Crafting a Memorable Elevator Pitch

A good elevator pitch is essential to your business. Its something you need to have prepared, rehearsed and ready to go at any moment. Opportunities often come when you least expect it; you are planting seeds in everything you do. Make the most of this by managing what people see and learn about you and your business. 

Often, people will not invest the first time they meet you. There are usually multiple touches along the way that lead to an investor investing. Often, people will watch from afar, vetting you out through social media and in person, business doesn’t usually begin in the boardroom. It used to unfold on the golf course, but now it can surface anywhere, such as a child’s sporting event, family or holiday celebration, neighborhood gathering, networking and other business related events.

Investors are looking at you first before they even hear about the deal. You are what they are investing in. The investment, business or property is secondary. This is critical to remember. You are always on. If you are not making a confident first impression, they are not going to continue the conversation long enough for you to even make your pitch.

You want to practice and rehearse your elevator pitch frequently, so that you have it memorized and it comes out naturally. Before you can practice though, you need to write it!

1. Identify Yourself

You want to first think about what you want people to remember about you. You want to keep it short, while still keeping it memorable; your entire pitch should only be about 20 to 30 seconds long. Use open-ended words that are engaging to your audience, where they are curious and want to know more.

2. Tell Them What You Need

Tell them what you need without being obvious about what you want. Saying, "I raise private capital," is a subtle way of saying, "I need money...for my business or to fund the next deal, etc." Find a short concise way of saying what you want so they understand what you’re looking for without feeling put on the spot, and they are open to hearing about the opportunity.

3. Say Something That Will Attract Them to You

You want to tell people who you are and what you want, but with an emotional tie to it. Again, you are trying to draw the investor in to your mission, making them interested in you and what you are doing.

Examples:

I flip houses.  I revitalize neighborhoods.

I buy notes.  I help people stay in their homes.

I buy rental properties.  I provide quality housing for tenants.

You can clearly see the difference between these pitches. The second are noticeably more human, and much more engaging. They automatically make the person you’re speaking with ask “What does that mean?” or “How do you do that?”. You are opening up a dialogue instead of just making a statement.

Delivery

The best way to make sure that you don’t fumble with your elevator pitch is to pause before you speak. When someone asks about yourself, pause for a moment to get yourself in the right mindset, so you can say precisely what you want and what you’re always practicing.

• Smile and be yourself. You are awesome! Show it!
• Get your posture right and speak audibly, not rushed.
• Be passionate! Let your enthusiasm shine through.

As you describe what you do, you need to feel excited!  If you don’t, you won’t be able to get your audience excited about your pitch either. Remember, they are investing in YOU before they’re investing in your business opportunity. Make sure they see how great you are!

Tell me in the comments your elevator pitch!