Chapter 6
Elevator Pitch
What's your elevator pitch?
Let's start with a definition. An “elevator pitch” is a really concise way of describing what your company does. Usually 90 words or less, the elevator pitch was given its name because you should be able to tell someone exactly what you do in the time it takes to ride an elevator together—about 30 seconds. Yet again, the vast majority of companies don't have this simple but essential positioning statement in place. They never took the time to put it into words. They never took the time to define their business model in clear concise language.
We're not going to make that mistake.
Your elevator pitch is a metaphorical equivalent of your business focus. Most businesses don't have a true focus. Taking the time to write an effective elevator pitch forces you to find your focus. Your elevator pitch forms the foundation for your entire business and, in particular, all of your online marketing efforts. Before we start crafting your pitch and identifying your focus, we need to define the objective. What are we actually trying to accomplish with the elevator pitch? This is important! From what you tell people in the pitch, you want them to know what you sell, want what you sell, and buy what you sell—and you have just 30 seconds to get all that across. Needless to say, you need to use every second wisely. You need a strategy. You need every word to play a role. So here's what to do: Write your elevator pitch one sentence at a time. There ...
