ENGLISH SALES

How to create your one-minute elevator pitch in English

Contents

    How to create your one-minute elevator pitch in English.

    Whether you need to introduce yourself to a new customer, at a sales meeting, job interview or networking event, you often only have a short amount of time to make a strong impression and grab the attention of your conversation partner.

    With a strong elevator pitch you introduce yourself, your company and your product or service in less than a minute. We are happy to explain how to write an elevator pitch:

    What is an elevator pitch?

    With an elevator pitch, also called "elevator speech", you give a short summary of yourself and your company, product or service.

    There are many different kinds of pitches, from job interviews to new business opportunities and networking conversations, but the purpose of your pitch is in each case to tell briefly and powerfully who you are, what you do and what you can mean to your conversation partner.

    Be prepared for any scenario in which you might give an elevator pitch because a strong pitch is important to seize all opportunities for yourself and your company.

    Create the perfect one-minute elevator pitch

    A person has an average attention span of eight seconds. This means you have to do your best to get and keep that undivided attention. So don't make your elevator pitch too long. 60 seconds is enough to tell your story briefly and powerfully. 

    4 components of a strong elevator pitch
    When writing an elevator pitch it is important to distinguish important and unimportant facts. Make sure you include these important components in your pitch:

    • Introduce yourself
      A strong pitch starts with a strong introduction. You can limit your introduction to your name, company and your function, but you can also make it more personal.

      Try to come across as natural as possible and use your body language to convey calm and confidence. 

    • Describe a problem situation
      During your sales pitch, you want to sell a product or service that adds value to your customer. Try to describe recognisable problem situations as the starting point for your elevator pitch so you immediately attract the attention of your audience.

      You can use figures and statistics to give the problem extra power, but you can also start from personal experiences or stories of customers.

      Look for what is relevant to your customer. The recognisability of the problems will make your product or service a lot more interesting for them.

    • Present your solution
      This is the moment when you present your product or service. Now that you have attracted their attention by outlining the problem, you can present the solution.

      It is important to clearly highlight the unique added value of your product or service. Why should the customer choose you over a competitor?

    • End with your call to action
      End your pitch with a call to action. Involve your customer in your story and ask for feedback, exchange relevant details and make arrangements for further follow-up.

      The purpose of your pitch is to start a conversation, so don't just present yourself unilaterally, but open up the conversation to your conversation partner. 

     

    5 Day Challenge pitch english

    5 Day Challenge

    How to make a strong pitch in English.

    During this 5 Day Challenge you will learn how to make a strong pitch in English. Each day you'll receive an email with instructions, tips and feedback. On Day 5 you'll  blow everyone away with your strong and powerful pitch!

    Are you ready to take the challenge?
    Read more about it and enrol for free!

     

    More tips on sales skills in English?
    These articles might also interest you:

     

    Do you need help to write your pitch or to boost your sales skills in English?

    SalesnegotiationsDo you need professional help to create your elevator pitch in English? Are your language skills too much of a barrier to feel confident speaking in English?

    Then you can book a session with one of our language coaches.

    Together with your coach you will prepare your pitch and practise until you can present your pitch with complete confidence.



    Create your account on Squidll, find a business language coach who fits your needs and start today on Squidll!

    Sign up


     

    Do you want more tips on boosting your sales skills in English? Find out all our tips on our blog.

    SQUIDLL BLOG AUTHOR

    About the author

    Squidll

    More tips to improve your language skills? Check out our blog posts or follow us on social media for frequent updates!