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How To Draft and Deliver an Effective Elevator Speech

Sarah Chapin ColumbiaHeather Egan SussmanMcDermott Will & Emery LLP

In conjunction with the Association of Corporate CounselNortheast Women’s InitiativeDecember 8, 2011

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What is an elevator speech?

Short speech that describes and sells you or your idea, or that promotes your business

Usually 30 seconds or less

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Main goals of an elevator speech

1. Convey what I want the listener to know;

2. Tailor it so the listener cares; and

3. End with a segue that invites more conversation, or that makes a personal connection

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What do I want them to know?

What is it you are trying to let others know about you?

What are your key strengths?

Drafting exercise

List three of your key strengths

List five adjectives to describe you

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Why should they care?

Consider the context (e.g., are you at a PTO meeting, or a job fair?)

How could you help the listener?

How could the listener help you?

Drafting exercise

List your primary speech goal

List one secondary speech goal

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Drafting Exercise: Outline your talk

Start with bullet points

Keep in mind the prior two drafting exercises and now answer these questions:

– Who am I?

– What do I offer?

– What problem is solved?

– What are the main contributions I can make?

– What should the listener do as a result of hearing this?

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Drafting Exercise: Finalize your talk

Take each bullet point and now turn it into a sentence

Connect the sentences with points or phrases to make them flow in a conversation style

Once connected, simplify and streamline your sentences, cutting out all unnecessary information and words

Finalize: make it no more than 90 words

And if you have writer’s block: “I do (nature of service) for (ideal client) so that they can (benefit to the client).”

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End with a segue

Where do you want this to go next?

Some potential options:

– If you want to learn more about them (What do you do? What brings you here?)

– If you want to know if they have a need for you (Do you ever work with [insert a problem that you can solve])

– If it’s time to wrap up and move on (It was great meeting you, do you have a card?)

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Questions?