elevator speech resources

Dan Ponomarenko , CEO of Webvizio , offered this pitch:

“At Webvizio, we streamline web project management for digital teams, making collaboration seamless. Our platform allows you to visualize changes, communicate in real time, and manage feedback efficiently — all in one place. We eliminate the clutter of back-and-forth emails, so you can focus on what you love: creating. Interested in simplifying your project processes and enhancing team productivity?”

2. "Deliver a clear tech talent solution with EchoGlobal Tech . "

Lou Reverchuk , Co-Founder and CEO of EchoGlobal Tech , offered this pitch:

“Hello, I‘m Lou, representing EchoGlobal Tech, where we bridge the gap between innovative tech projects and top remote software developers. At EchoGlobal, we understand that the right talent makes all the difference. That’s why we guarantee no AI matchmaking and no juniors pretending to be senior devs. Always quality over quantity with us. Imagine having a dedicated expert who truly understands your project‘s vision and transforms it into reality. Let’s set up a time to discuss your hiring needs.”

3. "Simplify the insurance buying experience with Dundas Life "

Gregory Rozdeba , CEO of Dundas Life , offered this pitch:

“Imagine buying life insurance the way you shop online — quick, easy, and transparent. At Dundas Life, we streamline the complex process of finding the right insurance, making it accessible at your fingertips. With us, you‘re not just a policy number; you’re in control, informed, and secure. Let’s make insurance straightforward together.”

4. "Engage with real estate investment expertise with EZ Sell Homebuyers. "

Mike Wall , CEO of EZ Sell Homebuyers , offered this pitch:

“Looking to maximize your real estate investment? With over two decades of experience and a portfolio of over 30 properties, I provide tailored advice that turns real estate into real results. Let’s discuss how I can help you achieve your property investment goals today.”

5. "Enhance your online visibility with CodeDesign . "

Bruno Gavino , Founder and CEO of CodeDesign , offered this pitch:

“Hi, I’m Bruno from CodeDesign. We often see companies struggle to gain visibility in the digital space, losing potential revenue to competitors who dominate online. Our agency specializes in leveraging advanced data analytics and custom digital strategies to enhance your online presence, driving more traffic and increasing sales. Imagine what it would be like to see your business outperform competitors by simply optimizing your digital marketing. Let’s chat about how we can make that happen for you.”

6. "Illuminate spaces with quality lighting with Festoon House . "

Matt Little , Director at Festoon House , offered this pitch:

“Imagine transforming your space with lighting that‘s not only beautiful but also built to last. At Festoon House, we’re dedicated to crafting premium lighting solutions that elevate your style, enhance your ambiance, and stand the test of time. From modern chandeliers to industrial-chic fixtures, our products are designed to inspire and impress. Join the Festoon House family and let's brighten up your world together — one light at a time!”

7. "Solve food waste with RedBat.Agency . "

Gert Kulla , CEO of RedBat.Agency , offered this pitch:

“We're tackling the issue of food waste in restaurants. Our app allows diners to buy surplus food at a discount while helping venues reduce waste and generate extra revenue. This creates a win-win for businesses and customers looking to save money and curb food waste.”

8. "Elevate travel with JetLevel Aviation . "

Fahd Khan , Director of Marketing and Technology at JetLevel Aviation , offered this pitch:

“At JetLevel Aviation, we provide top-tier private jet charter services, ensuring fast, flexible, and seamless travel for high-profile clients. Unlike traditional charter companies, our bespoke solutions and access to a wide range of luxury jets guarantee that your travel experience is not just efficient but also tailored to your specific preferences and schedules. Let us elevate your travel experience to the next level.”

1. Keep it brief.

The purpose of an elevator speech is to be as brief as possible while capturing a prospect‘s attention. Try to stay under 60 seconds — including your introduction. Even if you’re delivering your elevator speech during a formal presentation, where you have time to elaborate if needed, keep the bulk of your pitch under sixty seconds.

If you don‘t, you won’t be able to use your pitch when you're chatting with prospects in situations with tighter time constraints — such as a tradeshow or a chance meeting.

2. Practice multiple times beforehand.

You may have written the most incredible elevator speech for your product, but if you hamper the delivery by misremembering or even forgetting parts of your pitch, it won't be an effective tool. Be sure to practice by yourself, with your manager, and with your colleagues.

The goal isn't just to memorize it, but to practice your tone, pace, and overall delivery.

3. Come prepared with additional materials.

When you‘re delivering your elevator pitch, be prepared to provide your prospect with what they need to continue the conversation. Whether that’s a business card, a brochure, or a short demo, carry all that you might need with you.

The elevator speech is your opportunity to begin a deal on the right foot and speed up the nurturing process. Typically, you might take weeks emailing a prospect before they're ready to schedule a meeting with you, but an elevator pitch speeds that work. You want to have the materials you need to keep the conversation going.

4. Be positive and enthusiastic.

It‘s essential to show your personality during your elevator pitch, but whether you’re a quiet, calm introvert or a charming, excitable extrovert, you should still convey positivity and enthusiasm.

You can use your body language and expression to keep things positive, even if your tone is quiet and calm. You might highlight the amazing benefits your prospect will enjoy if they sign up, or tell a positive story from one of your previous clients.

Most importantly, you should make it obvious that you want to help your prospect more than anything — which will make you sound positive by default.

5. Vary the tone of your voice.

As you deliver your pitch, vary your tone and modulation to keep your listener engaged. This will help you emphasize the most important parts of your speech — such as the benefits — while keeping your prospect‘s attention. The pitch may be short, but you’ll be surprised at how easily people can tune out based on your tone alone. We don‘t want to risk it! Especially if it’s a prospect you've never spoken with.

Check out the video for a quick, 60-second refresher on this subject — and/or read the content below it for a series of ineffective elevator pitch examples.

1. Don't ramble.

I‘ve been a rep at Sales-R-Us for five years now. They’re the best company I‘ve ever worked for. I’ve loved my time there. I started as a BDR and have worked my way up to a senior position. I‘ve never looked back. I also love the services we sell. I can’t wait to tell you about them. Sales-R-Us help companies become more efficient with their sales through training, evaluation, and leadership management — and that‘s just to name a few. We have a unique approach that’s been honed by lots of sales experts over the years, and I‘ve seen our solution really help a lot of companies and teams. I’ve had many clients whose businesses have been saved because of our genius solution. I know we can do the same for you. Would you be interested in learning more?

This elevator pitch is not effective because:

• It's way too long.
• The rep spends way too much time talking about themself.
• It never gets specific or actionable.
• It never provides actual examples or attention-grabbing facts.

2. Don't use too much jargon.

At Stratosphere Solutions, our OS-level virtualization delivers software in containers, all of which share the system of a lone operating system kernel. These containers are isolated but can communicate with one another through well-defined channels. Ultimately, this lets you use fewer resources than traditional virtual machines.

• It's inaccessible to someone without relevant technical knowledge.
• It features too much jargon.
• It tries to condense an extremely complicated topic into 30 seconds.
• Its value proposition isn't clear-cut.

3. Don‘t insert your prospect’s personal information.

I visited your Instagram and noticed that you have a pitbull. I have a pitbull, too! I bet he sometimes distracts you when you work from home, which is the absolute pits when you‘re trying to put together a report for your boss. Your dog — what’s his name? — may be asking for your attention, but I assure you you can still create a report as easy as 1-2-3 with AnswerASAP. While petting your pupperino.

• It sacrifices the hook in favor of creating a “personal connection.”
• It's too familiar with the prospect to the point of discomfort.
• It makes assumptions about the prospect's work-from-home tendencies.
• It uses informal slang (“the absolute pits,” “pupperino”) for unnecessary humor.

4. Don‘t under-emphasize the problem you’re solving.

It's possible that you may run into issues when putting reports together for your boss. For instance, things may go awry every once in a while, such as disappearing data or disagreeing sources. With AnswerASAP, you can lay those worries to rest. We have a few features that will help you with those issues if you ever run into them.

• It treats a customer problem as a possibility and not an urgent reality.
• It‘s vague (“things may go awry”) and doesn’t emphasize how those issues can hurt the prospect.
• It doesn‘t specify the product features that will solve the prospect’s challenges.
• Because it never goes into detail, it shows little research and care.

Remember, an elevator pitch should only come at someone else‘s prompting. If you’re spontaneously reciting it to random people, you're not doing yourself any favors. But if they ask, you want to be prepared with an interesting, well-crafted pitch.

Reel in Clients with an Effective Elevator Pitch

While a short speech may seem insignificant, those first conversations can hold some weight. With a well-crafted pitch, you can turn a single conversation with a prospect into a long-lasting customer, or even into a business partner. We hope you found these examples helpful and are inspired to craft your own effective elevator pitch.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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11 actually great elevator pitch examples and how to make yours

There's a trope in late '90s movies where a motivated, ambitious main character does everything they can to get on the same elevator ride as the CEO of some powerful company.

It usually ends the same way. Our protagonist makes a nervous, fast-paced speech that the CEO ignores while repeatedly pressing the elevator button, and we get a five-second scene with sad music of our main character watching them walk away.

That nervous, fast-paced speech is an elevator pitch example—a bad one, because otherwise, those movies would be nine minutes long and uninspiring. In the real world, an elevator pitch can make a powerful impression and pave the way for business ventures, employment opportunities, and networking. It won't get you a corner office and a fancy title one week into your new job, but it can be an important step in the right direction. 

To highlight that difference—and to really dismantle "The Pursuit of Happyness" as a plot—I've put together some elevator pitch examples and a guide on how to write one that actually works.

Table of contents:

Components of an elevator pitch

11 elevator pitch examples

How to write an elevator pitch

What is an elevator pitch.

An elevator pitch is a concise speech in which you introduce yourself and a few key points about what you're pitching, whether it's to acquire investors, promote a product, advertise a business, or even sell yourself as a potential employee. If it takes longer than a minute to get the point across, it's getting too long.

Elevator pitches were originally exclusively spoken—used in business conversations and investor pitches—but have since grown into a written format used for things like websites, social media, video ads, marketing outreach, and media pitches . 

You're not trying to convey your entire business strategy or all your selling points. Your goal here is to raise interest, make a connection, and facilitate an opportunity for business in the future.

Let's say you're in the fintech industry and are attending a networking event full of bank representatives and decision-makers. Instead of spending an hour going through your company's history and how it's aiming to be carbon-neutral by 2157, you'd find more success introducing it concisely, pointing out one or two key features and how they could serve your audience's interests. 

The pitch begins with a hook to draw your audience in, veers into the value you offer, provides some proof to support your statement, and wraps it all up with a display of what makes you different.

It's relatively easy to incorporate these elements into a short pitch. The difficulty lies in choosing a good hook and phrasing your proposition in a way that appeals to the other side of the conversation.

The hook: This element doesn't need to be fancy or complicated. Make it simple and get straight to the point. For example, if you're pitching a time management tool, your hook can be a personal story like: "When I first started my business, it felt like there was too much to do and not enough time to do it." It can also be a statistic. If you're pitching an online collaboration tool, your hook can be something like: "73% of all teams will have remote workers by 2028."

The value proposition : This is where you provide an overview of the value you're bringing to the table. Discuss what you're pitching and what it does, research your listener's unique needs beforehand, and prepare a compelling argument for how you can meet them. 

The evidence: The person you're talking to may be nodding, but that doesn't necessarily mean your point is getting across. Some proof of past success or stats that speak to your success could make that nodding a lot more genuine.

The differentiator: Let them know that you're different—that your product or service isn't just another iteration of what came before. You get brownie points for originality and not quoting any movies.

The call to action: Make sure you're inviting your audience to take action. They have all the details, and they might be interested. It's time to bring it home with a clear call to action . Ask them to connect with you on LinkedIn, invite them for a coffee chat, share contact information, and make sure there's an opportunity to follow up on the conversation.

11 elevator pitch examples done right

I rewatched "The Pursuit of Happyness" to see if there was anything I could salvage, but all I walked away with was frustration at the misleading lesson that passion can overcome anything. Passion cannot, in fact, overcome a busy decision-maker who can't wait for you to stop talking.

If you're at all like me, you'll find the following examples a much better use of your time.

1. Startup pitch example

Everyone's got ideas for [shared goal] . But ideas aren't enough.

We took [shared goal] and turned it into a reality.

We developed [solution] at [company name] that's [list of qualities] . We made it possible for [target audience] to [shared goal] .

What sets us apart is our [differentiator, followed by brief overview] .

If you're passionate about [high-level goal] and interested in [benefit of collaborating with you] , let's connect.

This elevator pitch example demonstrates how to approach potential business partners and investors with a clean energy project. The hook is simple. It leans on the issue and the harsh reality of how little the world does to achieve utopian sustainability. Then it introduces the solution as the company's proactive effort to change the status quo. It pitches efficiency, reduced costs, and access to a larger customer base. Finally, it addresses how ease of use sets the solution apart from the competition and invites further collaboration. 

This example is ideal for startups in that it focuses more on the product, what makes it unique, and the features that set it apart, rather than the company's past achievements, success stories, or revenue metrics. It can easily be used to pitch investors and potential clients alike.  

You can follow this example by making the problem the centerpiece of the hook. Open with the issue, and position your company's service or product as the solution.

2. Job seeker pitch example

It took me [period of time] to [achieve goal] .

It's always been my priority to deliver [high-level result] , but I want to put my [expertise] to use making [high-level goal/impact] .

At [company name] , I [past experience] that [measureable results] .

I love what I do. But I [differentiator, high-level goal] .

If you're looking for a [position/title] who's [differentiator] , let's chat. I'm eager to explore how I can help your organization achieve its [field] objectives.

Since tropes are only a good idea when I propose them, I've decided that our job seeker would be making a pitch to GreenCorp, the company from our previous example. Will Smith will not be playing this role.

In this example, the author of the pitch isn't trying to sell a company or a product; they're trying to sell themselves. The hook addresses their background, expertise, and goals. It then veers into past performance results and highlights the key skill set. The uniqueness factor here speaks to GreenCorp's mission, showcasing that the author shares the company's grand goals, empathetic mindset, and desire to help build something positive. 

If you're ever job hunting, open your pitch with a concise and direct overview of your background, share your most impressive achievements, and do your research into the company you're pitching.

3. Sales pitch example

Most people [relevant statistic, followed by explanation] . 

At [company name] , we've taken the [pain point] out of the equation. 

Our [products] are designed for [value proposition] .

They're more than just [product] . They're [differentiator, followed by supporting evidence] . 

We're not just salespeople; we're [differentiator] .

So, are you ready to find [product selling point] ? Let's [CTA] .

In this example, a guitar shop is pitching its unique guitar design to potential customers. It recognizes a very common problem and ties it to a feeling that most guitar enthusiasts know all too well: giving up too soon. It later positions the author as an expert and fellow musician and utilizes customer reviews as supporting evidence.

A sales pitch will always depend on your industry, product, and customer base. Approach your audience by speaking to their greatest pain points .

4. Networking pitch example

I'm a [position/title] at [company name] , and I've worked on [past experience] . 

Over the past [period of time] , I've had the privilege of working with diverse industries, from [industry] to [industry] , and what truly excites me is [shared interest] . 

I'm here to connect with other professionals who share my enthusiasm for creative and innovative [field] ideas. I really want to explore new [differentiators and shared interests] .

Let's connect on [communication channel] . I have quite a few compelling [field] resources to share and talk through.

This networking pitch resembles the job seeker pitch with one major difference: the audience shifts from an employer to a colleague. The objective changes, and that affects the entire approach. 

In this example, the author isn't trying to convey their efficiency or results in percentages or measurable performance points. They're sharing aspects of their industry that they're passionate about and are interested in discussing. The point here is to make a memorable introduction at a networking event and gather connections .

Ahead of your next networking event, tailor your pitch so that it speaks to your expertise and knowledge without going into too much detail.

5. Investor pitch example

At [company name] , we [business concept offer] , plain and simple.

We [value proposition] .

Our portfolio contains [supporting evidence] .

Why us? Well, we [differentiator] .

We roll up our sleeves and get involved. 

We're currently prospecting [target audience] to join us on our journey. If you're ready to be part of the next [field] disruption, let's talk about how [company name] can help.

Investors have heard it all a million times over. It's why their faces are so hard to read—set in unimpressed silence. So it's best to make your hook short and to the point. "We do X to achieve Y" can be a breath of fresh air when your job is listening to entrepreneurs pitch their ideas five days a week.

In this example, YZTech Ventures aims to secure investors for promising companies. The hook is straightforward and simple, slowly veering into an overview of the company and why it works.

6. Nonprofit pitch example

Every day, [pain point] .

[Company name] is working to change that.

We're a nonprofit dedicated to [high-level goal] . We've already provided [supporting evidence/achievements] .

We don't want to treat the symptoms; we want to face the root cause of [pain point] . But this will be a losing battle if we're fighting it on our own.

We're always looking for individuals who share our vision and drive to build a better world where [high-level goal] .

If you're ready to make a difference, let's discuss how you can be part of the solution.

