Is the Elevator Pitch Only For Selling?

When you think about an elevator pitch, you probably think of standing in an elevator next to someone important, trying to sell your idea before the elevator reaches their floor. That’s exactly what the elevator pitch used to be.

Now, that’s a less common scenario. CEOs and investors don’t want to be bothered by people trying to pitch their money-making ideas. They’re definitely not going to make expensive decisions on just 1 minute of information. So what is the purpose of the modern elevator pitch?

Do People Still Use Elevator Pitches?

Yes, but they’re used differently than they used to be. The elevator pitches of the past used to be mini sales pitches. The goal was to pack as much compelling information as possible into a couple of sentences so someone would book a meeting with you. These were the days when CEOs and investors weren’t bombarded by hundreds of cold pitches via every possible form of communication, and so they were more receptive to the occasional in-person cold pitch. People who managed to track them down showed moxy, rather than just being a nuisance.

Now, elevator pitches are less of a sales pitch and more of a conversational opener or a little bit like a hook. It is a minute or a few sentences of you describing what you do. Your elevator pitch can be used as a bio for your guest posting strategy or as an introduction when you appear on podcasts. Your elevator pitch can be how you introduce what you do when you first meet new people. It can be your social media bio.

Use your elevator pitch to get people interested and asking questions.

Don’t Sell With an Elevator Pitch

Picture this. You’re at an event with other coaches. There are interesting talks happening and you’re in the crowd with coaches you admire. You’re looking forward to learning how to scale your coaching business, but most of all, you’re looking forward to making valuable connections with fellow coaches. It’s nice to have friends who understand what you do.

You grab a glass of wine at the bar, and someone approaches you. You smile, say hi, and remark that it’s a great event. They agree. You ask what they do.

And then they launch into an elevator pitch that they’ve clearly memorised. They boast about your results and tell you how your reluctance to use email is costing your business money. But you do use email… why are they presuming you don’t?!

They finish their elevator pitch and look at you expectantly. You just blink at them, unsure what you’re meant to say. “Ummm, I coach new leaders. I’m not a wellness coach…” They nod and make enough awkward small talk to not seem rude, toss a business card at you and then disappear into the crowd, no doubt to presume a whole lot about someone else’s business.

We’ve all experienced a complete stranger trying to sell us on something while clearly having no idea about who we are or what we need. It may not have been in person; it could’ve been a cold message over LinkedIn. (It should be criminal with how easy it is to segment audiences on LinkedIn.) It is a very uncomfortable experience for the person you’re pitching to. They will forever see you as a really inexperienced person who tried to sell them on something that is clearly not right for them.

What if, instead, they told you a little bit about what they do and why they like it? Wouldn’t you be more likely to carry on the conversation and ask them a few questions? If, instead of trying to sell their service, they just said, “I create and implement email strategy that allows wellness coaches to add value to their email subscribers. It’s really rewarding to turn sporadic emails into a vocal community dying to get their hands on the next product or workshop. One of my clients emailed me today to tell me they got 75% open rate on one of their emails. I’m over the moon!”

There’s so much material there for follow-up questions, and they’ve managed to impress you without selling. It just sounds like someone who loves what they do, sharing something they’re proud of. Use your elevator pitch to start conversations and build relationships with people. Let them ask questions. Ask questions about them. Talk about your business naturally rather than reciting a sales script.

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