kickstart 7 secrets to a powerful 30 second elevator pitch 050714

©2014 Buzzuka LLC All Rights Reserved

1

Have something important

to say but not sure

how to say it?

Join the club.

©2014 Buzzuka LLC All Rights Reserved 2

If this sounds

like you:

“Every time I try to explain

my

[company]

[idea]

[myself]

I get tongue-tied—not to

mention I make everyone’s

else’s eyes glaze over!”

then…


…you need to

improve your 30-

second elevator

pitch.

And you’ve come

to the right place.


5

What’s an Elevator Pitch?

The term “elevator pitch” was

first coined in early Hollywood to

describe the practice of button-

holing a movie mogul to “pitch”

them a new movie idea on the

brief elevator ride to their office.

(c) Buzzuka LLC All Rights Reserved 5©2014 Buzzuka LLC All Rights Reserved

“If an elevator

pitch is so

short, why

does it take so

long to write?”

6©2014 Buzzuka LLC All Rights Reserved6

When you’re passionate about something—

your company, your career, a new idea— you can

go on and on about it and have a hard time

focusing on the one thing to say that would truly

excite your audience.


HERE’S7 SECRETS TO A 7 SECRETS TO A 7 SECRETS TO A 7 SECRETS TO A POWERFUL PITCH POWERFUL PITCH POWERFUL PITCH POWERFUL PITCH EVERY MARKETING PRO KNOWS AND NOW YOU CAN TOO.

8©2014 Buzzuka LLC All Rights Reserved

9

Pitch

Secret

�

“We need to simplify…and use a language that everyone can understand.”

—Toyo Ito, architect

Simplify.

It’s important to simplify what you’re trying to say if you want to be memorable. Keep in mind that our short-term memory is like a Post-it®

note—it can only hold about 7 pieces of information at any one time. So keep your pitch short and simple.


10

Take your time.

Pitch

Secret

�

“I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”

—Mark Twain

The saying Less is More is definitely at play when you’re crafting your 30-second elevator pitch. Whittling your message down and polishing it until it’s “pitch perfect” takes time. But it doesn’t have to take forever either. 10 minutes of working on your pitch can get you 10x results!


Writing a good pitch may not be as pleasant as, say, eating a bowl of your favorite ice cream. Actually it’s more like when you had to eat your vegetables when you were a kid. It’s not much fun but it’s good for you.

“There is no substitute for hard work.”

—Thomas A. Edison, inventor

11

Eat your vegetables.

Pitch

Secret

�


“The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.”

—Peter Drucker, consultant

12

Keep it fresh.

Pitch

Secret

� Think of your elevator pitch as a gauge that helps you measure market conditions. Just like you update your resume as your career advances and your business plan as your company evolves, your elevator pitch should always be freshly-minted to reflect your greatest competitive advantage and ready to go at a moment’s notice.


“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

—Albert Einstein, scientist

13

Think out of the box.

Pitch

Secret

� When you’re working on an elevator pitch for yourself or your company, don’t be limited by the status quo. Think out of the box and imagine the possibilities. Let your pitch reflect not just where you are today but the trajectory of where you imagine you can go in the future.


“If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person's point of view and see things from that person's angle as well as from your own.”

—Henry Ford

14

Know your audience.

Pitch

Secret

�WIIFT. What’s In It For Them? That’s the question every smart marketer knows to ask. Put yourself in their shoes to help figure out their biggest problem—conveniently one that only you can solve. That’s a sure-fire way to get their attention.


“The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.”

—Thales, Greek philosopher

15

Know yourself.

Pitch

Secret

�Whether it’s about you, your company, product or idea, your pitch must be true to its subject. Crafting your pitch is an introspective process and honesty is the best policy. Remove the rose-colored glasses and the truth shall set you free.


kickstart 7 secrets to a powerful 30 second elevator pitch 050714

Marketing