When you’re developing a quiver of elevator pitches, one of the key things to consider is whether or not your pitch is memorable enough to be worth repeating to others. It is one thing to capture your prospect’s attention; however, if they cannot repeat it, you are squandering a wonderful opportunity to make that message go viral. A few years ago, I was teaching the weeklong Efficiency Sales Professional™ Certificate Boot Camp to a group of four controls companies that had hired us to do a command performance for their teams. When we got to the section on elevator pitches, I had each person take some time to write down an elevator pitch to test out on the class for feedback.
Except for one, all the elevator pitches needed some serious work. The one guy who had an excellent pitch stood up and presented his pitch: “You know that show, ‘The Dog Whisperer’?” He paused to let the audience think and everyone said, “Yes.” He went on… “I am the ‘Building Whisperer.’ I tame unruly buildings and make them more comfortable for their occupants to occupy.”
Of course, at this point, the whole audience cracked up. In five words – “I am the Building Whisperer” – he had given much more information to his listener than if he has said, “I am a retro-commissioning specialist. I tune-up buildings and HVAC systems.” His pitch was also instantly memorable and repeatable. It was so impactful, in fact, that for the rest of the week, people said, “Hey Building Whisperer, it’s time for lunch,” or “Hey Building Whisperer, take your seat. Class is about to start.”
So, what’s the moral of the story? If you can come up with a memorable and repeatable elevator pitch – particularly one that is creative and funny – people will remember who you are and what you do.
