Elevator Pitch

I heard through the grapevine(小道消息) that graduation season is around the corner in China. Have you prepared to enter the workplace?

If you run across an executive or the HR boss in the elevator, what will you do?

What on earth is an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch is a speech with a timespan from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, which is used to convince somebody about a company, product, or idea. It is a short selling speech. The elevator pitch is meant to make the listener understand and excited about an idea in a short amount of time. 

What will an elevator pitch bring to us?

An elevator pitch can be used to entice an investor(吸引投资者), executive in a company(公司的主管), or explain an idea to a founder(创始人). For many job preparation exercises, recent college graduates take lessons or practice elevator pitches with friends to try and advertise their skills to people they may meet by an elevator after a job interview. The goal is to simply convey(表达) the overall concept(整体概念) or topic in an exciting manner. 

An elevator pitch does not have to include all of these components, but it usually does explain what the idea, product, company, or person is and why they are valuable to someone else.

If you're pitching an idea or a product or something else, try to remember this. No matter whom you're pitching your idea to, you need to be able to do it in a way that's simple, memorable and convincing.

You can rehearse(排练) at home or while standing in line(排队) at a grocery store(杂货店), try to practice what to do, and what to say. The main strategy you want to practice is how to direct a conversation flow.

This is a chance to say the very most important points that are likely to make the listener want to hear more, to make them see why your product, your business idea, your service, or why you are worth investing in.

It's called an elevator pitch because the decision-maker may only give you the time that it would take to get from the reception(接待处) to the executive floor(行政楼) to pitch your idea to them, so you've got to make it out fast.

In 1983, Steve Jobs convinced Pepsi president, John Sculley, to become Apple's CEO by asking the now famous line: "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?"

What's your hook?why are you a good fit for the position?

If you are marketing a product, a service, a project, or an idea, you should show the advantages of what you're talking about.

Hello, I'm Megan and my area of concentration in "International Gender and Conflict"(国际性别与冲突) while at ABC University compliments your company's "Gender Initiative"(性别差异) project well.

I know about your company. What makes my experience unique is my field work in international conflict resolution which would benefit your project and add a new perspective.

Principle 1: to be concise and clear 简洁明了

Try not speaking too fast, because it will make the listener annoyed and they may even get off the elevator earlier(提前下电梯) to avoid talking with you! So, you should try to make your elevator pitches concise(简洁的) and clear(清晰的). In other words, an effective elevator pitch can be understood by your grandparents, your spouse(配偶), and your children.

Principle 2: to be credible and concrete 明确具体

有效的电梯游说说明了你为什么可以胜任。If you don't believe in the value of what you're saying, how can you expect anyone else to, so don't hide your enthusiasm(热情 ), be yourself(做你自己) and be proud of your credentials(资格；资历). No one loves a show-off(自大的人）, so don't try to over sell yourself! Just try to pitch persuasively(口才好的). It may be some help if you use technical words during the pitch that are related to the company or their idea of business.

Principle 3: consistent and conversational 保持一致，善谈

The goal of an elevator pitch is to start a conversation, or dialogue(对话) with the listener - to spark their interest(激发他们的兴趣). The first thing you need to talk about is why your product or yourself as an employee is needed? What is the problem that exist and for who that your product is there to solve? What can you offer? It's about the one or two key features you mention that may be a unique innovation(创新) or a personal credential of yours.