I got together with a group of friends when I came back to the U.S. after my travels, and one of them had me cracking up laughing when I heard the story of how she got suckered into sitting through a four-hour presentation about buying a timeshare during her vacation.
I definitely understood her pain. Some sales presentations—any presentations, really— drone on for so long that it’s easy to forget what you’re listening to and why.
For that reason, today I’d like to briefly discuss an effective marketing tool known as the elevator pitch. It’s a quick, to-the-point summary that should be no longer than the time you’d spend in an elevator—anywhere from thirty seconds to two minutes. Creating an elevator pitch for your online business is a great idea that you may want to consider if you haven’t already.
The Elevator Pitch: Short and Sweet
An elevator pitch is typically used to describe products, services, projects, groups or organizations. They’re short and sweet for a reason— they’re often used by entrepreneurs pitching ideas to potential investors in hopes of receiving funding. The quality of an idea is often judged by the quality of its elevator pitch, so it’s common practice for investors to ask entrepreneurs for elevator pitches as opposed to lengthy presentations in order to quickly weed out bad ideas.
Creating an elevator pitch for your online business can help you “show what you’re made of” quickly and easily. Let’s say you run an online business that sells motivational ebooks. Well, you want the people who visit your website to know that you sell motivational ebooks, as opposed to ebooks about gardening and cooking.
Use an Elevator Pitch to Target Your Theme
You’ve probably noticed that my blog has a new look to it, but I also rewrote my About Me page the other day. I’m now targeting a very specific theme—creating your dream internet lifestyle while living life to the fullest—and I want the people who visit my site to know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it without having to read for hours. My new About Me page is the written equivalent of an elevator pitch—short, sweet, and to the point.
Even though I’m a guy who completely appreciates physical fitness, I usually take the elevator instead of the stairs when I’m in a tall office building. It’s a quick, easy way to get me where I’m going—just like an elevator pitch is an effective way to help your online business rise to the top.
Take Action. Get Results.
Great tips for an online business Steve.
I am starting an affiliate marketing in my blog since i have a little bit more traffics, all articles like this is valuable to me to learn anything about online business.
Since i have 0 experience online.
Thank you.
Thanks Kimi,
Glad you liked it and I hope you continue to find good information here!
We live in an ADHD world. People don’t want to sit around for 10 minutes (let alone an hour or 4 hours) if they don’t see some kind of immediate satisfaction. Elevator pitches are great ways to say “here’s the value I offer – take it or leave it.”
Hi Steve,
I love this elevator pitch article since it gets to the point in a short and sweet way. You’re right about the need to be clear about what we do. If we cannot summarize a lengthy presentation, then we are probably not too clear about where we are going and why. I like how you have rewritten your about me page. It is much more targeted than before and readers know immediately what your website is about.
Thank you for sharing this post, it has given me much to think about.
Irving aka the Vizier
See, I too can get right to the point! I don’t always need 3000 word posts to make a point…lol.
I heard something a while back that made great sense. For any plan or business you should be able to summarize it in about 1 minute (elevator post) or talk about it for 2 hours.
If you cannot do it in a minute you do not have enough of a grasp of the topic. If you cannot go on for an hour, your depth of information is not deep enough.
I am sure that most people not involved would prefer the 1-2 minute version.
This is a side of you I appreciate greatly Steve. Keep it up! In fact, this was the easiest post for me to read. I must admit, I was pretty surprised that the post was so short. I expected it to cure my insomnia, but I got jolted awake when it ended so quickly lol!
Joking aside, thanks for sharing what you heard. It does make sense that we should be able to summarize any plan or business in 1 minute or to talk about it for 2 hours. Actually, it would be better if you could also summarize your plan or idea in a sentence or two. It cuts to the chase and gets to the heart of the matter. Then if it is enticing enough, you could elaborate using the elevator post and finally as the last resort a lengthy business plan.
Between the one sentence and one minute, I prefer the one sentence version. 😛
Hi Steve,
Super practical advice here.
Elevator pitches should be short and punchy. The average attention span is virtually non-existent. If you miss the point of getting to the point don’t expect others to get your point.
I like the new focus of your blog. It’s more directed and clear. Well done.
Thanks for sharing and have a powerful day!
RB
Thanks Ryan,
Glad you like the new focus of the blog. I think I need to bring it into a shade more “clarity”, but getting there.
I always think if you can’t write everything on one side of an A4 sheet of paper, you’re making things too complicated. I’m a master of short posts as you know Steve, so this should be easy for me? WRONG. I can’t do it, because I haven’t got a focus, and my only purpose is pleasure.
What I’m looking for is a one or two sentence ‘mission statement’ that will define my online presence. It WILL happen………………next year. 😉
John
Hi Steve:
Really good post here. Points so many right and positive things. I suddenly found a way to apply in my writing and life. Sometimes flow of thoughts comes down on the paper so fast that there is no end to it, and it becomes long. Same is words to speak. But for business, it is a different story, you have to be focus and precise, because people really do not have the time.
All the best
fran A
I’ve been working on my elevator pitch for what seems like months now but it’s one of those on-going things that will greatly help you in the long run if you can make it truly punchy.
Right now, I like the tagline I’ve got for my site but I still want to play with it when I’m talking to clients so that I can really master the first impression because from there, my expertise and social proof will speak volumes but it’s getting the foot in the door (as they always say).
I’m working on it Steve but one problem is that I haven’t yet determined what it is that I do- or intend to do. Actually it is better than that but it is darn hard to boil it all down to a snappy phrase.
I like it, Steve!
I like having an elevator pitch ready for when people ask me what my blog is about. Super simple and to the point.
Thanks!
I know about the elevator speech and I think there are also some other types of speeches like the one when you hand someone your business card and you have to make a subtle 30 seconds presentation and what you offer in such a way that you will be remember.
Anyway, I think every self respecting businessman should know how not to bore his customers. I for example, when I was in some sort of team building/learning experience, I assisted a course about how to sell something. And one of the things mentioned was: Get your customers attention, dont let him get bored (that is make him close his cell-phone – without asking – just to listen to your business proposition) present your offer in such a way he will be impressed.
And also I think I read some other post about this kind of speeches but I can’t remember where – boy I hope I didn’t read it here…
Nice write up steve i could just imagine that four hour sales pitch i would have fallen asleep by then however in my veiws a short and straight to the point sales intro would work best save the time for q& a would be better love the new theme i took myself upgrade to thesis lokking great
Hi Steve,
I’ve not been around commenting for some time now, but I did keep visiting you as always 🙂
Nice concept – an Elevator Pitch. I still have to make my blog a business, but it would be nice to make an elevator pitch my blog first. You see, I have been keeping people guessing about me, as I have not put up an About Me page yet. I’m working on my new site, and plan to have all those pieces in place there. Can’t wait to get the new site up and running.
Cheers,
Mark
Elevator Speeches are great for marketing purposes because they cut away all the crap and points out the main points you are trying to get across in a catchy and memorable way. Again, it’s good you created one for the new direction you’ve taken. To your success!
Hi Steve
I like it. Summarise in a minute; talk for 2 hours. I can do that 😉 When I do a presentation of my products I try to make it interesting. Need to also pitch at the right level. No good me going on about all the fascinating medical research facts and figures I have; when talking to people who don’t have a medical background. Put things in the language of the audience in front of me is my aim.
Patricia Perth Australia
This reminds me of a couple of things I learned when I first went into sales, and that’s: always be closing, and when the customer says “yes” shut your mouth and write up the order. 🙂
Steve,
You are correct. Short and sweet goes much farther with people than a long presentation. If it is long, people will tune out and will not even remember what was said.