Empathy is the name of the game here, and charities and nonprofits can use it as a unique selling point. The good news is there's very little risk of doing this wrong. The example outlines the cause, its aim, and the efforts being made to find a solution. 

If you're pitching a nonprofit or a charity to potential donors, lean heavily on the charity's message and accomplishments.

7. Personal branding pitch example

I'm [name] , and I'm a dedicated [title] . I've helped [past expertise and achievments] .

I do what I do by [value proposition, followed by differentiator] .

I'm here to [offered value] .

There's " [position] " in the title, but I'll be [differentiator] .

Let's schedule a meeting and discuss what you can do.

Personal branding comes into play when you're pitching yourself, the individual. Just as companies share their unique idea, proposition, and values, the life coach does the same at a personal level. 

If you're ever writing a personal branding pitch, approach it as you would a business. The key difference is to showcase your values and what makes you unique as a person rather than as a corporate entity.

8. Product launch pitch example 

I'm very excited to share with you [product selling point] .

At [company name] , [products] aren't just a [basic nature of product] . We see them as a game-changer in [selling point] .

This is why we developed our [product] , a cutting-edge [product overview] .

Imagine all of your [value proposition, followed by key features] .

Our product has already received rave reviews during beta testing, with users reporting [survey results] .

[Product] is now available for preorders! [CTA].

This example focuses less on the company and more on the newly revealed product. The new release speaks for itself and the business at the same time.

The hook immediately positions the product as the future or "the next best thing." The pitch dives into what makes the new product unique, utilizing a hypothetical to paint a picture of what it can achieve.

If you're writing a product launch elevator pitch, focus on the product and let it speak for the company.

9. Rebranding pitch example

We've done great things as [company name] . We've helped businesses [services and past achievements] .

We've since been on a journey of transformation, and it's time for a fresh start.

Our company has grown, adapted, and innovated in response to changing market dynamics. We've [outlined change] . Now, [company name] is about to become [new company name] .

Why the change? We've rebranded to [rebranding reasons] .

With [new company name] , you can expect the same quality, expertise, and dedication you've come to trust. But now, we're adding a fresh perspective and a dynamic spirit to our brand.

We invite you to join us in this exciting phase of our journey. [New company name] is ready to [service/value proposition] .

Let's schedule a meeting and explore how our renewed brand can better serve your evolving needs.

In this example, the hook immediately delivers the reasoning behind the change. 

Instead of a value proposition, the pitch offers an assurance that the rebranding won't have detrimental effects. It's designed to address stakeholders and clients as well as provide context.

10. Consulting services pitch example

At [company name] , we specialize in [value proposition] .

With a team of seasoned experts in [field of expertise] , we've successfully guided organizations to [high-level goal] .

Our approach is all about partnership. We take the time to deeply understand your unique market and audience. From there, we [differentiator] .

[Company name] can be the catalyst for your business's transformation. Whether you're looking to [goal] or [goal] , we're here to help.

Let's schedule a virtual meeting to discuss where your company stands and where we can take it.

This pitch is designed to attract clients for a consulting service. It takes a collaborative tone in its approach and focuses on areas of growth that pretty much every decision-maker worries about. It makes the solution the centerpiece of its hook instead of the problem, and goes on to briefly outline how the firm's process is structured. 

11. Technology solution pitch example

[Relevant statistic].  

That's how it goes for your [pain point] .

Imagine you didn't have to worry about [pain point] .

Our [product] is designed to enhance [process] . We help businesses [value proposition] .

One of our recent success stories includes helping a [supporting evidence] .

The thing is, [differentiator] ; we make sure our [product] is specifically customized for your organization's needs. 

Are you available to meet next week for a personalized demo?

In this example, the hook is a statistic that lays the foundation for the problem and the value proposition. It's a powerful hook that captures the audience's attention and helps you transition into what you really want to say.

You can be an optimist and decide to improvise an elevator pitch. But you'll likely end up taking too many pauses under the guise of sipping your water, and stumbling over your words mid-pitch might waste a precious conversation.

It pays to be prepared, and writing an elevator pitch beforehand can make a big difference.

1. Outline a clear objective

Before you start writing the elevator pitch, focus on your objective . Are you introducing yourself to grow your personal network, pitching a service or product, prospecting investors, or trying to acquire a new client?

Your objective will help you pinpoint the information you want to mention in your pitch. 

Tip: Establish success metrics relevant to your objective. Investors will want to know how much revenue your business can generate, while potential clients will want to know the benefits of your product or service. Make sure your success metrics speak to your audience's concerns.

2. Define your audience

One speech won't work across the board. Hollywood says the up-and-coming manager likes to be impressed with a Rubik's cube, while the CEO likes to hear your heartfelt speech about how much this job means to you and how you're expertly overcoming odds. 

Both those things are wrong, but the point remains that identifying who your listener is and what matters to them is a nice way to tailor your pitch so that it speaks to their concerns, needs, and bigger pain points. The more you resonate with your audience, the more impactful your pitch will be, and the closer you'll get to a tearful Will Smith movie ending.

Defining your audience goes beyond knowing the name and nature of what might make a potential client. 

Tip: Conduct in-depth audience research by diving into your chosen market, competitors, user data, and digital marketing analytics. Then comb through that information to define your audience's pain points and how you're uniquely positioned to address them.  

3. Craft a hook

You know what you want to say and why. Now you need an opening statement—a hook that grabs their attention and gets them invested in the rest of your pitch. You want to set the stage for the elements that come next. Make it clear and engaging, but keep it concise. The goal here is to get an attentive listener, not a bored one.

The hook needs to spark the audience's interest. You need to speak their industry's language, show knowledge and expertise, and put your audience research data to good use by pointing out the difficulties and issues they face.

Tip: Use a personal story, a statistic, a fact, or an interesting hypothetical to draw your audience in.

4. Explain your value proposition

Once your audience is paying attention, it's time to dive into the proposition and the value within. What do you and your idea bring to the table? What problems do you solve, and how does that make your listener's life better? How does your solution differ from those they've heard pitched a thousand times before?

Point out the differentiating factors that make you and your business unique, whether it's the groundbreaking tech you've patented or the better pricing options your competitors can't keep up with. 

Tip: Write down all the aspects that make your business different, and choose the most compelling ones for the pitch.

5. Support your pitch with evidence

Who doesn't like real-life measurable data? Well, Hollywood doesn't, but that's just because no amount of Hans Zimmer music can make your 325% ROI cinematically engaging. You can be confident that your audience will want to hear success stories that support your proposition.

Have a few successful case studies from former and current clients ready to drive the point home and turn a semi-interested listener into an engaged party.

Tip: Draw on your own expertise, and use performance statistics and relevant metrics from previous projects. 

6. Keep it concise

It's called an elevator pitch for a reason. You have under a minute to get your entire pitch across to a busy decision-maker who doesn't have all day. Cut the fluff, and only say what you feel certain will convince your recipient to take your side.

Tip: Practice reading your pitch out loud in the mirror. Use a timer to measure how long it takes to deliver it comfortably.

7. End with a clear call to action

Since the point of an elevator pitch is to generate interest, you'll want to end it with a clear call to action—one that evokes a response and maybe a more in-depth conversation.

If you're pitching a service, you can offer to schedule a meeting to further outline your services and how they can help the listener. If you're pitching a product, you could offer to schedule a demo to prove it can improve their business. Get creative here, and aim to turn that interest into a meeting.

Tip: Lead your audience to connect with you beyond the pitch. Schedule a meeting or a coffee chat, exchange contact information, and make sure there's room for a longer discussion.

8. Prepare to answer questions

You can't just deliver your pitch and then hit the open bar at the networking event. Be ready to answer questions.

Questions at this stage mean your listener is intrigued, curious, and interested. At this point, feel free to provide as much context in your answers as you'd like. The elevator pitch has already ended, and it served its purpose. Go in-depth and provide context.

Tip: Write down a few questions based on your own market research. Ask yourself what your customers, investors, and audience might be curious about. Prepare your answers so you're never surprised.

Make a unique first impression

Elevator pitches exist because humans have shorter attention spans than goldfish, and we really need a leg up on our aquatic competition.

Opportunities are fleeting, especially when businesses are launching every day. In an oversaturated environment, an elevator pitch can help you make an impression that lasts. And who knows, you might just have what it takes to inspire a 50-million dollar movie that Will Smith can "misty-eye" his way through.

Related reading:

How to pitch your small business to the press

How to use personalized sales pitches to convert clients and sell more 

ChatGPT prompts that will generate great sales emails

Email etiquette: How to ask people for things and actually get a response

How to create a project plan (with project plan templates)

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Hachem Ramki

Hachem is a writer and digital marketer from Montreal. After graduating with a degree in English, Hachem spent seven years traveling around the world before moving to Canada. When he's not writing, he enjoys Basketball, Dungeons and Dragons, and playing music for friends and family.

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The Elevator Pitch: How to Master Your Own (+ 7 Real Elevator Pitch Examples to Learn From)

Think back to a time when a salesperson cold-approached you, and you actually kept talking to them (or even bought something). Did they stumble or seem unsure of themselves?

I doubt it. They most likely recited a short speech they’d practiced hundreds of times— their elevator pitch .

Somehow, they piqued your interest, either by demonstrating value or speaking to a pain point that mattered to you. That’s no coincidence. Without a doubt, they’ve refined that short speech to be so effective that you took the time to listen.

Whether you’re in sales, looking for a new job, or trying to get people interested in your latest business venture, refining your elevator pitch can literally change your life. 

In this guide, we’ll teach you what to include in your elevator pitch, how to master the delivery of that short elevator speech, and break down real-life examples of successful elevator pitches you can borrow from. 

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short speech that concisely describes an idea that you’re selling. The idea could be a product or service, an investment opportunity, or your own skill set. It should clearly explain your value proposition in 30 seconds, which is about the time you’d have on an elevator ride. 

Elevator pitches need to accomplish three fundamental things:

• Point out a need
• Show how you can uniquely solve it
• Provide a tangible next step

Here’s a basic example of an elevator pitch you could use if you were selling dent repair to people who have dents in their cars at gas stations (this has been used on me before):

When Would You Use an Elevator Speech?

Elevator pitches (sometimes called elevator speeches) can work for many situations, and they’ll change based on who you’re talking to and what you’re selling them. You might have multiple elevator pitches for different aspects of your life or job. You can even have an elevator pitch to get your kids to eat their vegetables (although your success rate might be lower than normal). 

Here, we’ll focus on three situations that most people design elevator pitches for:

• When you’re a sales professional selling products or services: Whether cold calling, emailing, talking to prospects at trade shows, or being introduced to new referrals, first impressions are key for sales pros. A great elevator pitch is adaptable to different buyer personas , so you can pitch your product in a compelling way, no matter who you’re talking to.
• When pitching your business or startup idea to investors: It’s not easy to get financing for a small business or startup. The first time you’re standing in front of potential investors, you need to prove there is a real market need, and that your product or service can uniquely solve that problem. A succinct 30-second pitch can also sell your business to prospective customers or job candidates you want to hire.
• When you’re in a job interview: There aren’t many questions more unnerving than, “Tell me about yourself.” Being prepared with an elevator pitch that distills your work experience and the value you can bring to the company can make all the difference. The best elevator pitch for a job seeker can be used with recruiters, hiring managers, at career fairs, or even as your LinkedIn summary.

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What to Say in a Good Elevator Pitch: 4 Essential Elements

To create the perfect elevator pitch for any situation, you’ll need to iron out each of the four elements below.  

1. Introduction

People need to know two things: Who are you? And why should I care? 

Remember, this isn’t all about you—if possible, try to include the problem you solve right in your introduction.

In a sales call, you might introduce yourself with something like this: “Hi, I’m Tom Callahan, I represent Callahan Auto, the most reliable brake pad manufacturer in the midwest.” 

By throwing in a simple one-liner that demonstrates value, Tommy Boy here has upped his introduction game to the next level. Not only does he say who he is, but why they should care. 

If you’re going into a job search and want to add value to your intro, you could use some compelling past results, “Hi, I’m Tom Callahan, best known for saving my family’s auto parts company from bankruptcy.” 

Here, Tommy Boy doesn’t just introduce himself but lets the recruiter/hiring manager know why he’s valuable. 

2. Mission Statement

An effective elevator pitch requires not just memorizing your mission statement, but feeling it. An effective pitch can convey that feeling to others. For example, one of our mission statements at Close is “Never again should a startup fail because they couldn’t figure out sales.” If you worked for our sales team, you would integrate this into your pitch. Potential customers would know that your goal isn’t just to sell them something, but to help their business succeed. 

If you were pitching yourself for a job interview, you’d want to have a mission statement that clearly states the impact you want to make. For example, your mission statement could be “I want to use my connections and skills to help this company IPO” or “I want to help this company grow because the product and the culture inspire me.” 

3. Unique Selling Point

Now, it’s time to sell your solution. Your elevator pitch should explain why you or your company can not only solve a problem but also why you are uniquely qualified to do so. This is why it’s called a ‘unique’ selling point. 

If you’re a sales rep, think about the competitive advantages you have. What’s something you offer that your competitors can’t touch? 

For example, if you’re selling Coca-Cola to a convenience store chain and are competing with products like Pepsi and RC Cola (remember that?), you could say, “Coca-Cola is the original cola; it’s the flavor that people expect. Without it in your fountain, customers will be left settling for a knock-off.” The uniqueness here is the originality and dominance of Coke over the competition. It conveys satisfying customer demand in a way that the competition can’t.

Whether you’re at a job fair, trying to get investors for your startup, or selling products and services, always remember to sell in a way that makes you unique. This could be your experience, the results you’ve produced in the past, or what drives you to make a positive change. 

4. Call to Action

Now that you’re nearing the end of your 30 seconds, it’s time to wrap things up with a tangible next step, i.e., a call to action. 

This will again vary based on the situation. If you’re pitching yourself to a recruiter for a job, the call to action could be to ask for a formal interview. If you’re selling a product, it could be to offer a more in-depth product demo. 

Don’t ask for too much. Give them a bite-size call to action that’s easy to commit to. A 30-minute product demo, 15-minute needs assessment call, or 20-minute investor presentation are all reasonable call-to-actions that should follow a 30-second pitch. 

If you’re doing an in-person pitch, don’t forget to leave a business card so they have something to remember you by and your contact information.

Our Quick, Simple, and Direct Elevator Pitch Template

Now that we have the four elements nailed down, here’s a simple template you can use to put your pitch together. Note that this is a sales pitch template, but can be easily adjusted for other situations. 

This is truly just a base template for you to start with and get ideas flowing. Feel free to add a compelling stat or fact, a story element, or a leading question that piques interest in your offering. 

The more creative, the more you’ll stand out. 

How to Craft and Execute Your Elevator Pitch: 6 Tips for Success

Knowing what to put in your elevator pitch is just the start. Now, here are six tips to keep your audience’s attention and get them excited about what you’re offering.

1. Have a Conversation Starter Ready to Go

Having a relevant and noteworthy discussion topic in your back pocket can help make your pitch more compelling. Use something that piques their interest, such as a stat or fact that impacts their business. This compelling opener should naturally transition into your elevator pitch. 

2. Focus on One Clear Benefit

You don’t have the time to rattle off all the benefits you provide in 30 seconds. Instead, go all in on the strongest benefit you provide. For us here at Close, it’s helping our customers master the sales process . If you aren’t sure what this is, talk to your customers or look at your product’s online reviews. 

3. Use Numbers to Make It Real

In business, numbers are everything. Use a compelling number in your pitch that calls out an important pain point. For example: “80 percent of small businesses that don’t streamline their sales process fail within five years.” (I have no idea if that’s true, but you get the idea.)

4. Take a Breath and Speak Slowly

Speaking slowly and from your diaphragm rather than your throat conveys confidence. If you speak too quickly and from too high up in your throat, you sound either unsure of yourself or desperate. By calming yourself with a deep breath and speaking confidently, you put your best voice forward . 

Also, speaking slowly can help improve your overall body language, making you seem like a calm and trustworthy person rather than a shaky mess. 

5. Avoid Useless Jargon

The last thing you want is to stop your pitch and explain some obscure industry jargon (there go your 30 seconds). Worse, you don’t want to isolate your audience by speaking in a language they don’t understand. Don’t use jargon unless you’re 100 percent confident that they’ll understand it and that your pitch will be better for it. Otherwise, avoid it. 

6. Practice until You Can Recite This Elevator Pitch in Your Sleep

You should literally be ready to give your elevator pitch to an important person in an elevator, just like the cliche. Practice and practice until you can recite your pitch hanging upside down with your eyes closed while monkeys throw rotten bananas at you. 

When I was in software sales, I recited my pitch so many times I could think about other stuff while saying it, kind of like when you read a page of your book but don’t remember it because you were thinking about something else. I’m not saying think of other stuff while reciting your pitch, but that is the level you should aim for. 

