Going Up? Why Elevator Pitches are a Brand Essential

Erica Schlesinger, Communications Strategist

We’ve all been there – grasping for the right words when someone says, “tell me about your business.” Worrying about sounding unique, professional, cool, innovative and established in one fell swoop can seem like a daunting task. The good news? It doesn’t have to be.

This, friends, is why we – individual professionals and brands alike – need to master the art of the elevator pitch. This statement, so named because it can ideally be uttered in the length of an average elevator ride, provides a simple and standardized way to communicate your brand’s perspective, values and accolades to networking connections, potential clients and investors… you name it.

Here at (W)right On, we have our own agency elevator pitch, which we all use quite a bit:

(W)right On Communications is a full-spectrum communications agency, with capabilities in PR, branding, design, development, content marketing and more. We work with an array of local and national client partners in industries including hospitality, healthcare, nonprofit, land development, technology, energy and professional services on projects ranging from media relations and social media to video production and Web design. As an agency, we excel at helping interesting people doing interesting things share their expertise with the world.

Of course, this isn’t a script – we each add our own flair and flavor to make it authentic. But the message remains the same. We tell our client partners, particularly those who engage with the public a lot, that having a solid elevator pitch is a key component of a solid brand.

It’s like a logo or a website – your calling card and first impression to the business world. And everyone likes to make a good first impression, right?

An elevator pitch can really follow the five Ws of journalism – who, what, when, where and why. You need to translate who you are, what you specialize in, who you work with and your core ethos or mission effectively and concisely.

WOC’s communicators are always game to drum up a new elevator pitch. However, if you’re a DIY kind of person, take a look at some pointers from other business-savvy folks via Business News Daily.

Check out some similar blog posts below:

Can You Pitch in One Sentence?

Kicking The Shit Out of Option B