Elevator Pitches

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a compelling introduction about who you are, what you do, and why it matters. It is a teaser that lasts 60 seconds or less to begin a conversation and make meaningful connections with confidence when meeting new people. A well-prepared elevator pitch is often paired with a brief bio that can be used to keep the conversation going and further engagement.

Why Do We Need an Elevator Pitch?

First impressions matter. Impressions about people are formed immediately after meeting them—in fact, research shows that this process can take one-tenth of a second.

When Do We Use an Elevator Pitch?

Elevator pitches are delivered in various contexts, such as:

• In a meeting with new collaborators.
• While networking at a conference.
• During a conversation with potential funders.
• At a job interview to advance your professional career.
• While recruiting new talent to your team.

How to Craft a Strong Elevator Pitch

There is a structure to an elevator pitch that helps make it flow well, sound interesting, clear, and memorable. The basic formula consists of the following:

Your audience is important. They inform how you convey your message in your elevator pitch. Consider your audience and how you can form a mutual exchange with them. 

Your audience’s backgrounds and interests might not always be clear initially. You can approach your process much like a decision tree. Beginning with an introduction that is fairly general is a good starting point. From there, you will receive verbal and non-verbal feedback from them and get a better sense of whether they are able to follow your side of the conversation in which case you can get more technical. You can dial it back if it seems that they are getting lost in what you are communicating to them.

Tip: Aim for the “eighth grade/PhD” approach. This is the technical “sweet spot” in which someone would be able to follow the conversation whether they have an eighth-grade or PhD level of knowledge on the topic. Craft your pitch with this audience in mind and you will increase your likelihood of being understood by a broad and diverse audience.

Ready to assemble your pitch?

Complete the Craft Your Elevator Pitch worksheet.

How to Deliver an Effective Elevator Pitch

Confidence, authenticity, and engagement are essential qualities of a strong delivery. Consider these strategies to maximize the delivery of your elevator pitch:

Jargon

Utilize the “8th grade/PhD” tone and avoid jargon.

Brevity

Keep your elevator pitch to roughly 60 seconds or less.

Body Language

Maintain a presence that is calm and in control.

Voice

Use a professional tone; a good speaking pace; and a clear, audible, and energetic voice.

Next Steps

Transition your elevator pitch to a conversation.

Tip: Aim for a balance of humility and confidence. Your tone is a significant element of your delivery. Find that balance where you show that you know your area of expertise while signaling you want to learn more. This is an inviting tone for people to engage with you.

The more time and effort you put into practicing your elevator pitch, the more confident you will feel and the better you will be at delivering it.

As part of your process, you can record yourself on a phone or computer and utlize the elevator pitch rubric to review and self-assess your performance.  

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

Use of Jargon: Move away from acronyms and terminology that are too technical. Make sure your language is accessible and you are easy to engage in conversation.

Robotic Tone: Modulate your voice and bring energy to your delivery.

Signs of Indifference: Use social cues that indicate your level interest and enthusiasm to continue the conversation. For instance, ask a question. 

Cultural context matters. Different cultural expectations and backgrounds can inform non-verbal styles of engagement and communication. Be yourself and do what feels comfortable when it comes to how you choose to present who you are and the ways in which you engage with people.

What Happens Next?

Here are some tips on navigating next steps to continue the conversation and further the connection:

Share a bit more about your story by weaving in parts of your brief bio. Check out the next section for tips on how to craft a brief bio.

Keep an active LinkedIn profile to stay connected.

Consider keeping business cards in your wallet to hand out.

Show that you are interested in keeping in touch by saying, "I'd love to continue this conversation..."

Obtain contact information so you can follow up with an email or meeting.

Brief Bio

After delivering your elevator pitch, you might be asked follow-up questions in which you can say more about who you are. In other scenarios, you might be asked to start off by sharing a brief bio. 

The basic formula of a brief bio consists of the following:

While an elevator pitch showcases what you do and why it matters (and can be followed with an ask in some cases), a brief bio speaks to these main points and reveals more about your story, experiences, and interests. The brief bio includes facts about your background and accomplishments, including your academic or institutional lineage, which can establish credibility, spark further engagement, and foster meaningful connections.

Check out this video from the coaching workshop series on preparing and delivering elevator pitches: