Do you have an elevator pitch? Whether you’re starting a business, pitching an investor or client, or seeking that big promotion, you’ve probably heard that your elevator pitch is one of your most important assets; it’s how you describe your value.
Because of the importance placed on it, many of us practice our elevator pitch until we’ve got it down cold. Practice, after all, makes perfect. Right?
Not necessarily.
Elevator pitches typically come across as impersonal and insincere. The high-status folks on the receiving end of the elevator pitch are aware they can be intimidating. They’re also aware of the awkwardly memorized, self-promotional scripts they often hear in elevators, boardrooms, and elsewhere.
Instead, nail that important conversation with this simple three-point checklist:
1. Make it personal.
Before you launch into your self-serving pitch, think about what the other person cares about. Be empathetic. Customize your comments to focus on their interests. This is not a generic script.
Ask them how their week is going. Ask them about how the project they’re leading is progressing. Better yet, share how one of their recent initiatives has positively impacted your work.
It’s not all about you.
