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Crafting your elevator pitch

Crafting your elevator pitch

Owned by Jessica López
Jul 30, 2024
3 min read

An elevator pitch is a concise and persuasive sales pitch – but instead of selling a product, you're selling yourself. Its purpose is to introduce you, highlight your key points, and most importantly, forge a connection with your listener. This connection is crucial for leaving a lasting impression and opening doors to future opportunities. Below is how you can craft an effective elevator pitch.

Structuring your Elevator Pitch

Start with who you are and who you help:

  • Begin by introducing yourself in a way that immediately conveys your professional identity and the value you bring. Mention your role, your field, or your professional focus.

  • Clarify who benefits from your work. This could be clients, companies, or a specific audience. This helps the listener understand the context of your work and its relevance.

 

Continue with your why:

  • Share your motivation. Why do you do what you do? What drives you in your profession? This can resonate emotionally with your listener, making your pitch more memorable.

  • Include a brief story or an example to illustrate your passion or your why, making it more relatable and engaging.

 

Move on to what makes you unique:

  • Highlight what sets you apart. This could be a unique combination of skills, experiences, or a particular approach you have to solving problems.

  • Think about what you bring to the table that others don’t. This could be your method of working, your perspective, or specific achievements.

 

Finish with an ask:

  • Conclude with a clear call to action (CTA). What do you want from your listener? This could be a meeting, an opportunity to collaborate, or simply to keep in touch.

  • Make your ask specific and easy to act upon. This directs the conversation towards a tangible next step.

 

Practice and revise!

  • Practice your pitch out loud and refine it. Ensure it sounds natural and engaging.

  • Seek feedback from peers or mentors and be open to making adjustments.

 

Tailor your pitch to resonate with your audience. Use language that appeals to them and address their interests or needs directly.

Provide enough background to give your pitch depth, but keep it concise. This helps the listener understand the bigger picture of your career path or business idea.

Emphasize qualities that are particularly rare or in high demand in your field. This could be specific technical skills, creative abilities, or leadership experiences.

Adjust your pitch for different audiences. The core message remains the same, but the emphasis might change depending on who you’re talking to.

 

Remember, your elevator pitch is a dynamic tool. It should evolve as you grow professionally and as your goals change. The key to a successful pitch lies in your ability to communicate your value compellingly and concisely while establishing a meaningful connection with your listener.

 

Hi, I’m Alex, a data analyst passionate about transforming complex data into actionable insights that drive business growth, particularly for small to medium-sized tech companies. My fascination with data analytics stems from my computer science background and commitment to helping businesses make data-driven decisions. What sets me apart is my ability to not only crunch numbers but also present them in user-friendly formats. I’ve successfully implemented data visualization techniques in my current role that increased report comprehensibility by 70%, making strategic decisions easier and faster for management. I’m currently looking for opportunities to bring my unique blend of technical skills and business acumen to a new team. Could we perhaps schedule a time to discuss how my expertise aligns with the goals of your company?

 

Breaking it down:

  1. Who are you? Who do you help?

    • Alex introduces themselves as a data analyst and specifies their target audience: small to medium-sized tech companies.

  2. Why?

    • They share their passion for making data actionable and their background in computer science, adding depth and explaining their drive.

  3. What makes you unique?

    • Alex highlights a specific achievement and skill—increasing report comprehensibility through data visualization—which sets them apart.

  4. Ask (Call to Action - CTA)

    • The pitch ends with a specific request, inviting the listener to a discussion about potential opportunities, directing the conversation towards a follow-up action.

 

Tips illustrated:

  • Connection: Alex's pitch is geared toward tech companies, showing an understanding of their challenges.

  • Background context: Mentioning their background and specific achievements gives credibility and invites interest.

  • Unique qualities: The specific result (70% increase in report comprehensibility) showcases Alex's unique contribution.

  • Personalization: This pitch is tailored to spark the interest of someone involved in tech businesses, focusing on relevant skills and achievements.

 

 

 

 

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