Source: SalesHigher

7 Elevator Pitch Examples From Real Humans You Can Learn From

To give you real-life examples of effective elevator pitches, I surveyed a group of small business owners and entrepreneurs, and the results were fantastic. Below, I’ll break down why these pitches work so you can take away some pointers to use on your own.  

Robert Kaskel, Chief People Officer, Checkr

Robert is an HR veteran for a prominent background check company with a ton of experience and notable clients. This is a pitch he could use at professional networking events or when talking to prospective new clients. 

Why this works:

• Robert’s introduction doesn’t just mention his title but also touts noteworthy clients. This lets you know his company is legit. 
• After the introduction, a pain point is introduced. This identifies a problem that the prospect may have. If they have this issue, they’ll keep listening. 
• His pitch demonstrates why his company is unique (built-in fairness/more human) and the impact it makes (vastly more efficient).

Gillian Dewar, Chief Financial Officer, Crediful  

Gillian’s pitch is for a personal finance site offering objective advice to help consumers pay down debt, learn to invest, and achieve their most important life goals.

• Gillian leads with a strong stat that her audience can relate to—it’s a great and empathetic conversation starter for someone struggling with their finances. 
• She differentiates her company from others by pointing out their mistakes, then makes her company unique and valuable by offering simplicity and trust. 
• It ends with giving her prospect hope for a better future, which is what they need most in their financial life. 

Marshal Davis , President, Ascendly Marketing

Marshal is the President of a digital marketing agency with over a decade of experience running and managing small to medium-sized enterprises.

• When introducing the company, Marshal delivers a strong value statement and clear benefits, which would get his ideal customers to listen. 
• He calls out ‘vanity metrics,’ i.e., meaningless data points that don’t deliver ROI, which is something many companies can relate to. 
• He provides a valuable free offer and mentions that he wants to ‘prove our worth,’ which humbles his company and shows that he is willing to earn their trust. 
• The ending reiterates the pain point that too many companies face and then demonstrates how he will solve that. 

Emma Zerner , Co-Founder & Content Strategist, Icecartel

Emma is the Co-founder and Content Strategist for a prominent e-commerce website specializing in jewelry. She has mastered the art of crafting compelling narratives for her brand. 

• As a whole, this pitch speaks very well to a specific persona that wants elegant, timeless jewelry. 
• It provides a strong mission statement, “We bring artistry and craftsmanship to the digital realm.” In the two sentences of the intro and the mission statement, you can identify what this company is all about. 
• Their unique selling proposition is catering to people who want to invest in an experience and view jewelry differently. In truth, not everyone fits their buyer persona, but for those who do, this hits home. 

Simon Hughes , Founder & Creative Director, Design & Build Co.

Simon’s agency helps eCommerce brands in the fashion, luxury, and beauty sectors enhance their online visibility through social media.

Note that this is the elevator pitch that Simon uses for prospective clients at networking events. 

• He starts with a great conversation starter that may take people aback for a second, and then they realize he’s talking about their brand. Nice! 
• He identifies a problem that his ideal customers may not have solved yet, which is moving beyond advertising to creating a brand identity that identifies with real people.  
• He shows how his company uniquely solves the problem by making clear promises and delivering on them. He also mentions building trust, which his customers need.
• It finishes with a clear and easy call to action. It doesn’t take a whole lot for prospects to say yes. 

Brian Nagele, CEO, Restaurant Clicks

Brian is a former restauranteur who went on to start Restaurant Clicks, an agency that does digital marketing for the food industry. 

• He leads with a strong conversation starter and pain point. Many restaurant owners will be able to relate to this. 
• Brian points out why his agency is unique compared to those other ones who have ‘never laid their hands on a chef’s knife.’ He is someone they can relate to and trust. 
• He finishes by providing value by sharing his expertise and growing his prospect's business. 

Samantha Odo, a Real Estate Representative for Precondo

Samantha showcases her dedication and expertise when pitching potential clients for her Canadian real estate agent business. 

• The intro shows that she’s a local and an expert, both of which convey trust to potentially nervous buyers. 
• Her uniqueness comes from her abundant knowledge and experience, plus her proven track record. Getting real estate clients is all about trust and she continues to build it here. 
• In the end, she states the outcome she will provide (an informed decision) and invites the prospect to achieve their goals with her—an inspirational and non-pushy call to action. 

Our Elevator Pitch to You (I Mean, We Couldn’t Not)

Whether you’re a salesperson, small business owner, or startup founder, you’re going to be delivering a ton of elevator pitches. How you manage, record, and follow up on those pitches is equally important to how you deliver them. If you don’t have a system for tracking your efforts, they are doomed to fail. 

Close is the perfect customer relationship management tool (CRM) for sales teams, small businesses , and startups to track all the information on who they’re delivering elevator pitches to, the opportunity those pitches create, and when you need to follow up. It’s built to help businesses like yours master the game of sales. 

Learn more about how Close can be the fast, modern, and simple CRM that your business needs.

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How To Write A Killer Elevator Pitch (Examples Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

You’re on the elevator, riding up from the lobby to the top floor to drop off your resume with Human Resources in response to a job posting for your dream career.

You’re excited, but nervous, because you know your resume is going to be just one of hundreds that the hiring manager is going to look over before even thinking about inviting anyone in for an interview.

If only there were a way to make yourself stand out. If only…

The doors open and a woman in a sharp looking business suit steps in with you. She looks over and sees the top floor button is already lit. She smiles and in that instant a current of nervous energy rips through your body. This isn’t just any generic passenger you’re sharing the ride with…this is the hiring manager you’re hoping to impress!

Your heart starts pounding, your palms are sweaty, you feel light headed…

This is your chance!

You have a 12 floor uninterrupted ride up with her and in those moments, in that tiny elevator, she’s your captive audience.

You open your mouth and turn to her with a look of enthusiasm…and speak.

Let’s hope that elevator pitch  (or elevator speech) is ready!

Here’s the deal, after you make your successful elevator pitch (which you will after reading this article!), you need to know that you will get an interview…

But here’s the thing: there are over 100 other difficult interview questions you could be asked in your job interview. Sounds stressful right?

Well don’t worry, because we created a free PDF that outlines the most common questions and gives you word for word sample answers that you can use at your next interview.

Click the link below to get your copy now!

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What Is An Elevator Pitch?

So what exactly is an elevator pitch?

In a nutshell it’s just what it sounds like: a short, 30-60 second well crafted business pitch telling someone who you are and why they should want to hire you .

It’s called the elevator pitch because it’s meant to represent the amount of time you’d have if you were stuck in an elevator with someone riding from the bottom of the building to the top.

“Well, this stinks. I live in a town of nothing but one floor buildings. How am I supposed to use an elevator pitch? Clearly this article means nothing to someone who doesn’t live in the heart of a big city or surrounded by high rise buildings.”

Elevator speeches are good for so much more than just catching someone in a small enclosed space. You never know who you might run into at a cocktail party, or the movie theater, or grocery store…or any other number of places.

A solid elevator pitch will allow you to distill down to the most pure form exactly who you are and what you offer, and that focus can help to set you apart from all the other candidates who are vying for the same job.

Think of it as a commercial and you’re the product . You’ve got 30 seconds to market yourself and convince whoever is listening to not only NOT change the channel, but to buy what you’re selling…you as the Perfect Candidate!!

“So where do I start? Should I lock myself in the bathroom with a stopwatch and pretend it’s an elevator? Do I need a jingle?”

Hmmm…all we’ll say is do whatever works for you…but let’s all agree to skip the singing…for now. Instead, let’s focus on answering a few basic questions by doing a little pretending.

How To Write An Elevator Pitch

Let’s imagine you’re in sales and you just got into an elevator with the CEO of a huge manufacturing company. The doors shut…it’s just the two of you…and you have 60 seconds to convince him to not only listen to you, but to consider you as a potential employee, not just a fellow passenger on a short ride upstairs. So how do you do that!?

Let’s watch…er, we mean, read:

What do you do? Can you tell someone what you do in such a way that it’s interesting? Can you turn it into a quick little anecdote or story that will capture someone’s attention?

“Let me tell you about the time I took our products all the way to the North Pole. I’m in sales. I started out selling refrigerators to moose in Canada.”

Now that we’ve got your job title, can you tell us what you do when you’re doing what you were hired to do?

“In four short years, I’ve helped lead my team to the number one spot in sales…”

Okay, great…but what’s next?! What’s your objective ? What’s your goal?

“…but I knew we could do better. That’s why I took our refrigerators all the way up to the penguins in the North Pole.”

What makes you the best at what you do? Okay, now’s your chance to shine. Why are you the Perfect Candidate?

“Did you know that broken beaks from trying to eat frozen fish is the number one problem facing penguins today? Their issue isn’t that it’s not cold enough for them to keep their fish fresh, it’s that it’s too cold. I knew that by putting their fish in our double insulated hermetically sealed refrigerators instead of the traditional snow bank, the penguins would be able to keep fish fresh longer without having to freeze them, making it easier for the penguins to eat. As a result, we’ve more than quadrupling our current sales and are not only ranked number one regionally, but nationally as well.”

What’s your hook? You’ve just told a great story, but besides being entertained, why should your audience care?

“Now, just imagine what I can do for your products…”

Wait, who are you? D’oh! Nothing says missed opportunity quite like totally forgetting to tell someone your name.

“My name is Bob Mackrel,”

And most importantly…what do you want?

“…and I’m looking for my next big sales challenge. My I give you my business card?”

Boom. And there you have it: the perfect (if not a little outlandish) elevator pitch. In 30 seconds you’ve told your audience what you do, why what you do is important, hooked them in with what you plan to do next for their company, and who you are.

Easy, cheesy, right?

Penguins and refrigerators aside, this pitch was clearly perfect for the audience because our boy Bob knew the CEO, knew the company, and knew that his skills with sales would be a great match. Bob tailored his pitch.

“Again with the tailoring! That’s all you guys talk about…tailoring!”

That’s because it works! Again, think of our commercial analogy. When you’re watching TV, which ads do you skip over or tune out? The ones that don’t apply to you…right? And the ones you listen to and remember are the ones that DO apply to you.

“Ahh…I see what you’re saying. That does make sense!”

The nice thing about an elevator pitch is that it’s short and sweet and to the point, which means once you get the basics figured out, you should be able to use it on just about anyone in any situation…as long as you make sure to always tailor your hook to your specific audience.

Elevator Pitch Mistakes To Avoid

So now that you know what to do in your elevator pitch, let’s quickly talk about what NOT to do.

Speaking too fast.

Yes, you only have about 60 seconds, but try to avoid cramming 15 minutes of information into one minute.

Using highly technical terms, acronyms or slang.

You want your pitch to be easily understood by any audience and that means try to avoid using words that will confuse the average person. The last thing you want is for whoever is listening to you to feel dumb. Remember, think commercial!

Not being focused.

This isn’t a general conversation and you’re not discussing the weather (unless that’s your job, in which case, never mind). Keep your pitch clear and focused.

Not practicing what you’re going to say.

First, write down your pitch. Read it over. Have your friends and family read it. Does it make sense? Make sure it flows well and that there aren’t any spots that feel rough or awkward. Then practice it. Practice it again. Keep practicing it until it becomes so easy for you to pitch that you can do it at the drop of a hat.

Being robotic.

This is all about a face to face interaction with someone you want to impress. Having an easy, approachable, conversational style to your pitch will get you much further than an overly rehearsed monologue approach.

Not having a business card or other take-away with you.

Okay, you’ve sold them on you…now how are they going to get a hold of you when they decide it’s time to bring you in? Make sure you always have something on you to pass on that will allow people to not only remember you, but contact you later on.

Not saying anything.

It does absolutely nothing for you to have a killer elevator pitch if you never use it. Now it’s your turn! Here are three example elevator pitches to get you started. Remember, these are just examples! Make sure you do the work to craft one specific to you and your audience!

3 Great Examples To Use As Inspiration

Graphic designer/logo branding specialist.

Hi, I’m Pam Tone and I’m a graphic designer. Did you know it takes the average person just two seconds to look at a company logo and decide if they like it? Did you know that a badly designed logo can do irreversible damage to a company brand and that most companies go through at least three to four versions in a single year before settling on their final design, costing both time and money? Having worked for over 10 years as a professional graphic designer specializing in brand identification means I’ve built my reputation on the longevity of my logo designs. I can say that not only are my clients happy with what I’ve done for them, but my designs have gone on to win national and international logo and branding awards. I have worked hand in hand with some of the biggest advertising agencies and companies and out of over 300 contracts, have had only one logo changed, and that was as a result of a merger, not poor design. I’d like to bring that award winning history to your company. Would you be willing to meet with me for 20 minutes to go over my portfolio and see how I can help make sure your logo properly reflects your brand?

TEACHER/EDUCATOR

Mobile app developer.

Hi, I’m Chip Ohm and I’m a developer. Did you know one of the biggest challenges facing companies these days is tracking employee work time? Of course, when you have a building where your employees are required to clock in and out it makes things easier, but what about employees who work from home or are on the road? I’ve come up with an easy way for both employees and employers to log and keep track of hours using just their cell phones and an app I’ve designed. The app allows employees to log in from wherever they are and input their start and stop times at the push of a button. You don’t even need to be in an area with a signal. The program captures all the data and holds it in a file which is then automatically uploaded to the employer’s servers as soon as the user is back in signal range. The system is not only simple, but it’s tamper proof. Not only has this app helped streamline the timecard process for remote employees, but it’s reduced timecard inconsistencies and paycheck errors by 90%, saving both time and money. So, how does your company handle logging in hours for your remote clients?

So there you have it! Now that you’ve read through this article and seen a few examples, it’s time to craft your own elevator pitch. Remember, keep it simple, keep it short, and keep it tailored.

And as always…good luck!

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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

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Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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The Admissions Strategist

How to create a perfect elevator pitch (examples included).

“Tell me about yourself”

“What do you do?

“So, what’s your story?”

These are common questions asked during networking events and interviews. They’re difficult to answer because you can respond with almost anything.

How should you start and end your response? What’s an appropriate response length? What should I include in my response?

Luckily, there is a foolproof way to answer these questions: by using your elevator pitch.

This guide will explain the importance of your elevator pitch. It will also help you craft an incredible pitch that you can use for interviews, networking events, and other social gatherings.

Let’s get started!

Click above to watch a video on Elevator Pitches.

What is an Elevator Pitch? When Should I Use It?

An elevator pitch, otherwise known as an elevator speech, is a short but powerful response you give to someone who asks about your background.

There are three kinds of elevator pitches:

• Two-minute pitch

Use the two-minute pitch for interviews. This is the perfect response to the “Tell me about yourself” question.

• 45-second pitch

Use the 45-second pitch for formal networking events. Your response will establish your background and qualifications.

• 15-second pitch

Use the 15-second pitch for informal gatherings. This is an excellent response for when you meet someone on a train or at dinner.

Why is an Elevator Pitch Important?

It is said that 93% of human communication is nonverbal, while only 7% is verbal.

• This means that “how” you say something is more important than what you actually say.

An elevator pitch helps you explain your background and qualifications with confidence. When you know what you’re going to say, you’ll state it with passion and clarity.

The elevator pitch also demonstrates that you’ve done your due diligence.

• Specifically, people who can convey their background with clarity inspire confidence in others.

It also demonstrates strong soft skills, which all CEOs and other high-performing professionals possess.

Well, How Do I Create a Great Elevator Pitch?

Your elevator pitch is just one part of networking with skill . Therefore, you need to supplement it with the following.

Confident Body Language

• Firm handshake
• Shoulders back
• Neck straight
• Eye contact
• Fluidity of speech

Make sure to practice your pitch in front of a mirror. If that’s too hard, you can stand up in the middle an empty room and pretend to speak with someone.

• You can also practice your pitch while cooking, brushing your teeth, or running errands. All you need to do is know what you want to say and state it slowly.

In my opinion, the best way to practice is with a trusted friend. In a no-judgment zone, state your elevator pitch. Do this until you get it right 10 times in a row. It’ll be hard at first, but this experience will greatly improve your confidence.

Don’t rush through your elevator pitch. After stating one or two lines, take a deep breath and collect yourself.

Not only will this calm you down, but it’ll also help you think of your next lines.

Start Your Elevator Pitch From Scratch

Get a blank piece of paper, Word or Google Doc, flash cards, or pull up a notepad app on your phone.

This is where you’ll record the first draft of your elevator pitch.

What Should I Include In My Elevator Pitch?

Generally, there are three critical aspects of a two-minute elevator pitch. It’s best to first create the two-minute pitch and then cut it down for the shorter versions.

You’re going to include these four elements:

• Top-line introduction
• What I’ve Done
• What I’m Doing
• Where I Want to Go

You can order these parts in your elevator pitch any way you like. I recommend prioritizing the things you want people to remember.

You might get interrupted during your elevator pitch, so order it according to importance.

What does each part mean?

Part 1: The Introduction

This section is straightforward. In one or two sentences, what are you best known for? What do you want people to know you as?

