An Elevator Pitch
Once described as the words you’d use if it were just you and your ideal prospect on an elevator to the top floor, this messaging element does a little more than a tagline. At BWST, we’ve adopted an elevator pitch construct called the I/Why/You pitch.
I/Why/You pitches have three components.
I:
who I am and the firm I represent
Why: detail on what I do and why other clients choose to work with me
You: why you, the prospect, might be interested (based on your research)
Here are a few examples of I/Why/You pitches:
Good
I: I’m Ron Hunt from United Insurance Brokerage.
WHY: We work with small businesses to meet their insurance needs.
YOU: I thought you’d be interested, and I’d like to meet to see how we can work together.
Better
I: I’m Ron Hunt, a Producer from United Insurance Brokerage, an insurance, risk management and business consulting services firm dedicated to the needs of entrepreneurs.
WHY: We guide leaders through the challenges that can put their organization at risk and threaten its wellbeing. Clients work with us for the affordable and easy-to-implement Insurance programs we provide.
YOU: I thought you might be interested because the employees of small businesses are often their most important asset. Our solutions help small business leaders reflect that appreciation by keeping them safe and healthy.
Good
I: I’m Jenny Sturgess with Seacrest Bank.
WHY: We provide a full suite of banking services for local businesses.
YOU: I thought you might be interested because local businesses often have banking needs they are unaware of.
Better
I: I’m Jenny Sturgess from Seacrest Bank, a leader in supporting local businesses in Fairfield County.
WHY: We offer custom combinations of banking services to help local businesses not only
manage their cash but also deploy their investible assets in the most prudent manner.
Clients choose to work with Seacrest for the wide array of services thought only to be
available from larger banks.
YOU: I thought you might be interested because efficiencies in cash management are
critical to saving employees’ time and improving transaction accuracy. We have
specific tools to do just that.
Summary: You can use these I/Why/You pitches when prospecting, opening meetings, and/or educating your centers of influence. Be sure to clearly communicate the benefits that your potential client gets by working with you. By following the I/Why/You format, you should find it easier to boil down all the complexity of your offer into something that clients and prospects can easily grasp and remember.
To create your organizations Elevator Pitch write us at bwalton@billwaltonsalestraining.com.
