How to Craft a Memorable Elevator Pitch
Envision having the chance to present your product, service, or project to a dream investor or client but
having only 30 to 60 seconds to do so. If you are prepared with an effective elevator pitch, you will
welcome the opportunity. An elevator pitch is a brief synopsis of the benefits your company has to offer.
It is not the time to cram a lot of information into a fast-talking litany. A successful elevator pitch is calm,
well thought out, easily understood, and compels the listener to declare, “Tell me more.”
The following resources will assist you in creating a captivating elevator pitch. When good fortune
presents itself and you find yourself face-to-face with an angel investor, instead of politely commenting
on the weather, you will be ready to confidently, “carpe momento” – seize the moment!
The Art of the Elevator Pitch
A successful elevator pitch contains the following: a hook, 150 to 225 words, passion, and a request. It
must be concise, easy to understand, carefully planned, rehearsed, and should answer six key questions
found on this helpful site.
The Art of The Elevator Pitch: 10 Great Tips
An elevator pitch is not a hurried presentation of a full-blown business plan. It is an introductory
overview intended to capture the attention and imagination of potential investors. This site presents ten
tips for a winning elevator pitch.
Bplans.com is a free online collection of sample business plans. The site has links to an online pitch
center and the following series of articles:
Elevator Pitch Part 1: Personalize
Part 1 details how to identify your company’s target market
and personalize your message - key elements in a successful elevator pitch.
Elevator Pitch Part 2: Why You?
Part 2 focuses on pinpointing the needs of the target market
and ascertaining how your company’s unique qualities can benefit the target customer.
Elevator Pitch Part 3: What You Offer
Part 3 offers tips to highlight your business for a target
market by emphasizing benefits and solutions, not features.
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Elevator Pitch Part 4: Finish Strong Part 4 underscores the importance of finishing strong and
offers helpful suggestions for doing so.
Elevator Pitch Part 5: Delivery
Part 5 concludes the series with tips for an effective delivery. The
author recommends not memorizing your pitch word-for-word, but being fluent on the key points so
that you can adjust your pitch for particular settings.
Craft Your Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch should be brief and clear enough for the average person to understand and explain to
others. This site presents a PDF worksheet to develop the main components of your elevator pitch.
Do Entrepreneurs Need Elevator Pitches?
As one prepares to seek venture capital for a startup company it is essential to have a
compelling elevator pitch that will inspire others to assist you in building your
business. This site presents a five-step guide for preparing an appealing pitch.
Elevator Pitch 101
This extensive excerpt from Elevator Pitch Essentials identifies s a successful pitch as a teaching tool and
discusses the nine C’s of a persuasive pitch.
Elevator Pitch for your Non-Profit
For non-profit professionals meeting within the corporate business arena, a well-scripted elevator pitch is
key to overcoming the “What’s in it for me?” mindset. This site provides a three-step elevator pitch for
non-profits endeavors.
Elevator Pitch: 7 Steps to a Killer 30-Second Killer Commercial That Works Every Time
This site provides tips for Internet-based businesses and includes a seven-step template for creating a
targeted elevator pitch.
Elevator Pitch: How You Can Stop Being a Follower and Stand Out as a Leader
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A successful elevator pitch prepares you for a coincidental meeting. This site provides three key points to
include in an impressive elevator pitch.
The Entrepreneur’s Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is an opportunity to tell a story and should be engaging. The pitch should start with
answering the question “what do you do?” This article provides an example of a successful elevator
pitch.
Five Keys to a Great Elevator Pitch
Many entrepreneurs chase away opportunities with boring and pointless ramblings about random
aspects of their businesses. To avoid that outcome, entrepreneurs should consider five points, explained
in this site, when preparing an elevator pitch.
The Four Goals of an Effective Elevator Pitch
This site defines an elevator pitch as a thirty-second commercial that answers the question, “What do
you do?” and discusses four prevailing goals of an effective elevator pitch.
The Fundamentals of an Elevator Pitch
The goal of an elevator pitch is to capture the listener and engage their interest. You should be able to
answer two critical questions: what are you selling and to whom? This article assists in simplifying the
answers to those often-complex questions.
Have Multiple Elevator Pitches On Hand
Business entrepreneurs consistently encounter opportunities to introduce themselves. This site discusses
the importance of having several pitches prepared for various settings: (1) the main pitch, (2) the target
market specific pitch, (3) the product or service specific pitch, and (4) a promotional or seasonal pitch.
How to Craft a Killer Elevator Pitch
This article heralds, “grab them quickly or lose them forever” and outlines the elements of a powerful
pitch as well as providing a guide for composing your “killer” pitch.
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How to Craft a Killer Elevator Pitch That Will Land You Big Business
This article outlines eight elements of a powerful elevator pitch followed by a step-by-step guide to
preparing the perfect elevator pitch.
How to Do an Elevator Pitch
This site includes a video example describing the importance of utilizing an elevator pitch to increase
networking contacts.
How to Master Your Elevator Pitch
This article offers great tips for renewing a listener’s interest if your elevator pitch starts to tank.
How to Write a Winning Elevator Pitch
In this article, the author emphasizes that the success of an elevator pitch rests on a combination of good
copywriting skills, the ability to be brief, and a strong focus on your product’s unique selling points. This
site includes the five P’s of an effective elevator pitch.
