How to Make An Elevator Pitch That People Actually Listen To
Don’t dread social media bios, networking events, or speaker bios. Build your business on words that people actually want to listen to!
Have you ever gotten one of those weird messages on LinkedIn where the person is like, “Hi Erika, I have a product that will change your life. I noticed you’re in marketing, and I have success scheduling 100 leads per week for my clients in marketing. Would you like to schedule a call?”
UM, NO THANK YOU.
That type of message invaded my personal digital bubble.
Why? What’s the psychology behind that?
In sales speak, my new best friend on LinkedIn never piqued my curiosity or enlightened me to how their product would help me survive and thrive before immediately asking for the sale. That’s like walking up to someone in the bar and asking them to marry you right after you introduce yourself.
As Donald Miller explains in one of my favorite books Marketing Made Simple, all relationships move through three stages:
Curiosity
Enlightenment
Commitment
“People do not want to be enlightened about you unless they are curious about you, and until they are enlightened about how you can help them survive, they will never commit.” Donald Miller
Remember in our last blog post about messaging, I explained how every human rejects information that will not help them survive or thrive. The first step in attracting your dream customer is to pique their curiosity by inviting them into the story of how your product or service will help them survive.
Check out this blog post about how to get your message right, and then let’s talk about how to craft the perfect one-liner, or elevator pitch.
I recently completed the StoryBrand Guide Certification, and central to our training is “the one magical sentence that will grow your business.” (Yes, another Donald Miller quote.)
Think about how many times people ask you, “So what do you do?” or “What line of work are you in?” How do you answer that question?
I’m in the South, in Dalton, GA, and we all like to wear a heavy mantle of humility around here that sometimes leads to unclear explanations.
For instance, the CEO of a multi-million dollar carpet company’s answer to the “what do you do” question might be: I work in carpet.
The reality is, he or she could have been much more imaginative with the answer. The point of the one-liner is not to brag about yourself; the point is to pique curiosity from your listener. You’re not trying to sell something to everyone you meet (hopefully this is true for you. If you are, I might need to introduce you to my client who runs a therapy clinic. Kidding).
But if your product solves someone’s problem, then they and you will be glad to have met!
What if instead this CEO had answered: You know how it’s hard to find good quality flooring today? I help source and organize supply chains to provide quality sustainable carpet for homes in the USA.
BOOM. Now, the person listening might be curious. I would be! Where do you source quality supplies from these days? How do you import them with supply chain issues? How is your flooring sustainable? I might even ask about the size of your facilities, or how many people you employ locally?
This CEO just helped me understand that she is a driver of local economic engines as well as potentially offering something I need in my home: quality goods that are sustainable and environmentally-friendly.
If this CEO had just told me the obtuse “I’m in carpet” answer, I would have probably smiled and said, “Oh that’s nice! Gotta love Dalton carpet!” My response would probably have been just as unimaginative.
So how do you craft a one-liner that piques curiosity? What do you do with the one-liner?
Let’s start with HOW TO CRAFT A ONE-LINER.
Firstly, you really should read the books Storybrand and Marketing Made Simple if you’re working to clarify your business message and gain more customers. The framework has created millions of dollars of growth for companies worldwide. The proof is in the data, which is why I recently certified as a StoryBrand Guide to help small businesses use StoryBrand frameworks and story-based marketing strategies to grow their business.
Secondly, always keep this rhythm in mind for any of your marketing collateral:
Problem, Solution, and Result.
You have to grab your audience with information that stops their brain mid-scroll and says, “I need this information to thrive and survive.”
Always start with a problem, or people will tune you out in the noisy world. You got into business to deliver solutions to your dream customer, so don’t be afraid to talk about it!
Here are some examples of elevator pitches that tell a story:
Real Estate Agents:
Budgeting for a new home is confusing with changing financial trends. At Barnes Realty, we help families find homes within their budget so they can stop stressing about interest rates and come home with confidence.
Dentist:
Many people feel on edge about visiting the dentist. At Barefoot Dental Health, we welcome patients like family so they can banish fear and feel confident about their dental health.
Marketing:
Most small business owners confuse their audience without even knowing it. At Erika B. Marketing, we help you create a clear marketing message so you can find and keep your dream customers.
WHERE TO USE YOUR ONE-LINER
I use my one-liner (and encourage my clients to do the same) in the following locations:
Email signature
Business card
Social media profiles
Footer of website
Bios for speaking engagements
You can have your team repeat the one-liner at weekly meetings so they don’t lose sight of your clear message. Just make sure your elevator pitch is short enough to memorize and not clunky so people do not stumble.
Next time you are networking or asked what you do, repeat your one-liner with confidence and hopefully initiate a fruitful and interesting conversation with a new friend. Maybe you can even offer a solution to someone and help them survive and thrive.
Cheers to your marketing!
Erika
PS - Wondering how effective your marketing is for your business? Grab this FREE marketing audit to see areas of strength and areas that need improvement.
