How to Create an Elevator Pitch for an Upcoming Networking Event
Networking is an essential part of the journey for any entrepreneur or working professional. Regardless of the industry, new opportunities usually come from who you know, and not so much what you know. One of the many ways to build and grow your network is by attending networking events. All you need is a good outfit, your best smile, and an elevator pitch, of course.
Include the essential ingredients
In addition to your name and job title, you’ll want to also mention what you do, the problem(s) you help solve, and your level of expertise. We’ve all attended a networking event where an attendee or two introduce themselves by their name and job title.
That’s great, but telling me you’re the CEO of ABC Company isn’t enough to captivate my attention if I don’t know anything about you or your company. What would grab your attention if you were in their shoes?
Type it out
In some ways, your elevator pitch is like a script. It’ll take some editing, re-wording, and different iterations before it’s ready to share with the world. By typing your pitch, you make it easy to add, remove, or change parts based on feedback.
A digital document also makes it easy to add and remove ideas during a brainstorming session. If you’re having writer’s block and can’t seem to get started, just type something. You’ll be surprised how much can come out of just typing your name, company, or background.
One of the best ways to revise any project is to read it aloud. Reading a passage aloud helps you catch a misplaced comma, spot a grammatical mistake, or discover a run-on line that should be simplified and broken down into multiple sentences.
Once complete, go a step further and read your pitch to a peer you trust. Don’t forget to explain the purpose of the pitch and welcome their feedback.
Keep it short
Like, 30 seconds short. I know, that doesn’t seem like enough time to say everything you need to say about yourself, but that’s not the purpose of an elevator pitch. If you’ve made the most out of your 30 seconds, you would have intrigued your audience enough to want more and ask follow-up questions.
When you feel confident in your final draft, read it aloud one more time using a stopwatch. If your pitch is longer than you anticipated, there’s likely room to make some edits and shorten your introduction.
Adjust as needed
There’s no greater learning experience than putting yourself out there and seeing how your audience reacts to your work. Once your pitch is ready to make its debut, pay attention to how your audience (in this case, fellow event attendees) reacts to your pitch. Do they seem intrigued and engaged, or bored and uninterested?
Use those nonverbal cues to make changes as needed. Remember, this is your pitch, so you can make as many changes as you want to until it’s perfect.
