Do you have a 60-second pitch for your business? Is it something that you’ve crafted and practised carefully?  

And if you do, how well do you prepare that pitch for networking events? Are you clear on exactly what you’ll say and how you’ll deliver it, or do you start thinking about it a few minutes before your turn to speak? You manage to get through it somehow, but you have no idea what you said. The problem is, no one else knows what you said either...

If you fall into the latter category, you are not alone! However, it’s worth investing the time into creating a 60-second pitch that communicates your business message succinctly. 

What is an Elevator Pitch? 

A 60-second pitch or“elevator pitch” is a 30-60 second introduction to your business. The idea is that you should be able to summarise your message so you can deliver it in the short length of an elevator ride. 

For many networking events, the allocated time for a pitch is usually 60 seconds or less. While this might seem like a very short timeframe, you can convey a lot of information with a well-crafted pitch.

Your 60-second pitch is a chance to stand out.

A good elevator pitch stands out. It is impactful and memorable, with a clear message delivered confidently. 

Every time you speak about your business, you have the opportunity to make it stand out. You can read more about that in my recent blog post on 3 Key Ways to Make Your Business Voice Heard.

But a good pitch doesn’t happen by chance. You need to develop, hone and refine it. You might feel that it isn’t worth the energy. After all, it’s only a minute long. What’s the point of putting in the effort for something so short? And if you’re not a regular attendee at networking events, do you really even need an elevator pitch? 

The answer is definitely yes. There are some powerful hidden benefits of getting clarity on your message with your 60-second pitch. 

5 Alternative Ways to Use Your Elevator Pitch

1. Turn stories into Case Studies 

In my Master Your Pitch Masterclass, I teach you how to use client stories to share your business message. These client stories are ideal for developing into longer case studies for your website to demonstrate your expertise and highlight the transformation you achieve for your clients.

2. Create content for social media or your website

You can also use those client stories in your social media posts. You are outlining your client’s pain points and how you solve them. Why not use the full pitch for a video, either on social media or your website?

3. Clarify your message

By working on your pitch, you’ll gain clarity on your own message. This can be really helpful for writing copy for your website or sales pages because you’re focused on the language and stories that will resonate with your ideal clients.

4. Know your value proposition

Do you stumble a little when asked, “what do you do?” Just stating your job title can seem a little boring, can’t it? When you have perfected your 60-second pitch, you’ll be completely clear on your value proposition and be able to articulate why your ideal client should choose to work with you. Identifying who you help, how you help them and why that is important can be challenging. You have to really dig into your business. But it is worth it because at the end you can describe what you do in a single, powerful sentence. You’ll never again be at a loss when asked “what do you do?”

5. Develop a longer presentation/signature talk

Your elevator pitch can be the foundation for a longer presentation or even form the basis of your signature talk. When you are clear on how to structure your 60-second pitch, the foundations are all there and so it is relatively easy to scale up to a more substantial presentation. Check out this article on 7 Step Preparation- Your Key to Successful Presentations for more on this topic.

Have I convinced you that it is worth investing the time in creating an effective elevator pitch? Hopefully I’ve got you thinking about some other ways a powerful pitch can benefit your business.  If you need more tips on crafting your pitch, I’ve created a free guide covering the  “3 Essential Ingredients of a Powerful Pitch”.