Crafting an Elevator Pitch - Heriot-Watt University...An elevator pitch is a brief overview of and...
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Tom McGuire: Business Advisor Crafting an Elevator Pitch
Transcript of Crafting an Elevator Pitch - Heriot-Watt University...An elevator pitch is a brief overview of and...
Tom McGuire: Business Advisor
Crafting an
Elevator Pitch
• What is an elevator pitch?
• What makes a great one?
• Getting started and structuring a pitch
• Polishing your pitch
Overview
One minute, to someone next to you …..
• Who you are
• What you study
• What is your idea
Exercise
• is a concise, carefully planned, and well-practiced description about…. that your mother should be able to understand.
What is an Elevator Pitch?
An overview of an idea, product, service, project, person, or other solution.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
An elevator pitch is a brief overview of and idea, a product, service or project. The pitch is so called because it can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride.
• Pitching contests
• Business Competitions
• Networking
• Selling
• Seeking funding
• Elevator rides ? !!
Where would you use one?
Presenter
Presentation Notes
An elevator pitch is a brief overview of and idea, a product, service or project. The pitch is so called because it can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride.
What is its Purpose?
To Start a conversation
About something that’s important to you,
With someone who can help you.
What gets in the way of this?
• The more potentially helpful a person is to you, the busier they tend to be.
• People tend to have 17 things going on in their head at one time, why should they care about yours?
• Most people are not skilled at listening.
• Most people are not clear about what they want !
• Communication skills.
Pitching Tips
Must: • Clear• Credible• High level; big picture
Pitching Tips
Must Not: • Overwhelm the audience• Think – drinking fountain• …..not firehose !
Inspire Curiosity !
Make it Memorable !
Make it personable…
People buy People!
• Demonstrate your passion and commitment
• Be authoritative
Presenter
Presentation Notes
So what CHARACTER TRAITS ARE YOUR AUDIENCE looking FOR? Enthusiasm- be yourself, show that you love what you are doing and are in it for the long run Passion- Show that you are committed to this, that this is the only thing that you are doing right now Sincerity- Business is fun but you need to show that you mean what you say and that you’ve done your homework Reliability- particularly important for investors- show them that you will see this through and you’ll deliver results in return for their investment Delivery of Pitch- audience needs to know you can communicate well with others
Hook the audience !
• One that gets the response: “Tell me more…”
• inspires curiosity
• is memorable; hooks the audience
• unique: associates the idea with You
• audience do least amount of work
• gets to the point
What makes a great pitch?
• 100 words every 30 seconds
• ‘One liner’ = 10 seconds
• ‘Magic minute’ = 200 words
Getting Started How long?
Presenter
Presentation Notes
An elevator pitch is a brief overview of and idea, a product, service or project. The pitch is so called because it can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride.
• Write down what you do in 20 different ways
• Write some short stories that illustrate what you do
• Record yourself saying stuff out loud
• Highlight the best bits
• Edit and let it sit
Getting Content..
Presenter
Presentation Notes
An elevator pitch is a brief overview of and idea, a product, service or project. The pitch is so called because it can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride.
• Write a 20 second pitch
• Present, edit, refine
• Get a great start and great end
• Expand to one minute
Tips...
Presenter
Presentation Notes
An elevator pitch is a brief overview of and idea, a product, service or project. The pitch is so called because it can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride.
Who are you
What is the issue or need you are addressing
What is your idea or solution
Getting Started Exercise…
Presenter
Presentation Notes
An elevator pitch is a brief overview of and idea, a product, service or project. The pitch is so called because it can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride.
Structuring Your Pitch
4 W’s: Who? What? When? Why?
Who:• Who is the audience? Target your pitch.
Structuring Your Pitch
Who:• Who is the team that’s going to make the idea or
business a success? Focus on your strengths.
What?
• What does your idea or product do that people want or need? And how can you prove it?
• What is your revenue model? How do you expect to make money?
When?
• What are your timescales
• Paint a picture of the future
Why?
• Why should I, the listener, care?
• Why should anyone care?
• SELL ME THE WHY !
Presenter
Presentation Notes
What is the benefit to me…what is the benefit to the users…how much money will it make me!
Personal Pitch Examples
John Smith:"I graduated in record time from Herriot Watt University with an
undergraduate degree in microbiology. I just started researching the influence of algae on prolonging the life span and increasing the population of bottlenose dolphins." (34 words)
Jane Smith:"Bottlenose dolphins need a certain algae to survive. With an Herriot
Watt degree, I'm going to be one of three researchers figuring out how this algae can help dolphins live longer and increase their populations." (34 words)
Polish your Pitch
Practice:• Make people feel like you have delivered it a thousand
times before• Record yourself, video, present to friends
Tell a story:• Words are like little anchors, that hook into the ears of
your listener.
Polish your Pitch
Use sensory language:
• Pepper your pitch and make it sizzle !• Appeal to everyone by using 10% sensory language.
Summary
3 C’s: Clear; Concise and Credible
3 P’s: Personable; Passionate and Polished
4 W’s: Who; What; When and Why ?
Be: Natural; Authoritative; Coachable
