plan

Many times young entrepreneurs knock on Inborn Voice’s door looking for help in presenting a business idea to a group of investors. They know perfectly well that without investments nothing can take shape. Clearly the business plan has its importance, any investor will not put his money in a company that does not believe to be able to generate profits. This is why the Elevator Pitch is so crucial. In fact, if a group of investors believe in the potential of your project on paper, they must also believe in your ability to manage it.

As you will understand, words are not enough: you need to convey emotions that are in context with the entire project, demonstrating your ability to make it a success.

The Inborn Voice method for a winning Elevator Pitch

The secret of the success of a flash introduction, and of the Inborn Voice method, lies precisely in not teaching tricks to create something sterile, beautiful only on paper, but useless in the crucial moment of the meeting.

First of all, we teach how to get in touch with your Inborn Voice, with your emotions, so as to unlock them and make room to build the ability to really communicate, on a human level, and not virtually, only in your head. Contact us without any commitment by filling out the form below if you would like to learn more about the Inborn Voice method and understand how it can help you to successfully convey your professionalism, your ideas and your business plans.

Imagining the success of an Elevator Pitch is not the same thing as doing it in person with your own voice and emotions!