Elevator Speech – How to Present Your Ideas in 30 seconds

Elevator speech is a short, clear message that communicates what you are selling, why you are better than the rest and how you can benefit an organization.

Elevator speech is a short presentation in front of a targeted audience. Sometimes all you get is 30 seconds in front of someone to present your idea, business, personal profile or company. It could be at a cocktail party, when you get hold of a potential high-profile customer. Or at a charity event, when you join the table of a venture capitalist, whom you are targeting. Or at the company Christmas party, when you find yourself waiting for the toilet with the VP of Engineering. It could also be the classic example in the elevator, when you travel between 14th and 56th floor with the CEO.

What would you say in that case? How would you present your idea (or business, or profile) in the best possible way? What are the pitfalls that you should avoid?

This article explains the term “elevator speech” and outlines different tips and steps that you can take in order to create and polish it. In case you are representing a company, it is assumed that you know your mission statement, vision and Unique Selling Proposition (USP). If you are an individual, it is assumed that you know your personal strengths and skills. In both cases it is assumed that you know you are trying to do and what you are trying to achieve.

To learn more about defining your USP you can go to this article. And to learn more about how to identify your strengths you can go here or here.

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