This can include:

• Your professional role

For example: Computer engineer , developer, political assistant, manager of operations, chief executive officer, head accountant, founder

• Informal title

For example: Entrepreneur, writer, mentor, journalist

Then, put your introduction together:

I’m Jason Patel, the founder of Transizion, a college and career prep company with a 100% client satisfaction rate. We help students get into the top schools in the country.

Hey, I’m Sean McVay. I serve as a head developer at GSOT IT Systems. I’m also a mentor to 11 young men who aspire to become business leaders .

Get personalized advice!

Part 2: what i’ve done.

This is where you’ll mention pertinent qualifications from your academic or work history.

Hint: If you’re several years out of school, there’s no need to mention academic history.

Before beginning this section, think about whether you need to custom-tailor your elevator pitch for a specific industry. This is important if you’re:

• Applying for an internship or job
• Meeting professionals at an industry event
• Networking with investors who want to know more about your background

Otherwise, you can mention top-line or sweeping aspects of your background.

In this section, you can include:

• Past job duties
• Career-defining moments
• Accomplishments or projects you’re proud of
• Numbers, figures, and percentages that highlight your successes
• Results you’ve procured
• Companies you’ve worked for and with
• Certifications and/or degrees earned
• What drives and motivates you
• A personal story that represents you well

Now, let’s combine this part with the intro (Part 1). The bolded parts are what we added:

For example:

Hi, my name is Jason Patel, and I’m the founder of Transizion, a college and career prep company that features a 100% client-satisfaction rate. We also donate a portion of profits to veterans and young professionals in need of college and career help. I am a graduate of the George Washington University with a degree in political communication. I have served as a college coach for several years. My work has taken me to cities across the world, where I’ve helped students and professionals with college applications, writing, professional branding, and job searching.

Here’s another example:

Hey, I’m Sean McVay. I serve as a head developer at GSOT IT Systems. I’m also a mentor to 11 young men who aspire to become business leaders. I’ve worked on building AI systems for creative purposes, such as musical instruction and autonomous learning. In the past, I’ve also built highly responsive websites for major e-commerce platforms in the apparel and electronics industries.

Part 3: What I’m Doing

In this section, you’ll mention what you’re working on right now. This can include work, major projects, dissertations, or earning a degree or certification.

It’s best to communicate qualifications that relate to the industry you’re pursuing.

In other words, don’t talk about your interpersonal qualifications when you’re seeking a position as a financial analyst. Instead, mention your ability to work with numbers, balance tasks, and provide recommendations to clients.

Hint: If you’re looking for a job, try to avoid the generic-sounding “Currently seeking a position.” Instead, discuss how you’re sharpening your skills while looking for work.

If you’re a professional, you can discuss the following:

• Current job duties
• Projects you’re working on
• Clients or industries you serve
• Skills you’re sharpening
• Initiatives keeping you busy

If you’re a student, discuss the classes, major, or projects you’re working on.

Let’s combine this section with the two previous sections – the Intro (Part 1) and What I’ve Done (Part 2). Again, the bolded parts are what we added:

Hi, my name is Jason Patel, and I’m the founder of Transizion, a college and career prep company that features a 100% client-satisfaction rate. We also donate a portion of profits to veterans and young professionals in need of college and career help. I am a graduate of the George Washington University with a degree in political communication. I have served as a college coach for several years. My work has taken me to cities across the world, where I’ve helped students and professionals with college applications, writing, professional branding, and job searching. Our customers love us, and our instruction and tutoring work. We’re a growing brand that has sent students to the best schools in the country, including Stanford, NYU, UC Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon. I work with my team to design college mentorship, college application, and career success boot camps that help our students succeed. We pay strong attention to customer service and make sure that our families have the resources and access to thrive during the stressful college process. I make sure each student partners with an awesome college mentor who will him or her with college planning, essays, and narrative building. We also serve college students and professionals who need help with finding internships and jobs. We’re the best at resume critiques, building interview skills, and professional brand building. It’s my job to make sure our product is the best in industry. I’m always building my management and marketing skills. I want students and families to know that we want to solve their problems, so I’m improving my SEO skills to ensure website visitors know they can reach out to us if they have questions. Although I’m a leader, I know I’m a work in progress.

Hey, I’m Sean McVay. I serve as a head developer at GSOT IT Systems. I’m also a mentor to 11 young men who aspire to become business leaders. I’ve worked on building AI systems for creative purposes, such as musical instruction and autonomous learning. In the past, I’ve also built highly responsive websites for major e-commerce platforms in the apparel and electronics industries. Currently, I’m building customer portals to bring retail, brick-and-mortar businesses online. It’s a challenging project, but I’m thankful for it. I get a chance to learn more about transferring memberships from a point-of-sale system to the online gateway system. We’re working to integrate Stripe, a payment platform, to our website so our customers can purchase their products online. So far, we’ve grown 14% from last year and are looking to grow 50% over the entire year. Better yet, I’m also working to integrate the payment system to the logistics gateway. You know what that means? We’re working on delivery! During the summer and holiday seasons, our customers across the state will be able to purchase products and have them delivered within a specific window. No more waiting in lines. That’s what I love doing. Growing businesses and helping them acquire customers.

Part 3: Where I Want to Go

In this final section, you’ll discuss your goals. You can elaborate on your goals in the following windows. This will help you simplify your goal setting.

1. Short-term goals (within 3 years) can include:

• Switching fields
• Getting your first job
• Starting business
• Graduating from college
• Finishing a book

2. Intermediate-term goals (within 5-7 years) can include:

• Finding your place within an industry
• Starting and publishing a study
• Climbing the managerial ladder
• Starting a family
• Growing a business
• Raising venture capital
• Training to join a new industry
• Going back to college

3. Long-term goals (7+ years)

• Joining the C-suite
• Getting your business acquired
• Raising your kids
• Writing an autobiography

If you’re planning on creating your elevator pitch for professional networking events in an industry you want to stay in, choose goals that relate to the industry.

Picking irrelevant goals runs the risk of coming off as uninterested or unmotivated.

Let’s combine this section with the three previous sections – the Intro (Part 1) and What I’ve Done (Part 2), and What I’m Doing (Part 3). As usual, the bolded parts are what we added:

Hi, my name is Jason Patel, and I’m the founder of Transizion, a college and career prep company that features a 100% client-satisfaction rate. We also donate a portion of profits to veterans and young professionals in need of college and career help. I am a graduate of the George Washington University with a degree in political communication. I have served as a college coach for several years. My work has taken me to cities across the world, where I’ve helped students and professionals with college applications, writing, professional branding, and job searching. Our customers love us, and our instruction and tutoring work. We’re a growing brand that has sent students to the best schools in the country, including Stanford, NYU, UC Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon. I work with my team to design college mentorship, college application, and career success boot camps that help our students succeed. We pay strong attention to customer service and make sure that our families have the resources and access to thrive during the stressful college process. I make sure each student partners with an awesome college mentor who will them him or her with college planning, essays, and narrative building. We also serve college students and professionals who need help with finding internships and jobs. We’re the best at resume critiques, building interview skills , and professional brand building. It’s my job to make sure our product is the best in industry. I’m always building my management and marketing skills. I want students and families to know that we want to solve their problems, so I’m improving my SEO skills to ensure website visitors know they can reach out to us if they have questions. Although I’m a leader, I know I’m a work in progress. Eventually, I want to grow Transizion into the foremost college and career prep company in the world. We’re going to be a force in closing the Opportunity Divide in America. The robots are coming. Automation is coming. It’s my job as an entrepreneur to prepare my customers and the greater public for the challenges ahead. An additional goal is to increase our product offering and expand the network of college and career mentors that we hire. Our brand should precede us – people should know that our name stands for excellent customer service and outstanding mentorship. Previous generations fought wars, totalitarianism, and fascism. Our generation’s job is to fight the Opportunity Divide. I want to become a leader that changes people’s attitudes toward the class divide in America. Only we can save the country. Only we can save each other.

Hey, I’m Sean McVay. I serve as a head developer at GSOT IT Systems. I’m also a mentor to 11 young men who aspire to become business leaders. I’ve worked on building AI systems for creative purposes, such as musical instruction and autonomous learning. In the past, I’ve also built highly responsive websites for major e-commerce platforms in the apparel and electronics industries. Currently, I’m building customer portals to bring retail, brick-and-mortar businesses online. It’s a challenging project, but I’m thankful for it. I get a chance to learn more about transferring memberships from a point-of-sale system to the online gateway system. We’re working to integrate Stripe, a payment platform, to our website so our customers can purchase their products online. So far, we’ve grown 14% from last year and are looking to grow 50% over the entire year. Better yet, I’m also working to integrate the payment system to the logistics gateway. You know what that means? We’re working on delivery! During the summer and holiday seasons, our customers across the state will be able to purchase products and have them delivered within a specific window. No more waiting in lines. That’s what I love doing. Growing businesses and helping them acquire customers. In that vector, I do want to start my own marketing company in the next 3-5 years. The company would focus on bringing complete marketing solutions to small and large businesses. Solutions would include email marketing, website building, social media branding, and all forms of inbound and outbound marketing. Assembling a brand around our products is the dream. Hey, maybe we can create plug-ins and software to compete in the SaaS space. To be honest with you, another goal of mine is to travel. I’ve been working so hard over the years that I think a few months of exploring new cultures and perspectives would be healthy for my professional growth. I’ve been thriving in this bubble, but it’s important to expand my reach. This will help me further develop my vision.

More Elevator Pitch Examples

A young professional in Washington, DC:

My name is Mandy. I’m a legislative aide at the United States Capitol. I spend much of my time corresponding with constituents and aides from other offices on a wide range of issues. I graduated from the George Washington University with a political science degree. I’m planning on attending part-time graduate school to pursue a master’s in health administration. Eventually, I want to work as a lobbyist for healthcare issues. I want to help expand Medicaid and lower the cost of prescription drugs.

From an MBA at Carnegie Mellon:

I’m Ben, and I attend Carnegie Mellon, where I’m pursuing a master’s in business administration. Two summers ago, I interned at AT&T. This past summer, I interned at Verizon, where I learned about operations management, human resources, and project management. I want to stay in the communications technology sector because I know I can build a wide range of operations-related skills here. Right now, I am also studying for my PMP, so that’s taking up a lot of my time. My hope is to leverage it for opportunities in the tech sector – I want to lead teams to success.

This one’s from an analyst:

Hey there, I’m Dom. I work as a financial analyst for Goldman Sachs. Since my goal is to become an investment banker, I’m putting in long hours helping my wing with investment decisions. Right now, I’m getting a lot of practice with analyzing data in the energy sector. This job is demanding, and so are my colleagues. The opportunity has given me the chance to improve my communication and self-management skills. I want to stay in the financial sector because I love numbers. Down the road, I’d like to work in venture capital or start my own investment-banking firm. I’m setting up the foundation for my dream by networking with established investors who can give me access to their connections.

From a mother entering the full-time workforce after raising children and working on side projects:

Hello, I’m Cynthia. For the past 10 years, I’ve worked with over 40 clients – from small businesses to law firms – helping them with their graphic design needs. I’m a skilled designer who can create infographics, brochures, booklets, covers, magazines, and branding assets from scratch. I have the self-discipline to work remotely and address client needs in a timely manner. I always beat deadlines – it’s a part of my personal creed. Whether clients need help with Photoshop or InDesign, I’m your girl. I know how to create design assets that work for customers.

An artist who wants to develop his skills:

My name is Nick. As the founder of Nick’s Art & Graphics Studios, I bring over 5 years of experience in all kinds of photography. I’ve worked weddings, galas, diplomatic occasions, and sporting events. To be a skilled photographer, you need to know lighting, lens, and direction. But the most important thing is patience. Getting the right shot is never easy, but I have the experience to give you photos you’ll love. I want to develop my expertise in multimedia so I can improve my product offering to customers. That’s why I’m learning Adobe After Effects to learn more about motion graphics. I’ve also hired two assistants and an intern to help me create beautiful media for my clients. I want to help them convey their brands to the world. Eventually, I’d like to become the dominant media company in my city. I want to become the go-to resource for anyone, from students to professionals, who needs help with creating beautiful media. We’re expanding right now, so I’m doing all I can to better my skills.

From a student:

Hi, I’m Megan. Right now, I’m pursuing a degree in psychology from Ohio State. My coursework includes child and criminal psychology. To supplement my studies, I’m interning as a child-care specialist with Hope for Kiddos, where we work with students individually by talking about their problems at home and bettering their interpersonal skills with team activities. I want to become a child psychologist because I love children and want to cultivate their young minds healthily. Hopefully, after putting in all my training hours, I can open up my own office. Down the road, I’d love to write a book on best practices for childcare psychologists and parents.

Advice from Professionals and Experts

We’ve taken the liberty to cite successful professionals and industry experts.

These opinions offer a first-person perspective on what makes a great elevator pitch.

Darshan Somashekar, founder of Minesweeper Challenge :

In the small time you have, make sure you tell a story. It’s important to capture someone’s attention and emotionally connect. Talk about the problem you’re hoping to solve, or the background on what motivates you. Ask if your audience can relate. If you can hook them to your story, you’re setting yourself up to succeed

Melissa Richards, vice president for communications and enrollment management at Sweet Briar College:

An elevator pitch is called that for a reason. If someone in an elevator asked you about your organization, what would you say in the 20-30 seconds before you reached your floor? Your reply needs to be branded, use plain speech and flow like dialogue. Content basics include what your organization does, how it does it differently than others, for whom and where. The listener must understand all those things without asking for clarification. Avoid complex and run-on sentences, jargon and acronyms. Emphasize your organization’s brand pillars, brand personality and competitive advantages. Practice reading it out loud dozens of times to internalize it but use your own speaking pace, intonation and natural breaks and breaths. It should not sound memorized.

Brian Lim, CEO of iHeartRaves , who appeared on Shark Tank and received deals from Mark Cuban and Daymond John:

If possible, get proof of concept before pitching. We focused on building our business without any outside funding for many years before pitching on Shark Tank and the numbers we presented validated our business better than anything I could say. Know all key metrics around your business and be ready to answer all the basic questions. Shark Tank had a standard pitch format. Two minutes to pitch the Sharks and to be as entertaining as possible and then it jumps into Q&A for hours. We did excellent on the pitch and Q&A by preparing and doing mock pitches and Q&A’s. We presented our success and showcased that we were ready to scale. I had to imagine myself as an investor and check off boxes that I would want to see if I were going to invest money into a company.

Zach Bellas, an American musician, producer, writer, and founder of SMB Records :

Make it relatable – This is a particular problem for musicians. They want to throw out a hundred genres and artist they have the slightest resemblance to and end up confusing everyone they pitch with an endless barrage of information. Make it fun. – People respond to good energy, so it’s not just what you say but how you say it. Put yourself in a good mood, make strong eye contact and speak genuinely from the heart. At the end of the day that is what people buy into.

Laura Prestwich, client coordinator and lead copywriter at Fuze Branding :

Crafting an elevator pitch can be tricky. I think people often want to fall into the trap of using industry buzzwords, and those don’t always translate well outside of industry insiders. Use plain language. What problem are you solving or what barrier are you smashing? How are you doing that in a unique and personal way?

In order to answer those questions, you have to know your target really well. Don’t be afraid to craft multiple elevator pitches based on a specific target or goal. Just like your resume should be specific to the company and position you’re targeting, your pitch should be personal too.

Joy Altimare, chief engagement and brand officer at EHE :

Capture their attention from the first sentence. Studies show that most people remember what you say at the beginning and the end of the conversation. So, you want to start strong and immediately answer the question: “Who are you” and “what makes you different” than others in your field or with your background. You want to establish a relationship with the other person while delivering a firm understanding that you’re the best option for the opportunity/role.

Creatively establish your qualifications by leveraging the art of storytelling. For me, it’s not interesting when someone just list their background and previous roles; I love it when someone can demonstrate the connective tissue between the experiences and can express a common theme that sums up their experiences. So, when you walk away, you leave the person with a very positive – and memorable – expression.

End with a focus on them – the listener. You’ve told them about you, now tell them how you can help them. This demonstrates that you’ve either 1) done a little homework or 2) you understand their category and can quickly access their key issues and provide tangible action items to help them succeed. This will round out the conversation and lean towards a great partnership.

Dr. Kara Fasone, co-founder and Chief Wellness Officer at  Wise & Well Academy :

Your elevator pitch will not stay the same! In fact, you should adapt it based on the situation. So, an elevator pitch I use at an internal networking event will be slightly different from the one I use at an industry-specific conference which will also be different from the one I use at a leadership retreat.

Spend 3 minutes reviewing and updating your elevator speech each time you sign-up for a new event that requires use of your pitch. This allows you to ensure your spiel is relevant while providing an opportunity to practice, practice, practice.

The key is to get to a point where your pitch sounds conversational and unrehearsed. You don’t want to come off as scripted and disingenuous as you’re meeting new people.

