You’ve Got 10 Seconds. Make Them Count
A great elevator pitch is important no matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey. Make sure you’ve got yours down pat.
Key Takeaway: Refining and practicing how you explain your business will put you one step ahead when meeting potential customers.
Can you tell me what your business does in 10 seconds or less? If not, your business is likely suffering as a result. That’s because most people lose interest about nine seconds after you’ve started talking. If you can’t sell them on your company in just a few seconds, you’ve likely lost your opportunity.
Asking “what does your business do?” seems like a pretty straightforward question, but more often than not, business owners have a hard time answering it. I’ve asked hundreds of business owners this question. Very few have a succinct answer at the ready.
This is not because they don’t know what they do. It’s because they know it all too well. Spending all day, every day, working at your business can make it difficult to have the perspective you need to explain it to an outsider.
But being able to summarize your business in one or two sentences is essential to every business relationship you have. Whether you’re pitching investors or explaining your business to a potential customer, you’ve only got a moment to capture their attention.
That’s why they call it an “elevator pitch.” You need to be able to explain your business in the time it takes to ride an elevator. Any longer than that and you sound like maybe you’re not as focused as you should be. That doesn’t reflect well on you or your business.
But being able to summarize your business in one or two sentences is essential to every business relationship you have.
Even if you think you’ve got a pretty good pitch, it’s not a bad idea to refine it. It’s a great opportunity to put AI to work for you.
With the right prompts, ChatGPT can summarize and synthesize your business strategy into an elevator pitch perfect for every occasion.
If you’re committed to doing it the old-fashioned way, here’s a step-by-step to get you started:
Start with a Strong Hook: Grab attention immediately with a compelling statement or question.
Explain What You Do: Clearly describe your business in simple terms and avoid jargon or buzzwords that don’t mean anything.
Highlight the Problem You Solve: Identify the pain point your target audience faces.
Present Your Solution: Explain how your product or service solves the problem.
Showcase Your Unique Value: Differentiate yourself from competitors.
Keep It Concise: Practice until it feels natural and engaging.
Even if you decide to do the writing yourself, you can always use a little help. Here are two tools that can help you refine your messaging and language to make sure your pitch is on brand:
Pro Writing Aid helps you craft, polish, and elevate your writing and you can use it for free.
Slick Write is a powerful, free application that makes it easy to check your writing for grammar errors, potential stylistic mistakes, and other features.
And…here are two helpful articles on the topic:
How to Write a Great Business Description for Your Small Business
How to Write a Business Description
Remember: No one believes in your business more than you. Make sure you’re evangelizing it every chance you get.