How to Write Your Elevator Pitch
These days as attention spans become increasingly shorter, one needs to craft a pitch that is an
“actionable sound bite.” This site includes an elevator pitch test that serves as a guide for preparing an
engaging pitch.
Learn to Deliver a Masterful Elevator Pitch
The intent of a successful elevator pitch is to capture attention as well as presenting a solid business plan.
This site offers insight on delivering an effective elevator pitch and identifies nine points that you should
address, clearly and succinctly, in an impressive elevator pitch.
Make Your Startup Elevator Pitch Top Floor Quality ; Your Elevator Pitch Can Lift You
to the Top
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A great elevator pitch is more than an elevator discussion. It is also essential for networking and business
conference introductions. In these articles, the author identifies four essential elements and provides a sixpoint guide to creating an alluring elevator pitch.
The Perfect Elevator Pitch
An inviting elevator pitch (the quick and succinct summation of what your company makes or does) is
one of the most effective methods of reaching new buyers and clients. This article serves as a guide to
presenting the unique aspects of your service or product in an exciting and compelling way.
Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch
An effective elevator pitch captures the attention and imagination. This site provides a four-step protocol
for creating a strong elevator pitch and provides two helpful examples.
Perfecting Your Pitch: Assume Short Buildings
This article provides an eight-point guideline for perfecting your elevator pitch and asserts that brevity
brings the best results.
Practicing the Art of Pitchcraft
Listeners measure a great elevator pitch in seconds, not minutes. The leading objective of a successful
elevator pitch is to intrigue an investor and compel them to learn more. This site provides an excellent
four-part guide to “pitchcraft.”
Preparing Your Elevator Pitch
This tutorial from Harvard-MIT will assist you in preparing your elevator pitch and provides an
analytical example.
Seven Elevator Pitch Tips
This site provides a framework for creating an effective elevator pitch and examines seven essential
features of a successful pitch.
What is an Elevator Pitch and Why Your Brand Needs One
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A short pitch on your brand’s promise to deliver makes your brand/startup meaningful to customers.
This site explains how to create a “value proposition” (the reason to buy) elevator pitch composed of
just a few short sentences.
Why You Need a Powerful Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a tool in your networking toolbox. A pitch helps you make the most of every first
impression. This site provides a three-part formula that you can use as a basis for a powerful elevator
pitch, as well as an example elevator pitch and helpful links.
Elevator Pitch Contests
Once you have composed your winning elevator pitch, practice is essential to perfecting both content
and delivery. Consider entering an elevator pitch contest. It is an excellent opportunity to further fine
tune your efforts, make important contacts, and win amazing prizes. Below are links to elevator pitch
contests open to both students and professionals.
Black Enterprise Elevator Pitch Contest
This contest is part of the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo that meets each May. The
2010 winner received a grand prize of $10,000.
Community Service Public Relations Council Elevator Pitch Contest
For this unique competition, contestants present written submissions. The winner received $500.
Elevator Pitch Contest for Firms from Baltic and Nordic Nations
This annual contest, sponsored by
and
The International Technology Law Association
Enterprise Estonia is open to all Baltic and Nordic startups and growth companies. The grand
prize was a $5000 in-kind prize, equivalent to one full day of legal consulting time with the firm
Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal.
Harvard Asian American Alumni Pitch Contest
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This contest is open to individuals and teams; however, one principal team member must be a current
Asian/Asian American student, alumnus, faculty member, or staff member of any Harvard University
school. The entry deadline for this pitch contest is Wednesday, September 22, 2010 and the winner
receives one of three $2500 cash awards.
Harvard Pitch for Change Contest
This annual competition is open to both individuals and teams. At least one member from each team
must be a current graduate student. The first place prize included $6000 and three consulting hours
provided by Root Cause Consulting.
MegaBizfest Elevator Pitch Contest
This elevator pitch contest is part of the Mega Bizfest Business Conference held in Wilmington, Delaware.
MIT Entrepreneurship Competition
The MIT Elevator Pitch Contest, held on the MIT campus, welcomes the participation of both students
and professionals. The Grand Prize is $5,000,
The Pace Pitch Contest
The Lubin School of Business hosts the Pace Pitch Contest. Competitors vie for a portion of more than
$50,000 in cash and prizes,
Princeton Entrepreneurs’ Network 2010 Elevator Pitch Contest
The Princeton Entrepreneurs’ Network sponsors this annual Elevator Pitch Contest. Princeton affiliation is
not required and the winning entry will receive cash and other prizes.
Rhode Island Business Plan Competition
This annual competition launches each fall. Entrants compete for a portion of $200,000 in prizes.
Rice Business Plan Competition Elevator Pitch Contest
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The Rice Business Plan Competition is open to full- and part-time graduate level students (not just MBA
candidates) enrolled in a university during the current academic year. Contestants compete for a portion
of more than $1 million in cash and prizes.
Wake Forest Elevator Competition
This annual competition is held each March and is comprised of teams with at least one degree-seeking
student from an accredited college or university (at the undergraduate, graduate, or doctorate level) and
that contestant must be present at the competition in Winston-Salem. The 2010 contestants competed
for a portion of cash and prizes valued at over $100,000.
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