Being able to sell yourself in a short space of time is essential for a successful career in sales. The best way to do this is to master the elevator pitch, a 30-second speech that showcases who you are and what you have to offer. It should only last the time it would take to ride a lift to the top floor of a building, hence its name. Below, we have listed four tips to help improve your elevator pitch.
1. Be concise and cut out the fluff
The whole idea of an elevator pitch is to demonstrate confidence in your abilities. However, it’s important that arrogance doesn’t take over, so make sure you’re selling your skills without being pushy. The best way to do this is to be concise and focus on any essential information. You’re aiming to impress, so showcase what you do and why you’re the best at it while being polite.
2. Prepare more than one version
Your elevator pitch will need to be tailored towards whom you are meeting, so make sure you prepare a few different versions. Personalisation will be important here as well – after all, talking to a friend or family member is very different to introducing yourself at a networking event. Do your best to be natural and think about how the other person will respond, including small bits of information that forge a connection with the listener. To go the extra mile, listen closely to what the other people say to you. This will enable you to carry on the conversation with a tailored Value Proposition.
Value propositions and elevator pitches are often confused as there is quite a bit of overlap. You may have multiple versions of your elevator pitch, but it often won’t be tailored to the unique value you can bring to the person you’re directly speaking with. That precisely what the value proposition does. Value propositions focus on the benefits your services provide to that specific person or company – rather than why, how and what you do. These are often used in a sales presentation, or by fast thinking salespeople during networking events.
3. Practice on somebody else
While it’s important that your elevator pitch doesn’t seem too rehearsed, you still want to sound confident. Therefore, make sure you practice your pitch so that the key points you want to make effortlessly roll off your tongue. This will ensure that when someone asks you what you do and how you can help them, your response is second nature. Practicing with someone else will allow you to master body language and eye contact too. However, the person you choose will need to be critical and offer honest feedback so that you can improve.
4. Always end with a question
Finally, it’s important to end your pitch with a question, as this will ease you into a conversation and prevent any awkward silences. You will also get the listener talking more about their requirements, which allows you to tailor your response based on what they’re looking for.
To find out more about crafting the right elevator pitch, contact us at Bollin Green today.
