Guest Columnist: 4 ways business owners can take their elevator pitch from average to great

What is your occupation? This is a common question asked by many business owners and entrepreneurs, but sadly they have a hard time explaining what they do to attract and retain customers and clients. Businesses need pitching in many forms and need to start or grow. Be prepared and polished when presenting your products and services to others in a clear, concise, and compelling manner.

The number one pitch every entrepreneur needs to master is the elevator pitch. I also call this the Verbal Business Card. Tell prospects what you do and they go from being interested in working with you to being invested in just one conversation with him. Here are four ways to take your elevator pitch from average to great.

#1 use fancy words

Use wealthy words, not weak words, when describing what you do for others. We call weak words discount dialects and wealthy words luxury words. Weak words include words like “Help, Just, Affordable, Little, etc.” This devalues ​​what you offer as a business owner. Instead, use extravagant language in your elevator pitch. For example, instead of “helping people in business,” say “I help (leverage, partner, or move forward).”

#2 Focus on the results you provide.

When pitching, focus on the business benefits. You can accomplish this by letting your client or customer know the results of working with you before they pay the bill or swipe their credit card. Instead of saying, “I will be your accountant,” include how those services would be beneficial to your customer or client. For example, “Within just 90 days of hiring me as your account, tell me where you are wasting your money and how you can maximize the money you bring in to reduce your IRS taxes by 20%. you can say

#3 Be clear, concise, and compelling

As a business owner, your job is to attract and retain customers and customers. When you share your elevator pitch, make sure it’s easy to understand, short, and memorable. A big mistake entrepreneurs make when giving pitches is that they’re too long or aren’t clear about what they’re actually doing. This confuses your customers and clients and, as a result, they lose interest in your product or service.

#Four Go beyond your title and focus on the transformation you deliver to your customers and clients.

Get out of the habit of giving your title when someone asks you what you do. If a business owner says, “I am a consultant (entrepreneur or accountant). Make numbers easy to understand so you can make data-driven decisions.”

Quinn Conyers is an energetic host, compelling keynote speaker and entrepreneur. She won and mentored others to win her more than $400,000 in her pitch her competition for the business, and made it to the second round of her audition for Shark Tank four times.

Expanding Opportunities

This article appeared in The Daily Record’s Expansion Opportunity Resource Guide for Small, Minority and Women’s Businesses, published September 23, 2022. Diversity, entrepreneurship, and innovation in Maryland’s small business community. Read more about Expanding Opportunities or read the digital version.