Rich Franklin, president of KBC Staffing :

Unless you are certain of your audience and their precise level of comprehension, don’t throw too much new information at them. Too much industry-specific, technical jargon or less-than-universal acronyms can cause mental saturation. Having industry expertise is great but make sure to demonstrate it without sacrificing clear communication.

Make sure your value proposition, customer segments, monetization strategy, and differentiators are easily understood – Clearly describe a) what you do, b) who you do it for, c) how you make money doing it and d) what makes you special or prevents someone else from doing the same thing.

Depending on your audience and the situation, you may not bring up all these areas in your short elevator pitch but you should know how to clearly explain them all. If you explain it to your grandmother and she doesn’t “get it,” your pitch might need some work. If you pitch it to twenty potential cofounders and none of them “get it,” your pitch definitely needs work.

Gennady Litvin, attorney at Moshes Law :

There’s a tendency to ramble and rush when giving an elevator pitch because the time allotted is so short but don’t. Instead, take your time and make sure you’re speaking clear enough so they can understand what is being said. You’ll find that rushing through it does more harm than good.

What’s the point of pitching them if they can’t even follow what you’re saying? Be concise with your message, this is easy if you understand what you sell, who you’re selling to, and how it benefits them as I stated before. And be conversational, even though this is a pitch find a way to include them and turn this pitch into a conversation. Pitches only last for about 30 seconds but a conversation can go on for hours.

Marina Shumaieva, co-founder and CTO of CruiseBe :

The main thing in this short pitch is practice. You should work on speed, intonation, readiness to respond to questions and interruptions. As for the proper construction of sentences describing your company, I’d like to recommend you a good game practice. Write down 5-10 large companies that were founded as startups. Try to write one-sentence pitches that could be the basis of their elevator pitches. Then try to find examples of pitches and compare the results.

Conclusion: How to Craft an Amazing Elevator Pitch

The elevator pitch, also known as the elevator speeech, is one component of successful networking . It will help you network confidently. When giving your elevator pitch, stand up straight, give a firm handshake, and look your partner in the eye.

Keys to crafting an excellent elevator pitch include practice, organization, and discipline. Take your time, take it slow, and start from scratch.

Last, be sure to include pertinent information in your elevator pitch. Stick to the important facts and elements of your story.

Good luck! Let us know if you have any questions.

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

Elevator Speech [Outline + 13 Examples]

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Capturing your background, skills, and objectives into a short and clever elevator speech can be difficult. How do you know what to keep and what to leave out? How do you make an impression in such a short time?

Standing out with your elevator speech doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little practice, you’ll gain confidence in introducing yourself at a job interview, career fair, and, of course, on an elevator ride! Here’s a quick guide to help you craft the perfect pitch along with several elevator speech examples.

In this article:

Tips for Creating a Good Elevator Speech

A sample elevator speech outline, checklist for fine-tuning, elevator speech examples.

The elements that make up a great elevator speech outline are pretty straightforward. You need to describe who you are, what you do, and what your goal is. While the elevator speech template stays the same whether you’re speaking with a potential employer or a sales prospect, you might add other elements to match your unique situation.

Here are a few tips for crafting your personal elevator pitch:

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• Keep it 30 to 60 seconds long.
• Use persuasive speech to spark your listener’s interest.
• Showcase your qualifications or skills.
• For a sales pitch, try starting with an open-ended question.
• Describe who you help and what problem you aim to help them solve.
• Be ready to customize your speech to fit your target audience.

Whether you’re a business owner preparing for a networking event or a job seeker attending a job fair, you can benefit from perfecting a succinct and effective elevator pitch. A go-to elevator speech comes in handy when you’re introducing yourself to new people in general. Have a business card on hand and ready to deliver as well.

Your elevator speech can also provide the right content for social media bios or a resume objective statement. This statement represents your personal brand, so keep it consistent across all social media channels.

Be sure to practice your elevator statement over and over so that you’re able to deliver it naturally, even in a moment’s notice. If you’re stumped for ideas, draw from the elevator speech examples listed below.

This model suggestion plan assists you to avoid creating a sales pitch. It must be  from  your mouth and supporting body language gestures, and  about  your skills and abilities. Use each idea to write one short powerful sentence.

The 10 speech topics I will explicate right now in the next paragraphs are primers to write a carefully planned and prepared presentation that grabs attention and says a lot in a few words.

Remember: tweak till it fits your personality and decisive nature.

ABOUT YOU 1. Smile to your counterpart, and open with a statement or question that grabs attention: a  hook  that prompt your listener to ask questions. 2. Tell who you are: describe you and your company. 3. Tell what you do and show enthusiasm.

WHAT DO YOU OFFER 4. Tell what problems have solved or contributions you have made. 5. Offer a vivid example. 6. Tell why you are interested in your listener.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS 7. Tell what very special service, product or solutions you can offer him or her. 8. What are the advantages of working with you? In what do you differ from competative companies?

HOW DO YOU DO IT 9. Give a concrete example or tell a short story, show your uniqueness and provide illustrations on how you work.

CALL FOR ACTION 10. What is the most wanted response? Do you want a business card, a referral or an  corporate appointment for a presentation after your elevator speech ?

OTHER BUSINESS QUESTIONS

These are other points, questions and business subjects you could ask:

• Who is your target?
• How large is your market volume?
• How do you make profits?
• What are the background, major milestones and achievements of your team?
• Who are your competitors, how do they solve a problem? What is your strength and advantage compared to them? What is your Unique Selling Proposition?
• Are there special patents or technology? Do you have a special approach in client management? And so on.

STEP 1: First write down all that comes up in your mind.

STEP 2: Then cut the jargon and details. Make strong short and powerful sentences. Eliminate unnecessary words.

STEP 3: Connect phrases to each other. Your elevator speech address has to flow natural and smoothly. Do not rush, keep eye contact all the time and work steady to the grande finale: the call to action.

STEP 4: Memorize key points and practice out loud – test it with a close relative in the safe environment of your home.

STEP 5: Have you really answered  the  key question of your listener:  What’s In It For Me?

STEP 6: Create different versions for different business situations of your elevator speech. Note them on professional business cards:

Perfect your own elevator presentation by learning from others. Here are a few effective elevator pitch examples to help you craft your own:

1. Job Seeker Elevator Pitch Example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH0Thez9gvA

You run into all kinds of people at the elevator, even a hiring manager. This sample elevator speech is a good example for those looking for a job interview. It shows how you can highlight your skills and experience even when you’re caught off guard. Notice how she also has a business card ready?

“I’m excited to hear back because the position helps me to use my brand management and social media skills…”

2. Recent Graduate Great Elevator Pitch

This is an excellent example for those who recently graduated with a bachelor degree in business. Notice that she states exactly what she’s looking for – an internship or job opportunity. In just 41 seconds, she states her experience, skills, and some good details about her personality that make her the perfect job candidate.

“I hope to incorporate my business knowledge into consumer trend analysis and strengthening relationships among consumers…”

3. College Student Personal Elevator Speech

This college freshman opens with her interest in the company. She states her major and reflects on high school experiences, also sharing relevant awards she has won for her skills.

“I’ve gotten awards for my leadership skills and I’m very involved with my college…”

4. Personal Brand Elevator Pitch Template

This college graduate pitches his personal brand through stating the skills he acquired in his education, the type of job he is looking for, and why he wants to work in that type of job. He offers a good mix of talking about his own experience while also focusing on how he’ll help clients. He ends his speech with the call to action of directing his audience to his website.

“I strive to lead a team on various projects one day.”

5. Personal Brand Pitch with a Personal Touch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_paOrg5Zpg

Video pitches are becoming increasingly popular for those looking to connect with brands online. This college student’s personal brand sales pitch stands out because it opens and closes with inspirational music. She explains her personal promise and future plans to receive her master degree.

“I promise to always bring positivity to the table and to remain hard working and dedicated no matter what the task.”

6. Business Plan Effective Elevator Speech

This example is perfect for a small business owner looking to pitch a product. The speaker opens with a compelling situation that appeals to his target market, offers his solution and details the features and benefits, announces his promise, and states his objective – all in 51 seconds.

“Don’t let frost bite your buns. Get the hot seat!”

7. Small Business Elevator Speech Sample

Opening with an interesting fact of how much Americans spend on fishing each year, the speaker follows up with an open-ended question to immediately grab audience attention from her target market. This is a great example of a sales pitch to investors, as the speaker outlines her plan for marketing her product and making their ROI (Return on Investment).

“Our goal is to revolutionize the economics of fishing in favor of the customer.”

8. Financial Advisor Elevator Speech

Ron Coleman explains who he is as a financial advisor, who he works for, and what exactly he helps his clients do. Additionally, he explains the type of people who benefit from his services.

“I’m confident that if given the opportunity I can provide you with the service and the coverage you need in order to protect your business, you, and your family from a variety of different risks.”

9. The Career Fair Elevator Pitch

This funny elevator speech example is the perfect model for a job seeker attending a job fair. The speaker highlights the importance of expressing interest in the company by acknowledging their work and asking a related open-ended question. Of course, lead with your own experience and skills that are relevant to the company representative whom you’re speaking with.

“I read on your website that you are the only company that has increased efficiency by employing mannequins. Can you tell me a bit more about that process?”

10. Good Elevator Speech for Speed Networking

This example from a holistic marketing mentor shows how you can sum up who you are, what you do, and the people you can help in one quick and savvy sentence.

“I help wellness professionals find additional revenue streams so that they can help more people and live a life of ease and grace.”

11. Extreme Sale Pitch Example with Iron Man Jericho Missile Test Scene

Sure, you might not ever get the opportunity to pitch a missile system, but you can take away a lot from Robert Downey Jr.’s confidence as Iron Man. Notice how he opens with a thought-provoking question, offers his guarantee, and humbly ends with a bonus.

“That’s how Dad did it, that’s how America did it, and it’s worked out pretty well so far.”

12. Don Draper’s Funny but Effective Sales Pitch

This funny elevator speech example shows the importance of using a tagline for your personal brand.

“From a basket of kisses she picks one. It makes her unique. It colors her kiss. And her kiss, well, it colors her man. Mark your man.”

13. Real Estate Elevator Speech Example

This is the perfect elevator pitch example for real estate agents. Stacy talks about what she specializes in and highlights her experience in the real estate industry.

“If you know of someone who is looking for a real estate agent in the metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri area that is professional, knowledgeable, and technologically savvy, that’s me!”

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60+ Elevator Pitch Examples by Type, Scenario, and Industry

By Kate Eby | January 26, 2023

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No matter your industry, your goals, or your career level, you should always have an elevator pitch prepared. We’ve worked with experts to assemble the largest collection of elevator pitches to help spark inspiration as you craft your own. 

Included in this article, you’ll find detailed elevator pitches sorted by type, such as a 10-second one-liner pitch and a two-minute pitch ; by scenario, such as a sales pitch and an elevator pitch for students ; and by industry, such as a pitch for project managers and an elevator pitch for an accountant .

What Is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a quick summary of a person, product, or company. A good pitch clearly conveys what you do, while encouraging a connection. Elevator pitches should be engaging, persuasive, and clear. 

The sheer number of strategies and methods for writing an elevator pitch can be daunting. Reviewing elevator pitch examples can be a great way to learn how others pitch their companies or services so that you can adapt their ideas to your own business, product, or service. 

Find everything you need to write an elevator pitch , including how long it should be, common elevator pitch pitfalls, tips from experts, detailed examples of pitches, and more. For additional resources, try one of these downloadable elevator pitch templates .

Elevator Pitch Examples by Type

Elevator pitches can vary in length, from 10-second one-liners to five-minute investor pitches. You can also use different strategies to strengthen your pitch, such as attention-grabbing questions or surprise endings.

Review the following examples to see how you can apply different elevator pitch strategies and structures to your own pitches.

10-Second, One-Liner Elevator Pitch Examples

When you don’t have time for a full 60-second elevator pitch, it can be helpful to prepare a supershort 10-second pitch. Convey the value, advantage, and function of the person, company, or product you are pitching in 10 seconds or fewer.

Elevator pitches that are this short should grab the listener’s attention quickly. Try asking a thought-provoking question or sharing a surprising statistic. 

David Leonhardt, Freelance Writer and Owner of THGM Writing Services , shares his supershort, one-line elevator pitch: “A lot of people are just too busy to write their own articles, press releases, reports, or even books, so I help them get it done.” 

In this pitch, Leonhardt communicates directly and clearly what value he can bring with his writing services, without getting bogged down in details. This pitch opens up the possibility of a longer discussion down the road. 

Josh Pies, Executive Producer at C47 Film Associates , uses this pitch when selling his digital marketing services: “I don't want to waste your time. Do you have a strategy to distribute the video you want us to create for you?  'Cuz if you just have a plan, it's not gonna work.”

This pitch, explains Pies, “sets up a conversation about how strategy must precede creativity.” In less than 10 seconds, he’s caught the listener’s attention, asked a thought-provoking question, and kindled interest in his expertise.

30-Second Elevator Pitch Examples

Thirty seconds is a standard length for a short elevator pitch. In half a minute, a speaker should be able to provide just enough information to pique listener interest. Try including statistics, thoughtful questions, quick jokes, or other attention-grabbing strategies. 

Here are two examples of effective 30-second elevator pitches: 

• “Did you know that 70 percent of the waste produced by the global beauty industry comes from packaging materials? That’s billions of tons of rigid plastic. We think this is a serious problem, which is why we’ve made a commitment to doing better. In just the last two years, we’ve increased the amount of biodegradable materials in our packaging from 40 to 60 percent.”
• “I’ve worked with parents who are so anxious about getting their children into private schools that they’re losing sleep. And it’s understandable. Every school has different standards, essays to write, tests to take, and high-pressure interviews. I simplify the whole process. I do the heavy lifting so that my clients can relax, while knowing that they’re doing everything possible to get their children the education they deserve.”

Take a look at this chart to see how these examples pack in lots of information in a few short sentences.

One-Minute Elevator Pitch Example

Sixty seconds is another common length for an elevator pitch. In one minute, a speaker can provide compelling data, show personality, and more. Practice a one-minute elevator pitch often to make sure you are using the time wisely. 

Lucy Hurst, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Sherbet Donkey Media , shares her company’s one-minute elevator pitch: “Sherbet Donkey Media was set up with the intention to disrupt the digital marketing industry by being honest and clear with clients from the get-go and producing tangible results. We’ve put together a team with exceptional and complementary expertise, and every member of our staff keeps their finger on the pulse as well. From the start of your marketing campaign, all our departments will work together to ensure that the marketing strategy succeeds on every level. It’s then consistently monitored and tweaked accordingly to ensure that you get results. We have multiplied a business’s e-commerce sales tenfold in 12 months. While we can’t guarantee this for every customer, we can promise that we will deliver results like no other.”

In this elevator pitch, Hurst uses the additional time to clearly explain what Sherbet Donkey Media does and how it can add value. She cites specific evidence of the company’s past success and paints a colorful portrait of its culture and team makeup.

Two-Minute Elevator Pitch Example

Two minutes is an uncommon length for an elevator pitch. Take advantage of this stretch of time to pitch your product or service by telling compelling stories, establishing credibility, and asking engaging questions. Always rehearse your talking points. 

Longer pitches are appropriate for situations where you already have a captive audience, such as in a presentation or an interview. Divide your pitch into sections to keep your information organized and concise.

Here is an example of a two-minute pitch a candidate might use to introduce themselves in a job interview : 

In two minutes, you should be able to demonstrate that you know industry lingo, show relevant experience, and have goals that align with the role you want. 

Tip: Any time you pitch a potential client, employer, investor, or other person, do your research ahead of time and tailor your pitch to your audience.

Five-Minute Elevator Pitch Examples

Once an elevator pitch is five minutes long, it’s not really an elevator pitch. In five minutes, you can offer a fully fleshed-out pitch to present to investors, potential clients, or executives within your company. 

For example, you might pitch your services to a new client. Ask them questions to identify their specific needs and explain how you are uniquely positioned to address them. 

Here are some questions you might ask: 

• How are you currently supporting your system?
• When was the last time you completed a project, and how did it go?
• How did you find the resources for that project? 
• What are some of the attributes you look for in a resource?
• What are some reasons you’re looking at different options for your next project?
• Which of those is most important? 
• Which of those have you had the most trouble finding?

Tip: For five-minute pitches, visual tools such as a PowerPoint presentation will help you stay organized and help your audience follow along. Remember to ask a lot of questions, which helps with engagement as you present your idea.

Elevator Pitch Deck Template for PowerPoint

Download the Elevator Pitch Deck Template for PowerPoint

Try this elevator pitch deck template for help structuring a longer presentation. The template organizes a pitch in a simple, six-part structure, which includes a problem statement, solution statement, expertise, competition, justification, and call to action.

Attention-Grabbing Question Examples of Elevator Pitches

Want to make your pitch stand out? Start with an attention-grabbing question. A thoughtful or surprising question can engage and excite listeners as you deliver the rest of your elevator pitch. 

