A guide to making effective elevator pitches (Part 2)

The elevator pitch, which had long been part of American business culture, is steadily gaining popularity even in the UK. More and more UK companies are using elevator pitches to open new opportunities for them even at the most fleeting of contacts between the businessman and his potential targets.

Here are some more tips that can help you make an effective elevator pitch:

Not everyone you meet will have any value to you and your company but even then they may know of other people who could be of value. Remember that opportunities are not necessarily immediately obvious when it appears.

Many well-made elevator pitches start out with an explanation or informative introduction. It is then followed by questions as a means to engage the listener. Depending on the situation and context this is a very successful tactic.

One of the most contentious aspects of the elevator pitch is whether it should be rehearsed. British business culture has a difficulty accepting this as it sees a rehearsed elevator pitch as insincere and immodest. But despite these misgivings there are several advantages to having a scripted and rehearsed pitch:

• You avoid fumbling for words in trying to describe your business given the limited time given to you
• It ensures that all key points are included in the pitch and communicated effectively
• It affords the businessman an opportunity to compose his words in a way that all the appropriate content is included so that it could promote further dialogue.
• By having your conversation “framed”, the businessman can filter the people he meets so that he can maximize the time and effectiveness of the pitch
• Practice makes the businessman more confident about making the pitch and this confidence is then imparted on yourself and your business.