Over the past 5 years, I have developed a simple process to write an elevator pitch that’s guaranteed to make people want to sign up for your mailing list.
During my first few years of networking, I would hand out business cards like candy. People were thankful to receive them, but very rarely followed up. Thousands of my cards are most likely sitting in junk drawers throughout the U.S.
Since handing out cards wasn’t getting results, I decided to instead collect as many cards as possible and follow up with everyone. But I didn’t stop there, I wanted everyone to opt in to my mailing list on the spot. If you follow these steps, you too will have an elevator pitch that will quickly grow your mailing list.
el·e·va·tor pitch
Noun: elevator pitch a succinct and persuasive sales pitch.
Origin: from the idea of having to impress a senior executive during a brief ride in an elevator.
An elevator pitch is a very effective way to spread the word about your upcoming events. As the name suggests, you should be able to complete your pitch in the time it would take you to ride an elevator.
You should create two pitches: A 30-45 second pitch and a longer 2 minute pitch. Start the conversation with a 30-45 second pitch and if you are asked for more information, continue with the two minute pitch. Remember that an elevator pitch should always be used to create conversation and to get contact information.
5 Steps to Writing an Elevator Pitch
- Introduce yourself and your organization
- Say one or two details about your event
- Explain one or two benefits of attending
- Tell when and where the event is located
- Get permission to follow up
When you are writing your pitch, it helps to follow these five steps in order. Be as concise as possible and only include the most beneficial information. Write three or four drafts until the pitch feels natural.
A vital part of the pitch is including the benefits of attending. You have to give a reason why people should attend or they won’t care. Here are three examples of a 30 second elevator pitch. I have italicized the benefits as to why someone should attend.
A Mentalist’s Pitch
My name is William and I produce An Enchanted Evening which is a Mind Reading and Mystery show in historic Automobile Alley. It runs once a month and the next show is Saturday. You will have a lot of fun and it will be sure to impress a date. I’d be happy to send you an email with more information. Do you have a card?
A Theater’s Pitch
My name is William and I produce Motivation Theater. We bring in speakers from across the country to speak. You will learn how to complete your life goals and have the freedom you desire. We are on the corner of Broadway and 8th in Oklahoma City, and we have speakers every month. Our next speaker is Richard Branson on August 14th. Can I get your email? I’d love to send you more information.
An Improv Theater’s Pitch
My name is William and I help produce Oklahoma City Improv. We run weekly shows at Broadway Theater in Automobile Alley. It’s a fun show filled with laughs and is a great way to relieve the stress from the week. In fact, our next show is on Friday and tickets are only $10. Would you be interested in more information about the show? I’d be happy to sign you up on our email list.
Ask to Follow Up
If they don’t want to give you their contact information or agree to sign up, don’t be pushy. Instead, smile and tell them where they can find your events online. There is nothing worse than uninterested people on your list; they will eventually unsubscribe or report your emails as spam.
If they agree to give you their contact information, ask if you can send them emails or a postcard about your event. If you aren’t in a business environment, make sure to have a pen and notebook handy or put their information in your phone.
After you get their contact information, people will usually ask a few questions about your event. If they don’t, you can continue your pitch by adding a few more details to further excite them.
An Improv Theater’s 2 Minute Pitch
My name is William and I help produce Oklahoma City Improv. We run weekly shows at Broadway Theater in Automobile Alley. It’s a fun show filled with laughs and is a great way to relieve the stress from the week. In fact, our next show is on Friday and tickets are only $10. Would you be interested in more information about the show? (If yes, get their contact information)
We have three shows on Friday night, one at 8:00, one at 9:00 and a late night show at 12:00. During each show, we have three improv troupes perform. We also sometimes have stand-up comedians and magicians. Our format is very similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway? The troupes make up scenes based on audience suggestions. The theater seats 75 people, so you can imagine that the shows are intimate and include a lot of audience participation. The theater is also in the round, which means people sit all around the stage. No matter where you sit, you will have an excellent view of the stage. I suggest getting there a little early to grab a beer and a snack before the show starts. Here is my card. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call. I hope you can make it out on Friday.
Takeaway
Make your elevator pitch as enticing as possible. You want people so excited that they will tell their friends. This in turn will help you sell more tickets. Be sure your pitch is short and sweet and show enthusiasm as you talk. Also, practice your pitch until it sounds unrehearsed. The more often you give your pitch, the more natural it will become. In time, it will sound like a casual conversation.
The most important part of the elevator pitch is asking permission to follow up. Be pleasantly aggressive and get as much contact information as possible; this includes an email, phone number, or address. When you get back to your office, send a quick note saying how nice it was to meet them and immediately add them to your mailing list. This technique of following up will continually grow your list, whether you are at a networking meeting, bar, or basketball game.
What’s Next?
Next week, you’ll learn how to most effectively network to spread the word about your events. Hopefully, you’ll join me as I share my secrets to selling out events. It’s totally free, and you don’t have to be a WellAttended customer (though you’re more than welcome to <a href=”http://wellattended.com” target=”_blank”>sign up for free here</a>).
Each week, We’ll cover a topic that will help you promote your events. To get each post emailed to you an hour before it’s published, sign up for the mailing list below.
See you next week! Please share your elevator pitch in the comments below. I look forward to reading them. As always, <a href=”http://twitter.com/williamrader” target=”_blank”>you can drop me a note on Twitter</a>.
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