How to tackle the elevator pitch
Get Ahead VA is very proud to have branches across the country, and the Regional Directors that run them are brimming with good advice about being your own boss. Today Salvatore, who runs the Bristol branch, is here to share his advice about the all-important elevator pitch.
As a Get Ahead VA Regional Director, I do a lot of networking, and one vital tool for this is the elevator pitch. The elevator pitch is a quick and punchy sales pitch, designed to explain who you are, what you do, and what you can offer to potential clients. This can be delivered formally (many networking meetings give everyone a chance to pitch to the room), or informally, during one-on-one mingling sessions, which is where the real connections are made.
In a room full of people all selling themselves, a good elevator pitch should capture people’s attention and stay in their memory, so you will be the one they think of when they need one of your services. So how do you create a pitch that does all that? Here are my top three pieces of advice for crafting an effective elevator pitch.
Offer something
The main thing to do in an elevator pitch is offer something to your audience. Don’t just drone on about your background or how successful your company is – tell the people you’re talking to how you can help them. It helps if you can put yourself in their shoes. For instance, I have been in a small start-up, and I know the frustrations of working alone or in a small group and not having time to do it all. This knowledge helps me to promote what Get Ahead VA offers – flexible, remote workers who can pick up any job, as and when you need them – because I understand the kind of help that small business owners need.
Adapt to your audience
No matter how well-crafted your elevator pitch is, no one pitch can work for everybody – you must be prepared to think on your feet and change things to suit your audience. That means listening to the people you’re talking to and adapting accordingly. When I’m pitching, I choose which Get Ahead VA services to mention depending who is in the room – if I’m talking to a copywriter, for instance, I will focus on our PR or accounting services, to avoid stepping on any toes. You should also focus on your niche – the thing you offer that nobody else does – because this will help you to stand out.
Maintain the connection
The purpose of an elevator pitch is to make a connection, so don’t simply deliver your pitch and walk away! Take business cards with you to networking events and give one to everybody you pitch to. Collect their cards in return and follow up after the event with a quick ‘It was nice to meet you’ email, or add them on LinkedIn. This is how you go from an elevator pitch to a lasting professional relationship.
Would you like to do what Salvatore does? We’re always on the lookout for new Get Ahead VA Regional Directors, and through our franchise model we offer ongoing support and a proven, successful brand to get you off to a great start. For more details, or for a copy of our free franchise prospectus, contact Rebecca Newenham, owner and founder of Get Ahead VA on (01483) 332220. We can’t wait to discuss this exciting opportunity with you!
