Why Your Elevator Pitch Shouldn't Be a "Speech"
- Kristin Schuchman, MSW
- Apr 29, 2018
- 2 min read
Traditional wisdom dictates that professionals need to have an elevator pitch at the ready, prepared to sell themselves in a minute’s notice in the time it takes to ride an elevator. This pearl of wisdom is true and not-so-true. In the event that you are given the relatively unusual opportunity to speak uninterrupted for 1 to 3 minutes the elevator speech is golden. Often formal networking events give you this chance, although this seems to be less common these days.
If you trot out your tried-and-true elevator speech in an informal setting, however, you may risk grating on the nerves of your listener, who may not appreciate your 3-minute speech about how you help middle-aged, divorced women find their voice. If you stop there, she may not mind. But if you continue to bore her with details of your Ph.D. in psychology thesis about the use of mindful techniques to help overcome deep-seated pathogenic beliefs, her eyes might start drifting to the egg rolls on the buffet table.
A person you’re speaking with in a huddle at a party or a networking event might respond better to a conversation like this:
Listener: “What do you do?” (Everyone asks this, but only about 13% of people really care.)
[Rule 1: Gauge her interest in your focus area.]
You: “Well, you know how we all have long-held beliefs that seem to limit our willingness to take chances or make significant changes in our lives?”
[Rule 2: Pay attention to her body language]
She may respond like this:
Listener: “Yes.” (Nod heads, continues eye contact with you.)
Or like this: Listener: “Mm-hmm.” (Eyes drift to 10 o’clock to gaze at the painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware.)
If, her response is more like B, keep your answer shorter. If it’s more of an A, you have a little longer leash:
You: “Well, I lead a weekly group that offers support and mindfulness techniques to help move people through periods of self-doubt and feeling stuck.”
She may nod and say she has to refresh her drink. (And that’s okay, because she was never going to be terribly helpful anyway.) If she’s the right person for you to continue talking with, she’ll say something like, “I just read an article about how mindfulness can prevent obsessive thoughts.” That’s when you say, well, nothing. You let her tell you about the article.
Don’t be afraid of a little silence. She’ll most likely fill it with something like, “It pointed out the challenges to computer networking in places like Ghana and Togo….”
See? Now you’re cooking. You’re having a truly engaged conversation with someone who’s sincerely interested in what you do. This provides the groundwork for a professional relationship with the potential for more depth and longevity. Even if she doesn’t hire you herself, she’s more likely to remember you (fondly) and refer you to an opportunity down the line. Worst case scenario, you’ve connected with someone with a similar sensibility who is cool and interesting. It’s a back-and-forth exchange instead of a “pitch,” which gives it more staying power and chance to become a substantial professional alliance.