Elevator pitch

Such an innocent question: "so, what does your company do?" 

Why it is often the beginning of the fail?

🤝 I was recently at an exclusive C-level event. Many brilliant leaders attended. But as I networked, I noticed a surprising pattern.

When I asked executives to explain their firm, many struggled to do it in few clear sentences. 

In several cases, I walked away genuinely not understanding the value added of their products or exactly which problem they solve. 

🚫 If a C-level leader can't articulate the company's purpose clearly, how can they expect their sales team or their customers to get it?

You need to rehearse and perfect your company's elevator pitch, so that you can recite it, even woke up at 2 in the night.

Here are recommendations to sharpen your elevator pitch:

1️⃣ PROBLEM 

Start with the the problem. Don't start with your solution.

Bad: "We provide cloud-based data integration software..."

Good: "Most companies lose 20% of their revenue because their data systems don't talk to each other..."

2️⃣ PRODUCT/SOLUTION 

Explain how your company's product can help. In a way that passes the "Grandma Test". 

Bad: buzzwords: "synergy" "paradigm shift" and "disruptive". 

Good: you explain your value proposition in plain English in a way that your grandma would understand.

3️⃣ RESULT

People don't buy the product, they buy the improvement. Tell them how the product will change their lives.

Bad: "We use AI to analyze contracts".

Good: "We help legal teams cut review time in half so they can focus on strategical negotiations." 

6️⃣ sentences. Not 6,7. 

1-2: The Problem.

3-4: The Product/Solution.

5-6: The Result.

If you can’t pitch it before the elevator doors open, you lose.