Your Elevator Pitch (Me in 30 seconds); Have a Tagline (me in 4 seconds)

When I'm at a networking group, most new members can't reduce their pitch to 30 seconds.  This is a valuable lesson for all of us even if working but in career search.

Perfecting your elevator pitch

 

“What do you do?” For most of us, the canned response we give includes mentioning our job title and where we work, but not much else. Whether you have a job or are looking for one, being able to answer this question effectively is more important than you might think.

Perhaps you have heard of the 30-second elevator pitch—a brief opportunity to present the benefits and uniqueness of your services in the time it takes to ride an elevator. Really, elevator speeches can be used anywhere and at any time in any brief social situation.

The objective of a 30-second speech is to provide your audience (whoever is listening) a clear and memorable snapshot of you.

Consider the following:

• You want to connect with people you can help and who can also help you.
• We all have a network of friends, family and work associates, and they all have their own network. If you formally or informally communicate in a meaningful way who you are, and what you do or can do, you can link this web of networks to connect with people you need to know and people who need to know you.

Alina Sanchez, managing partner of Spire Associates says, “We are all multi-dimensional humans with rich talents. We connect with so many people at work, school and in social settings—sometimes just for brief moments.” She suggests we ask ourselves: “How do we best connect [with people] in a meaningful way? How do we convey who we are?”

If you’ve never developed a 30-second elevator speech, it can be harder than you think, but don’t let that stop you. “What if you knew by writing your pitch, you would reap the rewards of clarifying what is truly important to you?” asks Sanchez.

If you are having trouble getting started, Sanchez suggests you answer the following questions: Who am I? What am I passionate about? Tap your inner strengths by remembering what you were doing the last time you felt: in ‘the zone;’ completely content; on fire; unstoppable; most proud; joyful; and most creative. You may even need to go back to your favorite childhood memories to find your true self.

Follow these steps to create a stand-out elevator pitch:

1. Write it down.

To get started, write down your aspirations and dreams. Write down your talents and skills that have practical or economic value. Convey who you are. “Just start writing and wait to edit after you get enough content down,” Sanchez says.

2. Refine your pitch.

Take time to edit, refine and distill your ideas. The message needs to be clear so that it can be conveyed to someone else correctly (think the “Telephone” game). The message needs to be memorable so that you are top of mind when someone else has an opportunity to network for you. Then, make sure to include what value you can bring to the table, specifically what benefits or solutions you can provide.

3. Practice.

As strange as it may feel when you do it, practice your speech and time it. If you can’t say everything you want to say in 30 seconds, decide what the most important things you want to get across to the other person are and leave out the rest. This exercise is a great way to clarify who you are, what you do and what your goals are. Then, practice in front of friends and family and get their feedback. “The more you practice and refine your elevator pitch, the easier it will get. Know that it will evolve,” Sanchez says.

4. Be enthusiastic and smile.

Now that you have done the hard work of creating your 30-second speech, you must sell it in a truly genuine and positive way. Make eye contact and smile. Use a comfortable pace, tone and volume when speaking. Your body language should convey openness and confidence. Your enthusiasm and passion will do as much to sell your strengths as what you actually say.

Remember, even if you aren’t actively looking for a job, developing and strengthening your network will help create and expand opportunities in the future. You never know when that 30-second elevator pitch will work for you—most likely when you least expect it.