An elevator pitch is what you say when someone asks "what do you do?" and you have about 30 seconds. Most are too long, too vague or a list of services. The aim is not to sell. It is to be so clear that the other person asks a question, and then you are in a conversation.

The four part formula

  1. Who you help. A specific kind of person or business.
  2. What problem they have. In the words they would use.
  3. What you do about it. One verb, one outcome.
  4. A proof or a hook. A result, a number or a short story.

Put together: "I help [who] with [problem] by [what you do]. Last month [proof]." Say it aloud, not on paper, and cut every word that does not move it forward.

Six examples

  • Bookkeeper: "I keep the books for restaurants with under 20 staff so owners know their real profit each month. One client found they were losing money on delivery in the first report."
  • Plumber: "I fix and replace water heaters for landlords, same day, with a flat price quoted by phone. Most of my work is repeat property managers."
  • Web designer: "I build sites for dental offices that let patients book online. Offices usually stop losing after hours calls the first week."
  • Photographer: "I take headshots at your office in a day for teams of 10 to 50, so every new hire has a matching photo on day one."
  • Consultant: "I help small software companies price their product. In my last project we found they were charging 30 percent less than customers would pay."
  • Cleaner: "I clean offices after hours for companies with 5 to 30 employees, with a checklist you can see, and a call if anything is missed."

Every one of these names a buyer, a problem and a proof. Compare that with "I offer a range of solutions tailored to your needs."

Words to avoid

  • "Solutions," "innovative," "passionate" and "full service."
  • A list of more than two things you do.
  • Jargon the other person would have to ask about.

Two versions: spoken and written

The spoken version is the one above. The written version goes in your email signature, your profile and the first line of an outreach message. It is shorter, often one sentence, and it should link to the one page that proves it. For the sentence behind the pitch, read how to write a value proposition, and see what is a sales pitch for the longer version.

Practice and listen

Say it to three people this week and notice what they ask. If everyone asks the same question, put the answer in the pitch. If nobody asks anything, the pitch is too general.

Fix the common problems

If your pitch runs past 30 seconds, you are explaining how instead of what. Save the process for the second question. If people nod and move on, the problem is not specific enough; swap a broad group for a narrow one ("restaurants under 20 staff" instead of "small businesses"). If you serve very different buyers, keep a separate version for each, and choose the one that fits the person in front of you. A pitch is not a script to repeat; it is a short answer you can adjust in the moment.

Use it in writing, too

A good pitch becomes the first line of a cold email. A fictional example: "Hi Dana, I keep the books for restaurants under 20 staff, and I noticed Olive & Fig opened a second location. Want a sample monthly report?" Add your name, mailing address and an opt-out line, as this guide explains.

Rocketship takes that sentence, finds the buyers who match, and emails them from your own Gmail. Try it for 7 days, card required to begin.