Shane Hampson , an experienced SEO consultant, uses an attention-grabbing question to pitch his services: “Are you capitalizing on the estimated one-third of Americans who search for a local business every day? My clients have generated millions of dollars in revenue by making their websites reflect the expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness that are needed to succeed online.”

This pitch uses a common strategy of combining an attention-grabbing question with a surprising statistic .

Question Everything Pitch Example

One way to establish credibility and capture a listener’s attention is to challenge their most basic assumptions by using the question everything tactic. Start your pitch with information you could only have gotten with your specific experience or expertise.

Pies from C47 Film Associates uses this tactic in this longer elevator pitch: “I've had videos go viral — viewership from around the world — and not made a dime. It actually cost us. I've had videos with 10 views that make us a small fortune. After 20 years of doing this work, you learn a thing or two. If we made you a video that had one view, but it was Warren Buffett and he signed a billion-dollar contract with you, would you be worried about the view count not being higher? Here's what I'd prefer to do with you. Let's hatch a plan. Let's follow that plan and get the right attention, from the right people, in the right way, and then we'll get the right response. I want you to get results. Can I show you how to do that?”

In this example, Pies asks the listener to rethink the way they measure the success of online videos. He’s piqued their interest by having them question what their goals really are and how they might meet them. Additionally, he’s established credibility and demonstrated the value of his years of experience.

Credibility Boost Pitch Example

Establishing credibility is essential for any elevator pitch. When listeners think you are credible, they will be more open to your ideas. Incorporate evidence, statistics, or stories that will boost credibility with your listeners. 

Ravi Davda, CEO of Rockstar Marketing , demonstrates an effective credibility boost by saying, “As someone with six years of experience as an entrepreneur, I've made every mistake when it comes to marketing your business. That's the reason why I started Rockstar Marketing — so you wouldn't have to make the same, expensive mistakes I did.”

In this example, Davda draws on his years of experience to show that he has the knowhow to avoid costly mistakes.

Relatable-over-Reliable Elevator Pitch Example

Sometimes the best strategy for an elevator pitch is to focus on making a personal connection. Tell a story that shows your audience that you can relate to them, while still offering a solution to their problem. 

Here is an example of a relatable-over-reliable elevator pitch: “When I started my first management position, I didn’t know what I was doing, but I also didn’t want it to seem like I couldn’t handle my new responsibilities. Instead of asking for help, getting feedback, or reflecting on my management style, I just plowed ahead. It took three team members suddenly walking out on me before I realized that I had to consult an expert, learn what I was doing wrong, and change. Now I have over 20 years of managerial experience and a successful management consulting firm of my own.”

Surprise Ending Pitch Example

Use a surprise ending elevator pitch to help a listener visualize your solution. Start with a situation your listener can relate to, then show how the outcome might be different with your product or service. 

Here is a surprise ending elevator pitch for a mobile app: “Let’s say your employer has just switched insurance companies, and your primary care provider is no longer in network. You could spend hours researching in-network doctors, asking friends for referrals, or navigating your insurance website to find a new doctor. But there’s another possibility. Imagine you had access to reviews, insurance information, availability, specialties, and more, all in one user-friendly location. That’s what you have if you download this app.”

Unbelievable Statistic Elevator Pitch Examples

An unbelievable statistic is a great way to capture a listener’s attention and stress the importance of your product or service. Look for numbers that are significantly higher or lower than you might expect, and add them to your pitch. 

Here are some unbelievable statistics that would work well as elevator pitch openers:

• “One fast food burger patty can contain meat from as many as 100 different cows. With our burgers, we guarantee that one burger equals one cow.” 
• “For every 1,470 resumes the average employer receives, they will hire just one candidate. That’s why job seekers need all the help they can get to make their resumes stand out.”
• “In the next five years, the U.S. workforce will be 75 percent millennials. That’s why it’s vital to stay up to date on millennial workforce trends.”
• “On average, an office work desk contains 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. You need to hire cleaners you can trust to keep your workplace safe and clean.”

Outlandish Start Pitch Example

An outlandish start elevator pitch can make your pitch extra memorable. Use creativity to add humor, playfulness, and color to your pitch, while still being clear and specific about the problem you can solve.

Pies created this example for a commercial advertising a snow plowing company, where the speaker is dressed up like a cowboy: “There's only one cowboy in this town who can ride 501 horses at the same time and leave no snow, or manure, behind — and that's me. Mind if I tell ya how?”

Start with a Stat Pitch Example

Beginning an elevator pitch with a surprising statistic shows that you are prepared and knowledgeable about a subject. Start with a stat to bolster credibility and demonstrate why your services are necessary. 

Dean Kaplan, CEO of The Kaplan Group , uses an unbelievable statistic to begin the elevator pitch for his company: “Did you know that the industry success rate for collecting business debts falls to 50 percent at only seven months past the due date? This is why it is worth considering engaging an experienced business debt collection company. At our company, each collector has at least 10 years of experience across multiple companies and industries. We are proud to say we have an industry-leading 85 percent success rate for recovering debts.”

Kaplan’s example shows how you can use a surprising statistic at the top of your pitch to make your company or product description more persuasive. In addition, it incorporates credibility-boosting evidence .

Storyteller Elevator Pitch Example

Thinking of your elevator pitch as a story provides structure, while engaging an audience. A storyteller elevator pitch builds on common narrative structures to convey information in a memorable way. 

For example: “When I first started the company, I was the only employee. I had tens of thousands of dollars worth of student debt and zero professional experience. Fifteen years later, we have 200 employees and are one of the top outdoor equipment retailers in North America. Do you want to know how we did that?”

A Customer Story Pitch Example

A customer story elevator pitch demonstrates your past successes with clients. These pitches help you build a connection to the listener, who might be facing a similar problem to the one you’ve already solved.

Here is Davda’s example of a successful elevator pitch that incorporates a customer story: “We have a client with a fitness business, similar to yours. Before they started working with us, they weren't appearing on page one for any keywords. In the last six months, they've started showing up for 13 different keywords and increased their organic traffic by 329 percent.”

Reality Check Pitch Example

In elevator pitches, a reality check is a short statement or question that helps the listener realize they have a problem or stokes their frustration. A reality check can be a helpful way to make your product or service appear more urgent and necessary. 

Hurst shares a reality check example in this pitch for Sherbet Donkey Media: “Let me guess — your current digital marketing agency either doesn't keep you updated or doesn't produce results for you.” 

By starting her pitch with “let me guess,” Hurst highlights that this is a common problem. It sparks frustration in the listener, who can surmise there is an easy solution that they’re missing. 

When she continues with the rest of her pitch, she presents the listener with that solution: “This is exactly why Sherbet Donkey Media was set up. We’ll be honest and clear with you from the get-go as to what exactly we can do for you and what you can expect. We’re driven by ensuring that our customers are kept happy and with all the clients that we currently have on our books, I’m confident that we can exceed your expectations.”

Comedic Spin Example of an Elevator Pitch

When appropriate, put a comedic spin on your elevator pitch to make it more fun and interesting. Use humor to break the ice at a networking or to lighten the mood during a presentation. 

For Sherbet Donkey Media, Hurst uses this quick, funny elevator pitch: “Hey, we’re specialists in all things digital marketing. Why not let us do the donkey work? Here’s my card.” Hurst’s example is a light, fun way to play on a company’s name in a pitch. Not only does this make the pitch feel more friendly, it also makes the company name more memorable.

The Joke Elevator Pitch Example

A quick joke in an elevator pitch can lighten the mood, making the speaker appear more likable. Prepare a light joke or two about your company or service to make your elevator pitch more engaging. 

For example: “Researchers have found knowing that something bad is about to happen is actually less stressful than not knowing what’s about to happen. That’s why we employ top-of-the-line psychics to anticipate financial problems. I’m just kidding, we don’t hire psychics. But our market analysts are so experienced, knowledgeable, and thorough that they’re the next best thing.”

Tip: When using humor in your elevator pitch, remember that your priority is to clearly and convincingly communicate the problem that you can solve.

Emotional or Sentimental Appeal Pitch Example

Empathy is an important component in an elevator pitch. In some cases, especially services such as counseling or life coaching, making a direct emotional or sentimental appeal can be a useful way to build trust and make a connection. 

Kathy Streb, Life Coach and Owner of Kathy Streb Coaching , LLC, advertises her life coaching services by opening up and being vulnerable about her own experiences: “The last few years have been one of the hardest times of my life. Working in healthcare as a nurse practitioner during a pandemic made me realize that I was doing too much and I was anxious all the time. I knew that I needed to make changes and just didn’t know where to turn for help. Someone suggested I hire a coach. At first, I didn’t believe it would be helpful, but the last few months we went through an eye-opening process that changed my life.

“What I now know to be true is that I can love my job and still have time for me. I can take time to enjoy my family without guilt or regret. I can heal myself. It’s okay to reinvent myself at any age. It’s okay to not love my life even though I think I should. Change takes courage, but I don’t have to do it alone. After my own transformation, I want to help others the way that I have been helped. I learned the tools in my life coaching program to do just that. Could you use clarity in some area of your life? Would you like to see how coaching can help you?”

Elevator Pitch Examples by Scenario

From informal meet-ups to job interviews, customize your elevator pitch to fit any scenario. For example, when attending an informal networking event, practice a friendly, conversation-starting pitch. For a job interview, prepare a concise summary of your experience and goals.

Remember that in any scenario, an elevator pitch is simply a way to open the door for further connection. “I don't ask for people's business on first meeting them,” explains Leonhardt. “If this interests them, they'll engage. That prompts me to say more and learn about their needs; when someone reacts to my elevator pitch, it gives me permission to explore how I might help them, without me coming across as an aggressive huckster.”

Pitching a C-Level Executive or Business Owner Example

When pitching a C-level executive or a business owner, remember that you don’t have much time to make an impression. C-level executives and business owners hear more pitches than most people. Get to the bottom line quickly. 

Here is an example of a pitch that an IT recruitment professional might make to a company’s COO: “Based on what you told me about your plans to expand the business into new markets, I think a CRM system that better fits your overall sales process and business model would increase user acceptance and adoption from your sales team and get rid of bottlenecks that can impede your overall efficiency. I have a technical architect who recently solved this exact problem for one of your competitors and just became available for a new project. When would you be free to speak with him?”

Job Interview Pitch Example

During a job interview interviewers usually say, “Tell me about yourself.” Your response is your elevator pitch. Prepare a concise statement that includes your professional experience, goals, and view of how you’ll succeed in the role.

Here is an example job interview pitch from a lawyer applying to a new firm: “My name is Laura Smith, and I’m a lawyer with four years of experience at a major law firm. I specialize in intellectual property law, and I’m looking to join a smaller firm where I will be able to work more closely with small production companies.”

This pitch is short and sweet. Laura will have plenty of time later to answer specific questions about her qualifications, experience, and strengths. For now, she makes her background and goals crystal clear.

Networking Event Pitch Example

Always arrive at a networking event with a rehearsed elevator pitch ready to go. Networking events might include job fairs, happy hour meetups, conferences, trade shows, or more. Networking event pitches should be friendly and open a path for further discussion.

SEO consultant Hampson describes his services with this fun, friendly elevator pitch: “You might not know my name yet, but you are likely familiar with my work. I have helped hundreds of websites rank at the top of search engines.”

Formal Meeting Pitch Example

If you’ve landed a formal meeting with a potential client or employer, you’ll need to quickly explain to them who you are and what you do. Whether you’re meeting in person or virtually, introduce yourself and summarize what you do. 

Hampson recommends an elevator pitch like this one: “My name is Shane Hampson, and I am a search engine optimization professional. I can provide you leads that close 14 percent more often than outbound lead generation. Would you like your website to be seen as the solution to searchers’ pain points?”

Virtual Introduction Elevator Pitch Example

Virtual networking can be a terrific way to make connections and find opportunities, but it can also be intimidating. Prepare and practice a short pitch that communicates your background, your goals, and what you’re looking for in a connection. 

Here is an example of an elevator pitch for a networking event: “My name is Claire. I’m an assistant producer at a health insurance marketing company. I have some personal creative projects that I’ve recently received funding for, and I’m looking for some collaborators with experience in mixing and sound design.”

Tip: Even though you’re at home in front of your computer, dress as if you’re going to an in-person event. By looking polished and professional, you will not only send the right message, you will boost your confidence when delivering your pitch.

Sales Pitch Example

An effective sales pitch identifies pain points and offers unique solutions. In a sales pitch, the speaker should conduct ample research beforehand and ask lots of questions. Be sure to listen carefully to how your audience responds.

Here are two examples of sales elevator pitches:

• “I understand that you’re having trouble with your current CMS. That can be so frustrating, especially in a company that produces as much content as yours. We have a highly trained staff that can help transition you over to a new system with minimal interruption to your processes. Can you tell me what you’re most concerned about with switching solutions?”
• “Most contractors care about getting work done quickly and cheaply. That might be important for some projects, but I know your art gallery has other priorities. We can work with you and your schedule to make sure that every piece of art in this installation is treated with the care it deserves.”

Elevator Pitch for a Social Introduction

Social events can help expand your network and grow your business. Arrive at any event with an elevator pitch that communicates who you are, what you do, and how you’re unique. 

Jami Yazdani, Founder and Chief Consultant at Yazdani Consulting and Facilitation , uses the following pitch in social introductions during networking events: “I work in project management consulting, where I’m best known for helping my clients deliver more successful, collaborative, and impactful projects. I most often serve leaders and managers in mission-driven organizations, including nonprofits, educational institutions, and libraries. When they need help to better manage their own projects, I can offer training or project coaching. If they want more hands-on support to successfully deliver on project outcomes, I offer expert management at any or every phase of their project. I can also help leaders develop and implement processes and workflows to ensure continued success across projects.”

In this pitch, Yazdani clearly explains what she does while also communicating her passions and interests.

Entrepreneurs and Business Owners Elevator Pitch Example

Entrepreneurs and business owners need to be experts in elevator pitching. Whatever your business, you should be able to summarize what you do in one or two sentences. Once you’ve piqued the listener’s interest, you can elaborate.

Megan Tatge, Owner of Eastwood Professionals, LLC , shares her elevator pitch for her small business: “Hi. I’m Megan, a ninja of words and coordinator of chaos. With experience supporting businesses of all sizes, I have mastered the ability to multitask, shift priorities, and seize every opportunity for growth. Most recently I left the recruiting industry and plunged headfirst into the world of entrepreneurship. My company, Eastwood Professionals, LLC, is focused on taking the suck out of the job search process by providing affordable resume and job seeker services to individuals across all levels and all industries. Whether you are actively on the hunt for your next career or simply exploring, I would love to help.”

Tatge uses a fun, playful introduction, shares her background, and clearly communicates what her business does.

Mutual Connection Pitch Example

If you have a mutual connection with a potential client, employer, or investor, be sure to mention it early in your elevator pitch. Having friends, colleagues, or companies in common will implicitly increase trust and encourage connection. 

Here are some examples of mutual connections that you can use in an elevator pitch: 

• “An associate producer on your team is actually someone I played rugby with in college!”
• “I saw on LinkedIn that you also went to [UNIVERSITY]. I graduated a year after you!”
• “I heard you mention that you worked several years at [COMPANY]. That’s where I got my first job out of college.”
• “I’ve actually heard about you through my friend, [NAME]. She had nothing but good things to say about your firm.”

Tip: Make sure that you actually know and are in good standing with anyone you namedrop. Never exaggerate or mischaracterize your relationship. You don’t want to find yourself in an awkward situation down the road.

Personal Elevator Pitch Example

A personal elevator pitch is an opportunity to quickly share who you are, what you do, and your passion. Always be prepared with a personal elevator pitch for networking events, interviews, or chance encounters.

For example: “I am a husband, a parent, and a cancer survivor. I’ve learned from experience how important it is, especially in a crisis, to take the time to be compassionate with yourself and the people you love. I’ve dedicated my entire life and career to helping people through personal and family emergencies.”

Use these questions to help you brainstorm for your personal elevator pitch:

• What is your background?
• What experience do you have?
• What are you passionate about?
• What inspires you?
• What are your career goals?
• What have you achieved?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What special skills do you have?

Student Elevator Pitch Example

Students might not have many — or any — professional experience to include in an elevator pitch. However, they can still craft a persuasive pitch. Students should focus on coursework, interests, extracurriculars, and career goals for the future. 

Wendy Toth, Founder of PowerSuiting and Co-Founder of Great Pet Care, provides two examples of elevator pitches. The first is a pitch she used during her career as a journalist, while the second is adjusted to show how it might look for a college student or recent graduate:

• Early Career: “I’m a writer and editor with over five years of experience producing content that’s razor-focused on the female head of the household. From consulting experts on ways that busy professionals can save time to researching the best summer sandals, my aim is to make life easier for women.”
• Student: “I’m a nonfiction writing major with two years of experience covering arts and leisure for my college newspaper. From interviewing visiting artists for our spring exhibition to reviewing our production of Cabaret , my aim is to make appreciation of the arts accessible through my writing.”

In Toth’s student elevator pitch example, she highlights a relevant extracurricular activity and communicates her interests and goals.

