An elevator pitch is a short, concise speech that you can give in the time it takes to ride an elevator.
It’s typically used by entrepreneurs and professionals who want to introduce themselves or their company quickly – because sometimes that’s the only shot you get to make a first impression. In this post, I show you how to create your own custom, personalized elevator pitch so that you can be prepared for any opportunity!
Hey there, Heather here.
When I was first starting out with Holloway Media Services, I went a long time before I had an elevator pitch to present at networking events and speaking engagements. I had trouble identifying what worked well to describe what I did and who I served in a super concise way.
It’s not for lack of trying.
I watched webinars and read how-to articles on, ‘Writing a Unique Selling Proposition but what I created didn’t quite fit. The same thing happened with writing a positioning statement. That felt too rigid and too much about the product.
Luckily, I stumbled upon this easy exercise that really described my authentic brand voice.
Statement of Value
This exercise helps you write a powerful Statement of Value. A statement of value is a far more powerful way to write a message that describes what it’s like to work with your business.
This statement can become one killer and memorable about us!
The Exercise
Grab a piece of paper. Divide the page into three columns. Title the left side ‘HELPS’, the center ‘BUYER’, and the right ‘REALIZE’.
HELPS
The first column gets a list of things that your coaching helps with. Doesn’t matter how big or small a change you think you make, write it down. Think about if you’re saving someone time, money, fixing something, unblocking something, etc.
BUYER
In the middle column, jot down all the titles or roles your customer has. Do you speak to moms, gamers, athletes, yoga teachers? Try to get as specific as you can here.
REALIZE
And in the third column write down everything your customer has because of working with you. What are the most compelling and interesting aspects of your client’s after state? Consider things like:
- What your client’s average day is like now that you’ve helped them? Think about the most important areas in their lives.
- How do they feel after working with you? Courageous, successful, confident, accomplished, validated, enlightened?
- What is their status? Were they unmotivated and now they’re a do-er? Are they now a goal-getter, success story, maybe they’re more effective, or purposeful.
Then circle the most interesting and captivating parts of your HELPS and REALIZE columns. Choose one BUYER persona and then use that information to fill in the following statement:
I/We/Company help BUYER (specifically who they will identify as) REALIZE (after state).
Here’s ours:
We help life coaches Increase their impact and income with the right social media marketing strategy.
We really like the fun and ease of these statements:
I hope the exercise helps you create a focused pitch that you feel great about sharing. Once you do, use it everywhere and often.
