7 Ways To Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

One of the best ways to sharpen your business pitch is to train yourself in the art of elevator pitching. The idea is exactly what it sounds like.
You first imagine yourself in an elevator with your potential investors. When the elevator door shuts to go to the next floor, you immediately pitch a business idea to your investors in the time that the elevator takes to go to the next floor.
Sounds easy right? Well, it’s a lot harder than you think. The good thing is, we've got a handy guide to help you perfect the elevator pitch and be on your way to securing your next investor.

Leave out industry jargon

Vertical integration? Process consolidation and re-engineering? There's a good chance that these words will do more to confuse than clarify. Before you start writing that pitch, always assume that your audience has little or no understanding of your industry. No one wants to stand in an elevator for a minute listening to corporate gobbledygook.

Keep it short and simple

If the elevator trip is about a minute, that gives you about 150-250 words to deliver at a decent pace. When you craft your pitch, be sure to keep this in mind while staying on course with your message to potential investors.

Keep editing

Stephen King once said, "To write is human, to edit is divine". Treat your pitch like a work of art. And just like any work of art, there is always room for improvement. Critique your pitch and find ways to improve it and you'll soon end up with the best possible pitch.

Read the pitch aloud in front of a mirror

It's one thing to write on paper and read it in your head. But it's another thing to read it aloud. When you're practising your pitch, make sure you have sessions where you stand in front of a mirror to make sure that the pitch flows well. It is also a good idea to practise in front of a friend, family member or colleague so that they can give you feedback on your pitch.

Mention the benefits

Do you tell your customers that this vacuum cleaner has a state-of-the-art suction mechanism? Or do you tell them that it cuts cleaning time by half? Look out for the benefits of having your product and highlight them in your pitch.

Invite a follow-up

While getting a delivering a successful elevator pitch is important, investors won’t be able to act on it if you don’t tell them too. Give your potential investors your business card and invite them to set the next appointment with you.

Be passionate

Passion is contagious so make sure that you show it to your investors. Business pitches become memorable, unique and engaging when the entrepreneur displays a strong desire to be successful with their product or idea.