If you aren’t a natural salesman then the thought of having to deliver an elevator pitch of less than 30 seconds can take you a life time to prepare but the 3 templates below from the Shopify blog and specifically Braveen Kumar a “content crafter” (don’t you just love the names new jobs are being given:-P ) can really help you get onto the right track quickly. You also find the original article here with some other great tips.
As Braveen states in a comment reply “The goal of an elevator pitch is to earn your audience’s interest before you lose their attention, and that means strategically communicating critical information in a way that makes them curious to learn more.” I love how in this statement he succinctly explain and demonstrated the value and purpose of an elevator pitch.
The All-Purpose Pitch
Your generic elevator pitch, this format provides you with a clear and intuitive way to cover all your talking points, letting you easily expand upon and cut out parts depending on your audience at the time.
Template:
My name is [YOUR NAME], founder of [YOUR COMPANY]. We offer [PRODUCT/SERVICE] for[TARGET MARKET] to [VALUE PROPOSITION].
Unlike [THE COMPETITION], we [KEY DIFFERENTIATOR]. And we recently [RECENT MILESTONE].
[CALL to ACTION]
Example:
My name is Braveen Kumar, a writer at Shopify. We offer a platform that enables both the early entrepreneur and the large enterprise to build and run their own stores.
Unlike most marketplaces where you can sell your products, Shopify lets you build and brand your own online store with the tools to sell across a variety of channels, manage inventory, start small and scale fast.
The Pixar Pitch
This pitch is aptly named because it invokes the traditional storytelling structure—something Pixar excels at.
Stories are all about transformation and empathy, and if you can explain the journey your customer takes from point A to point B, you can get your audience to step into your customer’s shoes even if they’re outside your target market.
Give this approach a try if your product solves a very real and relatable pain point for your customers.
Template:
Once upon a time [INTRODUCE CHARACTER AND CONTEXT]
Every day, [ESTABLISH THE WAY THINGS WERE].
One day [INTRODUCE PROBLEM/INCITING INCIDENT].
Because of that [CHALLENGE].
Because of that [SEARCH FOR SOLUTION]
Until finally [FINDS SOLUTION]
Now, [ESTABLISH THE WAY THINGS ARE BETTER NOW]
Example:
Once upon a time, there was a full-time blogger named Andy.
Every day, you could find him happily typing away on a computer, rushing to meet his clients’ deadlines.
One day, he started experiencing chronic joint pain in his fingers and wrists, a consequence of the years he’s spent typing for hours on end.
Because of that he couldn’t write as comfortably or as fast, and it was affecting his ability to deliver to his clients.
Because of that, he needed a better way to support his wrists so that they could support his livelihood, but he could only find temporary fixes.
Finally, he came across Type-Aid, a therapeutic glove that supports his wrists and combats the joint pain in his fingers due to extended typing.
Now Andy can resume his work with confidence, doing what he loves, distracted less by the pain in his hands and focused more on working magic for his clients.
The Sales Pitch
Sometimes you find yourself speaking directly with a potential customer. In this case, you know that focusing on them and their needs is the best way to position your product.
Opening with a rhetorical question lets you establish how qualified they are as a prospect from the start, potentially tease more information from them by actively listening, and personalize your approach according to how they identify with the pain point you’re proposing a solution for.
Template:
Have you ever [SITUATION AUDIENCE CAN RELATE TO]?
[WAIT FOR RESPONSE]
[COMPANY NAME] offers [PRODUCT] for [TARGET MARKET] such as yourself to [BENEFIT].
Unlike [KNOWN ALTERNATIVE/COMPETITION], [YOUR PRODUCT] is [KEY DIFFERENTIATOR].
[CALL TO ACTION].
Example:
Have you ever found yourself up at night reading and starting to nod off, only to realize you still need to get up and out of bed just to turn your lights off?
BrightLight offers more control for the smart home owner such as yourself to turn on and off all the lights in their home from any device with our app installed.
Unlike other smart lightbulbs, BrightLight is designed to consume 30% less energy saving you money in the long-run.
You can buy them now in our online store.
Which one do think will work for you best ?
