We’ve all been invited to a networking event. You may or may not want to attend, but it is essential to keep your name out there. A lawyer I worked with used to refer to these sometimes awkward networking functions as “fifth-grade dances.” 

But whether you’re in a gathering of five people or five hundred, a quick, succinct and compelling elevator pitch will keep you engaged with your conversation target long enough for them to stop immediately looking over your shoulder for someone better to talk to. 

Simply put, an elevator pitch is a concise, engaging introduction of a business idea, product, service, or, more commonly, yourself. It’s called an elevator pitch because it should be delivered in the amount of time it takes to ride an elevator, preferably not longer than 30 seconds. 

Elevator pitches are crucial because not only might this be the one opportunity you get to engage with a prospect, but it also forces a clarity of thought. When you can funnel your complex ideas into something compelling and straightforward, you truly understand its potential impact. This clarity doesn’t just help others understand—it enables you to refine your own thinking.

In today’s short-attention-span theatre, quickly engaging someone is invaluable. Great elevator pitches can open doors. They can create opportunities by sparking interest and inviting further discussion from your target. They’re not designed to close on the spot, instead to secure that next meeting, that exchange of contact information, and to obtain that unique opportunity to further elaborate on what you do.

The most effective pitches focus on value. They answer the listener’s unspoken question: “Why do I care?” They address a problem and hint at your unique solution. They’re conversational, not rehearsed, but authentic and not mechanical. And yes, you need to memorize one to the point that it’s the first thing to come out of your mouth at a business function where you sometimes have seconds to engage someone, before they start looking over your shoulder for someone better to talk to. 

Good elevator pitches also make people ask follow-up questions. I’ve worked in marketing and public relations for most of the last 25 years and I found very quickly that the terms defining my business were too broad, too boring and too ordinary. So, when asked, I started telling people I was a “visibility engineer.”  I can’t tell you the number of times people have asked me, “What the Hell is that?” The good news is that I got to tell them how I build and define value and visibility for clients, helping separate them from their competitors.  

Remember: everyone needs an elevator pitch. Not just entrepreneurs seeking funding, or lawyers and marketers looking for clients, but job seekers, freelancers, department heads explaining their team’s value, and even established businesses entering new markets. 

In a world of noise and distraction, your ability to clearly communicate your value proposition in seconds just might be your most potent competitive advantage.