Elevate Your Elevator Pitch: How to Clearly Communicate Your Value in 4 Simple Steps
May 13, 2022Do you ever try to explain what you do, and end up with lots of “umm…” “uhh...” and blank stares from whoever you’re talking to? That’s probably because you don’t have an Elevator Pitch that clearly communicates what you do and the value you bring to your clients.
Your Elevator Pitch (or “Marketing Message” as I often call it) is not only what you say when someone asks, “what do you do?” It’s also how you introduce yourself at networking events, how others will introduce your work to potential referrals and it's also the first thing your ideal clients will hear about who you are and what you do.
Your Elevator Pitch's Purpose and Place
In addition to networking events, you’ll be able to repurpose parts of your Elevator Pitch in other places too, like your bio, speaker introduction, livestream intros and when asked at a dinner party: “What do you do?”
To attract clients, build your following, and sell your courses, your Elevator Pitch needs to paint a picture of the overall transformation you help your clients achieve. In most cases, it's important to keep it short. And in all cases, it's important to show your ideal clients that you relate to and understand them and their position.
Because you'll share your Elevator Pitch in many different places and formats, you’ll also need to adjust it to varying lengths, including one as short as a single sentence.
I always recommend writing your longer Elevator Pitch first, then paring down to a medium and shorter length from there. As a bonus, I’ve included several plug-and-play templates inside The Impact Tribe that give you the exact formula that I’ve used, and helped hundreds of other fempreneurs use, to fill their programs and attract their ideal clients.
The 4 Building Blocks of a Great Elevator Pitch
- First and foremost, you need to know who your ideal client is – whether that’s demographics, psychographics, or both. This will tell you WHO you’re speaking to, and give you insight on how to speak to them in a way they’ll resonate with.
- Once you know who you’re speaking to, it’s important to figure out what they’re currently struggling with in relation to what you do. This will allow you to speak directly to the pain or problem they’re experiencing, so they truly feel seen and understood by you.
- Then, you’ll need to know what they desire, and the outcome they want to achieve. This will allow you to inspire them, and to meet them where they’re motivated.
- Lastly, you need to figure out how you’re going to help them get to where they want to go. This is the vehicle through which you help your ideal client end their struggling and reach the desired outcome.
📌⬇︎PIN IT⬇︎📌
Elevator Pitch Example
Below is an example of my long Elevator Pitch so you can see exactly how the elements above come into play and work together to speak to what I do and who I help.
Hey there! My name is Jessie May and I'm a Brand Strategist and Business Coach for women entrepreneurs who need to be the inspirational face of their business so they can attract more clients and make a greater impact through their work. When my clients discover me, many are stuck in a cycle of being underpaid, playing small and missing out on opportunities that could take their business to the next level, and I help them turn that around - fast.
You see, your brand needs to reflect your high-level of expertise if you want to attract clients who see your value and are eager to pay you for it. And I'm the person who can help you build that brand.
Through the power of archetypes, along with my Communications and Psychology degrees, and my Coaching Certification; I help my clients clarify their core brand strengths; then we create beautiful visuals, clear messaging and aligned offers that reflect their expert-level knowledge.
If you ever feel jealous when you surf the internet or attend networking events and everyone else seems so certain and put together…
If you ever feel confused about how to package your numerous skills and talents in a way that people understand and value…
If you feel ashamed when you hand your business card to a potential client or send them to your website...
Then we should definitely talk.
The sea of online entrepreneurs is overflowing and it's only getting more crowded. A professional brand that sets you apart is no longer an option if you want to stand out and be hired for your exceptional gifts.
Common Elevator Pitch Mistakes
One of the most common mistakes I see fempreneurs make is thinking that their Elevator Pitch has to be professional or impersonal… which is often totally the opposite of their personalities! Your Elevator Pitch should NOT sound like it was written by a robot. It SHOULD sound like Y-O-U.
Rather than speaking too much about your process and tools (and putting people to sleep in the process), stay focused on your ideal client and the transformation they’re looking for.
Another common mistake I witness is talking too much about your clients’ needs. For example, as a Brand Strategist, I may know that my ideal clients need a Brand Story, an Elevator Pitch, a Brand Book, a website audit, collateral guidelines, etc… but usually all that my ideal clients know is they want to stop feeling embarrassed by their brand, and they want to feel confident presenting themselves in professional settings.
No matter what line of work you’re in, there is jargon (or “industry terms”) in your niche that your ideal clients won’t understand. Avoid using that language in your Elevator Pitch, and instead speak to them in words that they use and understand.
If you’re ready to write an Elevator Pitch that speaks to your ideal clients in their language, meets them where they’re motivated, and inspires them to hire you to facilitate the transformation they’re searching for – then you’re in the right place!
I’m here to support you in creating a purposeful, archetypal brand that makes money AND makes a difference. Explore how we can work together here.