Tip: “As a career coach, I encourage my clients to break their elevator pitch into two sentences,” says Toth. “Sentence one covers who you are and your level of experience. Sentence two covers a specific example of something you have done that you're proud of and why you're proud of it.”

Example Elevator Pitch for Internship Example

In your elevator pitch for an internship, provide evidence that you will succeed in this role. It is important to be specific about your career goals and explain how this internship will help you meet them. Demonstrate that you are excited and eager to learn. 

Here is an example of an elevator pitch from someone with limited experience, who might be trying to land their first internship: “I’m a sophomore history and English double major at X University. I want to pursue a career in book publishing after I graduate. I have a strong academic record, and I’m looking to expand my experience into the professional world. I’ve always been an avid reader, and I’ve kept up with current publishing trends, but there’s still so much about the nuts and bolts of book publishing that is mysterious to me. I’d love an opportunity to intern at your imprint and learn as much as I can.”

Startup Business Idea Pitch Example

Every business starts as an idea. If you have a startup business idea, prepare an exciting, focused elevator pitch that you are ready to present to potential investors and collaborators. Introduce a problem and show how your idea is the best solution to address it. 

While a longer pitch is more appropriate for a formal meeting with investors, a quick elevator pitch might be what lands you that meeting in the first place. A surprising statistic or a thoughtful question are excellent tactics for a startup elevator pitch.

For example: “Did you know ridesharing apps have been responsible for an increase in traffic-related deaths? I can help bring that number back down by connecting drivers with the safety resources and technologies they need.”

Elevator Pitch Examples by Industry

The tone, content, and style of a successful elevator pitch differs among industries. For example, in IT or engineering, an elevator pitch should demonstrate technical expertise. In marketing or sales, it should showcase personality and a track record of success. 

On company websites, many About Us pages include descriptions that work well as elevator pitches. These pitches have to be concise and informative, while piquing enough interest in website visitors that they choose to visit more pages and seek their products or services. 

For example, on the Why Smartsheet page, you’ll find an elevator pitch that provides a compelling statistic and a brief overview of its services and clients:

General Business Elevator Pitch Examples

In a general business elevator pitch, communicate what your company does and how it stands out from your competitors. By the end of your pitch, the listener should feel that they understand exactly what you do and how you do it.

Here are two examples of general business elevator pitches:

• “Hi, my name is Lexi Freeman, and I’m the Founder and CEO of The Local Restaurant. It’s lovely to meet you! I saw that you are opening up a new fast casual restaurant. When so much care goes into crafting beautiful food and experiences, it can be hard to also make sure your business is profitable. That’s why we partner with local, family-owned restaurants to help them connect with community members, expand their reach, and stay in business longer. Can you tell me a little bit about the vision for this restaurant?”
• “I am fascinated by the research you’re doing at Marketexecs. You’ve been on the cutting edge of market research for almost a decade now. Have you considered partnering with a recruiting firm like ours to help connect you with the most sought-after talent in the industry? In the last year alone, we’ve developed partnerships with 12 leading research universities and have connected over 200 award-winning Ph.D. recipients with companies like yours.”

Elevator Pitch Examples Healthcare Examples

In the healthcare space, elevator pitches need to show that a company or individual is trustworthy and qualified. Healthcare providers should use their pitches to communicate their values as well as their expertise and experience. 

Headspace is a meditation app and digital health platform that brings at-home mindfulness practices to your digital devices. Headspace's About Us page includes a company description that follows a common format for elevator pitches. They establish who they are, what they do, and why they do it:

Another example comes from NYU Family Health Centers at NYU Langone . On their website, they provide a thorough organization description, which is also an excellent elevator pitch for their healthcare services: 

Just like an in-person elevator pitch, an online pitch should open up a conversation or spark new questions. Notice how they provide a link at the end of the description, so that website visitors can access more information if they wish. 

A third example comes from Edwards Lifesciences , a leading medical device company. Here is a company video featured on their site, which is an excellent elevator pitch that captures its history, ethos, and current projects:

Elevator Pitch for Consulting Example

In their elevator pitches, consultants should show how they will add value for their clients. They should foreground their professional experience and successes, and ask questions that help them identify a client’s specific needs. 

This is how Yazdani pitches her project management consulting company on the Our Story section of her company website:

Yazdani covers what she does and what she can bring to a company, before providing a link where users can access more information or contact her.

Accountant Elevator Pitch Example

Accountants need to communicate authority and experience in an elevator pitch. Components such as humor will be less persuasive. Focus instead on evidence of your success and trustworthiness, specific knowledge, and experience.

For example, on its website, the CPA firm Hunrath, Napolitano, Quigley and Taylor, LLC has crafted an excellent elevator pitch for attracting accounting clients:

Notice how this CPA firm lists specific services and areas of expertise, while also communicating its values and commitment to personalized services.

Elevator Pitch for Data Science Example

Many businesses rely on data science to stay organized and make good decisions. An elevator pitch for a data science company or service should highlight its qualifications, record of success, and technical expertise. 

Matt Hammel is the COO and Co-Founder of AirOps , a software company that helps organizations understand and manage their data. His pitch for AirOps highlights the value that the company can add: “AirOps uses artificial intelligence (AI) to instantly unlock value from your organization's data. Our software makes it so anyone in your organization can safely and easily find, understand, organize, and take action on high quality datasets. Now, your technical teams can spend their time working on the most complex projects and your business teams can quickly get what they need to make your business run fast.”

Elevator Pitch for Engineers Example 

When looking for or applying to engineering roles, technical expertise is key. Be specific in your elevator pitch about your skills, knowledge, and experience. Demonstrate that you know the lingo in your particular field of engineering. 

For example: “Right now, I’m a mechanical engineer at Microsoft, where I’ve worked for three years designing and testing hardware. I’ve been the technical lead for several multidisciplinary teams that deploy high-quality IT equipment. I’ve been really interested in the work your company is doing with robotics and saw that you are hiring a mechanical engineer. What kind of skills are you looking for in that role?”

Similarly, engineering companies should foreground their successes and capabilities. P2S Inc. is one of the top engineering firms in the United States. The elevator pitch featured on their website establishes credibility by citing their longevity, clearly stating their mission, and providing visitors with an option to explore more information with links:

Elevator Pitch for Human Resources Example

An elevator pitch for a human resources professional needs to convey reliability, attention to detail, and ability to work well with others. Incorporate strategies that show personality, values, and a record of consistency. 

Max Wesman, COO of GoodHire , uses the relatable-over-reliable strategy at the top of his pitch for GoodHire: “Tired of waiting weeks to hear back from a background check? So were we. GoodHire offers 90 percent of nationwide criminal checks in under a minute, and with an industry-leading rate of accuracy, so you never risk losing the dream candidate. All of this is contained within a mobile-optimized dashboard, ensuring that results and status updates are comprehensive, transparent, and visible to both yourself and the candidate.”

In this example, Wesman reminds listeners how frustrated they are with a problem he and his company can solve, which means his listeners will be more engaged as he goes into more detail.

Elevator Pitch for Recruiters Example

In a competitive, global job market, recruiters are key. An elevator pitch for a recruiter or recruitment company needs to show how they are uniquely positioned to face the challenges of that market for their clients.

Aquent Talent is a leading creative staffing company. Aquent Talent's About page includes a friendly, accessible elevator pitch:

Elevator Pitch for a Business Analyst Example

In their elevator pitches, business analysts should showcase their skills and experience. Highlight past successes, areas of expertise, and qualifications. Share what you’ve accomplished, how you did it, and why you’re confident you can do it again. 

For example: “I stay up to date on modern methods of business analysis so that you can get and stay ahead of competitors in a quickly evolving market. In five years, I’ve saved businesses like yours $6.5 million with my innovative approach to process audits.”

Elevator Pitch for Teachers Example

All parents want to know that their children are getting the best education possible. Teachers and other education professionals should use their elevator pitches to communicate their values, reliability, and previous successes.

Troy Portillo, Director of Operations of Studypool , uses this pitch to advertise the company’s tutoring services: “How many times, when you were a student, have you sat in front of your homework and not had the faintest idea where to start? School is challenging, and for some people who need additional help and resources, school can be debilitating. Enter Studypool, an online resource that partners dedicated tutors and educators with students who need their assistance. The commitment is flexible, and the rewards are high. For the child in your life who could benefit exceedingly from additional schoolwork help, try Studypool today!”

Portillo makes the smart move of ensuring his pitch is relatable and sympathizing with potential clients. His elevator pitch makes the listener feel secure.

Elevator Pitch for Information Technology (IT) Examples

IT professionals, such as software developers, IT project managers, or computer systems analysts, should highlight their technical skills in their elevator pitches. IT companies should show that they are mission-driven and have a record of success. 

The tech startup, People.ai, is a company that leverages AI in order to support sales, marketing, and customer service teams. Since its founding in 2016, People.ai has quickly grown to be one of the most influential IT companies. Here is the brief overview offered on the page, which functions well as a quick, effective elevator pitch for the company:

Another example of a good IT elevator pitch is from Arthena , a fintech company that helps clients make informed, strategic art investments. Here is the elevator pitch the company features on its landing page: 

This example also includes a Reach Out button, which encourages visitors to continue the conversation and find more information.

Elevator Pitch for Project Management Example

Project managers need to be organized collaborators with great critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Elevator pitches for project managers should show how one’s experience reflects those requirements. 

Ilam Padmanabhan, an experienced program manager and the Founder of ilampadman.com , shares an example of a sample project pitch that a project manager might use: “I believe this project could offer great value for our organization for three reasons: 1) The business case is sound, if we execute well. We'll gain the promised benefits. 2) The investments will be paid X times over in Y time even in the worst-case scenario. 3) We have the ability and interest to execute as a team, and we can get started right away. The market context needs us to execute this change right now, we don't want to be left behind. The window of opportunity in the market is right now — a delayed start will diminish the returns.”

Elevator Pitch for Marketing Example

Marketing is about more than hard skills or experience; it’s also about personality, charisma, and the ability to connect with an audience. Elevator pitches for marketing should showcase creativity, as well as experience and professionalism. 

Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls , uses this simple, clear, and effective pitch for her company: “Are you looking to find more customers and accelerate your sales cycle? We love helping organizations find the right words and pictures to get their story out there both online and offline as a virtual marketing department that acts as an extension of your team.”

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In this article, I’m going to quickly show you some great elevator pitch examples for job seekers, plus how to go create your own quickly and easily so you can find a job faster.

What Is An Elevator Pitch?

Essentially it’s a short summary about yourself and what you do, in the time it takes to ride an elevator. You have to be able to deliver and convince in that time frame. That’s the famous 30-second “elevator pitch.” And it can be for anything. Finding a new job, going to a networking event, starting a sales relationship, etc. Here’s the thing about an elevator pitch- you have one whether you know it or not.  Any time somebody asks you about your work or asks what you do, you’re saying something… right? And if you’re looking for a new job, your elevator pitch is going to be a big part of how you respond when they ask, “tell me about yourself” . This could be a phone conversation with a recruiter , or an in-person interview when you first sit down. If you’re at a networking event , your elevator pitch will be the information you share when somebody asks what type of work you do. It’s your one and only chance to get their attention and set the tone for how they view the rest of what you tell them. That’s why it’s so important.

Here are the 2 best elevator pitch methods, with examples…

Method 1: Elevator Pitch for Job Seekers

There are a few key pieces that your elevator pitch should contain. This is assuming you are looking for a job or looking to grow your network. If you’re trying to create an elevator pitch while working in sales , it’ll be a bit different and you should read the alternate method below this first method.

Here are the key pieces to creating a perfect elevator pitch…

1. Who Are You And What Do You Do?

The first piece of what you actually say needs to tell them who you are. This might include a bit about your background, what you do, what your skills and interests are, etc. This is where you need to tailor your answer to fit the outcome you want. If you describe yourself as an expert in finance, do you think people will pay attention to you on financial topics? Yes! But what if you made yourself sound more like a generalist who knows a little about many areas, and finance is just one of them? Nobody is going to respect your opinion nearly as much, and they might not even remember you mentioned it. That’s why it’s important to tailor your answer to fit the result you’re hoping to achieve and what you want to be known/remembered for.

To recap, the first part of your elevator pitch might sound like this example: “Hi,  I’m David. I’m a Scientist with a background in chemistry. I specialize in research and development, and new product discovery. ”

2. Why Should They Care?

Now you want to get a bit more specific and draw their attention in. What are you working on right now or what have you accomplished recently?

Here’s an example:

“I currently work at Johnson & Johnson and my team is working on developing a new antibacterial cream that’s set to go into clinical trials this month.”

Now they know your expertise, and assuming it’s relevant to them, you’ve caught their attention and opened up the conversation. This is why the first step was so important though… if you don’t decide what you want to be known for, and tailor your answer to emphasize those strengths, you’ve lost them!The same goes for job interviews . If you’re applying to be a supervisor, don’t talk about how you love focusing on your individual goals in your job interview answers . Talk about how you’re a good manager or how you take the lead on projects.

I can’t emphasize this enough- it’s all about deciding what you want your audience to remember you for. And you need to pick only one or two things. If you mention more, they’ll assume you’re not particularly talented in any!

3. What Do You Want?

After the two steps above, you need to conclude your elevator pitch and this is your chance to be upfront and tell them your objective. Why are you in this conversation to begin with? If you’re at a networking event because you’re starting a job search soon, say something like this:

“So, I’m interested in meeting people with similar backgrounds, and I’m considering changing jobs this year so I’m curious to learn about the work environments in different companies.”

It’s rare that someone would turn down the chance to hear about how another company does things, so you’ve offered a pretty good trade-off! They might also ask why you’re considering a job change. Either way, you’ve opened up multiple ways for them to expand the conversation. Get comfortable with these three steps and you will have a MUCH easier time answering basic interview questions , introducing yourself at networking events, and more.

Full Elevator Pitch Example Based On The 3 Steps Above:

“I’m a Scientist specializing in chemistry and new product discovery. I currently work at Johnson & Johnson and my team is working on developing a new antibacterial cream that’s set to go into clinical trials this month. So, I’m interested in meeting people with similar backgrounds, and I’m also considering changing jobs this year so I’m hoping to learn about the work environments in different companies.”

Method 2: For Business Owners, Salespeople, And Job Seekers Who Want A More Direct Elevator Pitch

The method above can work for pretty much anybody, but it’s really designed to create the best elevator pitch possible for job seekers. But if you own a business or you work in sales, you should be much more direct… I recently came across a great formula and have yet to find anything better in terms of a very specific, direct elevator pitch. So I’ll share the formula here and then give you some elevator pitch examples with this method.

I suggest you try it if you want a more direct approach.

The Basic Formula/Template:

I help who wants to get without having to . Do you know any who wants to get ?

Elevator Pitch Example With This Method:

“I help job seekers who want to advance their careers and find a job in 60 days or less, without having to memorize hundreds of answers or spend hours studying. Do you know any job seekers who want to find a job in 60 days or less?”

Use a definitive period of time if possible. Don’t just say “fast.” And narrow down your market as much as possible. I didn’t say “working professionals.” I said, “job seekers who want to advance their careers.”

Another Example:

“I help restaurants with multiple locations organize their customer data and boost their sales up to 10%, without having to spend any additional time or money on advertising. Do you know any restaurants with multiple locations that want to boost their sales up to 10%?”

This direct approach could be adapted back to your job search too. Let’s look at one final example of this second method for a job search:

“I’m an R&D Scientist who helps companies use their existing patents and technologies to develop new skincare products. Right now at Johnson & Johnson, I’m finishing a successful project for an antibacterial cream and I’m looking for my next challenge. Do you know any companies that are involved in discovering and developing new skincare products?”

How To Deliver Your Elevator Pitch

Now that we covered how to create the best possible elevator pitch… with plenty of elevator pitch examples… there’s something just as important we should talk about.

You need to be convincing and memorable. Without this, the content won’t matter.

The First Impression

People want to know they are talking to a good, honest, reliable person that they can trust and perhaps even like. They won’t get this by looking at your resume. You need to open up by having great body language and being confident and excited about what you’re saying. You have to appear like you know they’ll be interested. You cannot be hesitant here so practice. And pay attention to body language too. Smile, look confident, and stand or sit up straight. When you’re slouched over, not only are you not using the full potential of your brain (yes, there’s been research ), you also look untrustworthy.

Make Them Feel Important

Who doesn’t like to hear that their own background or story is interesting? Or that you feel their opinion is needed on something! So, here are ways to make the other person feel important, which will help you be more memorable and convincing to them!

• Ask Questions When they tell you something about their background or give their own elevator pitch, show interest and ask a follow-up question. Don’t just sit there waiting for your turn to talk.
• Compliment Their Expertise If you are asking them a question or hoping to get information from them, compliment their experience first and give a reason why you’d value their response. Example (in a job interview): “You mentioned working here for ten years and rising from an entry level position to Manager. What tips for success can you offer if I were to start in this role?”
• Remember The Facts Don’t make somebody repeat important pieces about their background. How do you feel if somebody can’t remember your name or a story you just shared? So if they’re taking the time to tell you about their latest project, try to capture the details. You don’t want to be standing there two minutes later asking, “wait, you said you were involved in a research project, right?” It’ll immediately make them take less interest in what you’re saying as well.

