2 Key Questions

So I want you to keep refining your elevator pitch.

It’s okay to write it down but it’s not because I want you to memorize it memorizing things is difficult number one.

Number two it can make you sound artificial and contrived if you are trying to say something word for word and get it just right.

So OK to write it down.

But again the goal is not memorization.

So I have two more tests for your elevator pitch that I want you to administer.

I want you to ask yourself from the standpoint of the person you’re pitching what’s in it for me.

How is this really going to benefit me.

Because the person you’re pitching already knows the downside.

The downside is if they act interested in what you’re saying or they say yes you could come in and waste an hour there a life that they might not ever give you could be hounding them and e-mailing them and calling them asking them for money and follow up meetings for the next six months.

So anyone you’re pitching has a very clear idea of the downside for even acting like they’re interested in you.

If they own a large company and you know that they hire a lot of people and it’s well-known they’re constantly being hit on for give my son this job give my nephew give my knees this Joe.

How about an internship please hire this person.

They’re constantly being badgered by people.

They’re getting hit by other elevator pitches all the time so they know the downside of acting interested in what you’re saying.

And in giving you more time we’re saying yes to a meeting.

They don’t yet know what the upside is.

Need you very quickly like in the first 15 seconds address some benefit for them.

And I also need you to somehow convey what’s different.

What’s interesting about this.

I mean if you’re a venture capitalist you can just open up your e-mail every day and there are hundreds of people pitching you business plans and sending you email request if you own your own company.

And it’s a sizable company you’re going to have people sending you resumes every single day.

So the fact that you want a job or that you want money is an interesting because people who are receiving elevator pitches hear that all day long every day.

So I need you to give some real thought to what is it you have to say.

That’s interesting.

Well different than that to be wildly funny.

You don’t have to have some app that’s going to create world peace and solve the energy crisis.

It’s something interesting.

This person who doesn’t know you is not obligated to give you their time to give you their attention to give you their eyeballs to give you anything.

They’re not obligated to that they could in fact just walk by.

So I need you to really give some serious thought.

What’s in it for them.

Have you position something you’re saying that they will perceive as a benefit to them and what do you had to say.

That’s interesting.

And that seems credible.

So really think about those two questions and and rework your elevator pitch because we are going to be practicing very soon.