Why I’m wrestling with an elevator pitch

Previously, if you had met me in an elevator and asked me what it is I do, you would have got a reply like this one:

‘I clean wee off the floor, cook food for the bin and cry in the pantry a lot.’

You see, I have spent the last few years as a stay-at-home mum to three young boys. While I’m grateful to have had those years at home with them, just me and them, every day, all day, all the time (just breathe), I now find myself emerging from the nightmare those precious baby years, ready to get to work.

Admittedly, I have a few more years of wee-laden floors and fussy eating ahead of me, but soon I will have two allocated child-free days, every week, to breathe and lay on the floor without threat of injury work and write. You know what that means right? I need a new answer for all of those times that I am in an elevator with people that I did not birth. Queue the elevator pitch.

For those that don’t know, an elevator pitch is a short overview of your business, products or services, that is used in business settings such as face-to-face networking. An elevator pitch is meant to be short, delivered in the time it takes to complete an elevator ride (hence the name). When I heard it described as one of the simplest but most powerful tools for small business owners, I decided that I wanted one. So one day while my youngest slept blissfully for not long enough, I used the time to research the best techniques for writing it. Here are the basic steps I discovered to creating a great pitch:

• Create an attention grabbing hook
• Tell them who you are
• Describe what you do
• Identify your ideal clients/customers
• Explain what’s unique and different about you and your business (your USP)
• State what you want to happen next
• Put it all together
• Practice

Sound easy? Here is a polished example that I got from a reputable small business site that I am waaaay too scared to cite in case they find about this blog post:

“Have you ever felt held back by lack of time and wished you could clone yourself so you could get everything done, when you want to get it done, the way you want it done?

Well, I work with busy and driven small business owners who struggle to accomplish everything they want to accomplish. The clients I work with generally understand the value of a team and are ready to learn how to delegate, but find it challenging to let go of their quest for perfection, find quality team members and commit to creating a team that can thrive, even without them being hands-on.

I consult these time-challenged business owners on how to build teams, delegate effectively and ultimately become more productive and profitable. I’m in a unique position to help my clients because I’ve faced the same struggle of not having enough time and feeling held back from true success. I have figured out a formula that can help just about any entrepreneur build a team and delegate effectively, giving them the time they need to grow their businesses, explore new endeavors and take time off, knowing their businesses will continue to prosper in their absence.

I’d love to schedule a time to talk more about some of your delegation and team challenges, and explore how we may be able to work together.”

Wow, imagine copping that? Now, I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer here, but if I met someone in an elevator at a networking event, and I asked them what they did for a crust, and they proceeded to introduce themselves with a question that sounds as though it were plagiarised from an infomercial, they would probably not get the enthusiastic ‘yes’ that they were expecting. More than likely, there would be a really uncomfortable silence, or a timid ‘ummm’, which would leave the rest of their pitch hanging uncomfortably between us until the ‘ding’ of the elevator finally sounded. What about the last line? Is it just me or does that that seem a bit keen, like someone discussing marriage on a first date?

Because I’m not one to hate on a process before trying it, I decided to give it a go. Admittedly, I dropped the attention grabbing hook – I just couldn’t do it. It didn’t matter what I wrote, I sounded like a cheap ad. I also left off the ‘I’d love to schedule a time to talk more…’ line at the end. I would like to think that people intelligent enough to operate lifts, are also capable of speaking up if they need something from me.

So this is what I ended up with:

‘When I’m not cleaning wee off the floor, I’m a freelance writer. I write fiction, features and essays, as well as copy for small businesses. I help clients clarify their key messages, articulate their skills and strengths, and tailor communication to their target audience. Small business owners often feel overwhelmed by the thought of using an agency and appreciate being supported through the process. The brief comes to me, and stays with me.’

I feel like this reads fine on paper, but I’m a writer, it was always going to be better on paper. Would I say this aloud to a stranger in an elevator? You will be the first to know if I do.

Anyone have a good elevator pitch they want to share?