When you’re nervous or anxious, you breathe with short, shallow breaths in the upper chest. Here’s how you should breathe:

Use your stomach and take long, deep breaths. I had to teach myself this, it didn’t feel natural at first. I couldn’t figure out how to breathe in a way that’d get my stomach to go in and out, at least not when I was paying attention and “trying.” I was filling my upper chest with as much air as possible but my stomach wasn’t moving. That’s not the right way.

Practice, figure it out, and then use it as a way to relax when you’re waiting for a job interview or a meeting.

Nothing comes out perfect the first time. Having the best elevator pitch is useless if you don’t practice. Give it a test run a few times and make sure you’re hitting the key points and keeping it short. 30 or 60 seconds is about as long as your elevator speech should take. It’s a good idea to practice job interview questions and answers, too. In general, practicing makes your responses better. Don’t try to memorize your elevator pitch or interview answers word-for-word, though. It’ll come out sounding scripted and rehearsed (not good). Instead, focus on hitting the key points you want to mention. It might sound a bit different each time but if you have three key points to hit, and you go through a few elevator pitch practice runs and hit all three, you’re ready to go!

What Happens If You Don’t Prepare An Elevator Pitch?

You only get one chance to make a first impression. If you sound unsure of yourself and don’t have a clear story of what it is you do, you’re going to be less convincing and immediately turn people off! And they’ll be less likely to remember you when you follow-up by email after an interview , or after meeting them at any type of networking event.

I’ve learned this myself the hard way. I’ve met new people, mentioned five different things I do, and just came across like I was average (or worse) at all five. People want to meet experts that they can feel confident in, not generalists that know a bit about everything but can’t really lead the way on any given topic! Your elevator pitch needs to come out smoothly and be designed to share your strengths and facts that relate to the direction you’re heading in. And that doesn’t happen without practice. Even if you outline an average elevator pitch and just practice it a few times in your head, it will be so much better than making it up on the spot!

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

36 thoughts on “Best Elevator Pitch With Examples For Job Seekers”

Very helpful. After being out of the workforce for a while it’s a big help.

Excellent information with examples. Great and effective approach. Even I was consumed with the initial intro and info (about you). Although I am prepping for a far different career, and have a basic bus mgmnt degree under my belt, I shall follow your examples here. Starting a new career and haven’t interviewed in years, oh my. But, maybe I will make it now, gulp. Not sunk yet, shiver, (lol). You’re one of the best teachers for this kind of stuff. Thank you, thank you.

Hey, i saw your video and i have this question – i am a undergraduate and want to go for a consulting interview and i dont have much internships so how can i make my answer more interesting

Talk about what you’ve studied, projects you’ve led or participated in, etc. You just have to do the best you can and talk about the most relevant/interesting things you have done in your elevator pitch.

We’re all searching for that almost PERFECT, direct, clear, concise and TOTALLY USABLE place/template of advice. We rarely find it. , Most of the time, it’s not even close. YET this material is the best I have seen” it is PERFECT in terms of the message, need, delivery and ease of use.

Thanks, These were useful

This was awesome.

Very good information on the small ins and out on the interviewing process( especially on the elevator part of the interview).

A sincere thank you! You are precise, to the point and relevant. Your integrity shows so again, thank you, Biron

Can somebody give a good engaging pitch of IT field Student

Thanks for sharing, some really good suggestions

I’m so nervous about interviewing and Biron’s advice makes me feel like I can do it. I especially like when he comments about being nervous, i.e. even if I only remember 70% … I am so much more prepared for the whole process.

Thank you Biron. It was really helpful. I am looking for a job, would you please share some tips or do’s and don’s.

My background is customer service representative in call centers. My last job is a phone banker. I’ve worked in different call centers so I have experience in different fields. Do you have examples that I can use for my elevator pitch along with the question on why I want to work for the company I’m applying for? I’ve been on several interviews where I have the experience but I’m getting turned down a lot.

Thank you so much for the help this I will sure use to my advantage on my next interview, greatly appreciated

This is wonderful advice and so practical . What about those of is who haven’t worked in a long time? I have been a SAHM for 18 years , always meaning to go back to work but always was busy w my son’s sports , academics or Church . I have a master’s degree but not had an interview in 4 years . I have applied for over 40 jobs at my Alma mater , all entry level jobs except a handful that required my degree . I can’t afford to retrain . I wanted to to an accelerated BSN program but can’t afford the 50k price tag . We need to move to pay instate tuition, but my husband refuses . I’m in a hole feeling quite hopeless . Thanks

Great guide! Thank you!

I’m this kid with good grades in class but so naive about the real world. this info is just incredible for me.

very helpful..

I hate these standard interview questions.It is really meaningless.When I had interview I asked from recruiter please dont ask me standard interview questions:)

How did that turn out for you? Telling the recruiter which questions they can ask? :)

I’m an unemployed top producing sales executive re-entering the workforce. I need your help, for a fee, to develop my elevator pitch.

Hi Paula, I appreciate the request. Unfortunately I’m not available for one-on-one consulting/coaching right now, or in the near future. Sorry I couldn’t help more directly on this.

You are never ready for any interview until you have read through Biron’s work!!!!!

Haha thanks, appreciate that :)

What if your resume looks like a jumper. You’ve held temp jobs for the last five years. How do you answer to get out of the stigma while at a job career fair?

Biron, thank you very much for the excellent tips! Examples you provide make it very clear how a good elevator pitch should look like, and are a great help to write my own. Kudos! :)

Thank you Biron you the best :) .

Glad it helped Darin :) Good luck!

What are most common interview questions and answers

You can find a lot of them in this article:

https://careersidekick.com/what-to-say-in-a-job-interview-questions-and-answers/

Great information and thanks for sharing.

You’re welcome, Angela. Glad you found it helpful!

Thanks Biron

I was an hour away from blowing up my chance … thanks,you saved the planet

This video was extremely helpful ! It helped me understand what I really want in a job more towards a career. Thank you so much

Comments are closed.

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Crafting an Elevator Speech

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An elevator speech is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in yourself. A good speech should last no longer than a short elevator ride of 20 to 30 seconds, hence the name. It should be interesting, memorable, and succinct. It also needs to explain what makes you unique. Because networking can happen anywhere, you should always be prepared to introduce yourself and talk about who you are and what you want to do. You never know when that conversation can lead to a new contact or even an invitation to pass along your resume.

An ideal time to share your elevator speech is during introductions at career fairs, expos and recruiting events. When preparing for an event, be sure to research the companies you are interested in and tailor your speech so it is relevant to your audience. For example, if you are talking with a smaller company, you don’t want to share how you are interested in working in a large corporate environment.

Follow these steps to create a great speech, but bear in mind that you’ll need to vary your approach depending on who you are speaking with and what you are trying to accomplish.  Start by thinking about the objective of your speech. For instance, do you want to just get information from this person? Do you want to get an internship or a job? Keep your goal in mind to give your speech a direction to go:

• Your name and major/degree.
• Prepare a single sentence that gives insight into your approach and the type of value you deliver.
• Prepare a single sentence that differentiates you from others.
• It might be a technique you’ve developed, your specific experience, or even your personality that sets you apart. What makes you special?
• What are you trying to achieve here? Are you trying to build your network, obtain a job or internship, learn more about a specific career field or company?

Now that you have your outline of material, you can finalize your speech. Connect your sentences to make sure they flow together, make sure you are not using words that people from another field will not understand and cut out any unnecessary words. This is an example of how your elevator speech might sound:

Hi, my name is ______. I am currently a _______ (classification) majoring in _________. I’m interested in ____________ and have experience in ___________________. I am seeking to find a _________ (internship, full/part time job) for the ____ (fall/spring/summer) semester.

It can take some time to get your speech right. You’ll likely go through several versions before finding one that is compelling and sounds natural in conversation.  Practice, practice, practice until you are comfortable with what you have to say about yourself so you can pull out this tool at a moment’s notice.

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5 Job Interview Elevator Pitch Examples That Exemplify Confidence

• Written By Lindsay Tigar
• Updated: November 15, 2023

It’s the inevitable phrase that comes at the beginning of nearly every job interview: ‘So, tell me about yourself.’ For such a seemingly easy task — talking about who you are and what you do — it can warrant much anxiety.

After all, when you only have a few breaths to pitch your services and expertise, stumbling through your speech can make you look ill-prepared and lacking self-confidence. At the heart of this paragraph are the basics: essential information that’s needed to set up the scene for the interview .

One effective way to think about your elevator pitch (or virtual elevator pitch these days) for a job interview is to ensure it covers these basics:

• Your specialty and industry
• Your experience, in years

When you weave in all of these mentions, you easily illustrate your unique value proposition and you set the tone for the remainder of the interview.

5 Elevator Pitch Examples

Elevator pitches don’t need to be worrisome or stressful, but rather, perceived as your opening pitch. These examples can help inspire your own speech writing and ensure you are prepared for whatever the interviewer throws your way. You got this!

1. For when you’re moving

“I’m [NAME], a lawyer with the government, based out of D.C. I grew up in Ohio, though, and I’m looking to relocate closer to my roots, and join a family-friendly firm. I specialize in labor law and worked for ABC firm before joining the government.”

Why it works: This  to-the-point elevator pitch covers the reasons why you are relocating, while also speaking to your skillset.

2. For when you are hoping to make a move up

“I’m [NAME]. I fell in love with technology after winning a programming contest in eighth grade. That led to a degree in computer science, and I’ve now worked in IT for eight years. I recently wrapped up a contract as a senior data analyst with a big bioinformatics company, and I’m now looking for opportunities with other large medical data organizations.”

Why it works: You’re ready for the next big thing, and you want to ensure you  communicate passion and performance  to get there.

3. For getting their attention

“Hi, my name is Mark. After graduating with my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, I’ve spent the last three years building professional experience as an Executive Assistant. I’ve successfully managed end-to-end event coordination and have generated a strong professional network for my colleagues. I was excited to learn about this opportunity in the sports management space — I’ve always been passionate about the way sports brings cultures together and would love the opportunity to bring my project management and leadership abilities to this position.”

Why it works: Whether it’s a recruiter or the hiring manager, this elevator pitch is sure to keep them listening , without going overboard on the information.

4. For snagging the interview

“Hi, I’m [NAME] and I am excited about the new position with your company! I noticed that you are looking for a candidate with ____ years in the field, but let me tell you how my experience has gone above and beyond. In the same amount of time it would take another candidate to learn the ropes at my last position, I was able to raise our success rates right away. I did this by focusing on what really matters in the industry, such as ______, ______ and ______, and I was able to maximize profits in a quick and efficient way. I knew I should make these changes immediately, since I was able to identify what was slowing down their business operations. I can do the same for you in the new position. Here is my resume. Would you be willing to meet with me next week for an official interview?”

Why it works: Before you get through the door, an  elevator pitch  can make your case—especially if you don’t technically have the required years of experience.

5. For entry-level opportunities

“Hi, I’m [NAME]. Now that I have my Bachelor’s degree in Business, as well as a few internship experiences in marketing, I’m ready to contribute to the vision of a cutting-edge hospitality brand. Throughout each of my work experiences, I was often told that I was a very detail-oriented and innovative employee, which I’d love to apply in my next role. In fact, I saw on your website that you’re advertising X. I looked at what your competition is doing, and I saw that they have this interesting campaign doing Y… If I joined the team, I’d look at how we could do something even stronger, such as Z.”

Why it works: It’s never easy getting those first initial interviews when you’re fresh out of college or graduate school. This elevator pitch  puts your internship into perspective and ties them to real-world, applicable scenarios.

Ready to Crush Your Elevator Pitch?

It’s easy to underestimate the challenges of job interviews. These examples should help you stay primed and ready to knock your pitch out of the park. But, if you’re looking for an easier route, working with a proven partner can help. When you join our Talent Network , we do the pitching for you and get you working with top brands that match your expertise.

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An easy, step-by-step elevator pitch template with examples.

An elevator pitch, positioning statement, or elevator speech is a very concise statement that shares who are you, what you do, industries you serve, and how you add value or contribute.

You want to prepare your statement in advance and memorize it so that when you share it you do so with confidence.

Elevator pitches are great for networking events, sharing with family and friends, using on LinkedIn as you build/expand your network, during interviews, and throughout your job search .

I’ve put together an easy, 3-step template for creating your own elevator pitch and have also included three examples that you can draw from as you start to write your own.

#1: Start your elevator pitch with the following statement:

I am a ______________ (fill in position title) with ___________ years of experience in _____________. (industry/industries)

Step one of writing your elevator pitch is to share your position title, years of experience, and industry.

#2: Continue your statement with a second sentence that adds:

My strengths include ___________, __________, and _________. (Use three desired skills that are also strengths)

  Or with the following:

I have special expertise in ________, ________, and __________ (Use three skills/strengths)

Step two of your elevator pitch is to share your strengths. Use three skills that are important and relevant. Examples include: leadership, problem-solving, communication – think soft skills that matter to employers!

#3: Wrap up your positioning statement with what’s next:

I enjoy / I am most proud of: ___________, _____________, and ____________. (Three areas you excel and deliver results)

  Also include:

  I am looking forward to , I am looking for , or I am exploring opportunities in ___________ (Desired role, type of position, or industry) so that I can _______________ (Type of pain or problems you solve or how you’ll contribute).

Step three of your elevator pitch is to highlight what you enjoy, are most proud of, and what you’re looking forward to or exploring in your NEXT POSITION.

Examples of positioning statements/elevator pitch.

Example of elevator pitch #1:

I am an executive resume writer with 18 years of experience in human resources and career support services. My strengths include personal branding, executive resume writing, and job search coaching. I enjoy teaching and equipping job seekers with all the tools, techniques and career-marketing documents they need to land their ideal careers and improve their quality of life. I look forward to continuing to grow and expand Great Resumes Fast to serve more job seekers and help them skyrocket their careers and transform their lives.

Example of elevator pitch #2:

I am a human resources business partner with 15 years of experience in corporate HR. I have special expertise in leadership, problem-solving, and analysis. I enjoy building relationships, providing the best resources, and developing strategies to meet the needs of the whole organization. I am exploring leadership opportunities, specifically a CHRO role that will provide me the opportunity to have a greater impact on workforce strategy and policy implementation.

Example of elevator pitch #3:

My background is in supply chain management and my work focuses on LEAN restructuring of organizations and teams and well as overall supply chain strategy. My strengths include operations strategy and leadership, process redesign, and budgeting and forecasting. I am most proud of my ability to analyze situations quickly, think creatively, and make optimal decisions at hyper speed. I am exploring senior-level positions where I can use my problem-solving, leadership, and lean-thinking to drive organization growth and empower teams to reach their potential.

Your positioning statement can be used when speaking with family and friends about what you do, on social media sites like LinkedIn, during your networking efforts, in interviews , throughout your job search and your career. It’s an important statement to practice, memorize, and deliver with confidence.

One common misconception that I believe is important to address here; a positioning statement is only one piece of a full career portfolio. Just as a resume is not the only tool you need in your toolbelt. Managing a career involves multiple tools, techniques, and resources to be successful. Too many people sell themselves short by not utilizing the many different tools available to them in managing their own careers.

Ready to make your next career move?

Schedule a resume strategy session and we’ll be happy to discuss your goals for your next career move and make recommendations on the best steps to get you there.

Other articles you might enjoy:

The 7 Mistakes People Make When Writing an Executive Resume

Improve Your Executive Resume Format to Increase Executive Job Search Success

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About the author

Jessica hernandez, president, ceo & founder of great resumes fast.

Hi, I’m Jessica. I started this company back in 2008 after more than a decade directing hiring practices at Fortune 500 companies.

What started as a side hustle (before that was even a word!) helping friends of friends with their resumes has now grown into a company that serves hundreds of happy clients a year. But the personal touch? I’ve kept that.

You might have seen me featured as a resume expert in publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Fortune. And in 2020, I was honored to be named as a LinkedIn Top Voice of the year!

I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you find your next perfect-fit position!

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The Elevator Speech

An elevator speech a message intended to spur decision makers to action. An elevator speech must be short, specific, and memorable. It is important to have your elevator speech rehearsed and ready because you never know when you'll have an opportunity to use it!

Who is the audience for my elevator speech?

For school librarians, decision-makers can be school principals, parent organizations, district administrators, elected officials, community partners and more. It's good to have a few elevator speeches ready--or a few versions of the same speech--so that you can quickly shift to address the audience in front of you. The graphic below illustrates how to develop your elevator speech, and the PDF document attached provides a specific example.

Crafting the elevator speech

Elevator Speech Sample for ESSA (PDF)

Additional ESSA Elevator Speech Examples (PDF)

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