Innovation Resource Guide: Developing your Elevator Pitch

What is an 'Elevator Pitch' and when would I use it?

An elevator pitch is a short, persuasive summary (usually 30–60 seconds) that explains:

  1. Who you are
  2. What you do
  3. Why it matters / what makes you unique
  4. What you want next (a call to action, like a meeting or collaboration)

It’s called an elevator pitch because it should be brief enough to deliver during a quick elevator ride — concise, memorable, and engaging. You’d use an elevator pitch in situations where you need to quickly introduce yourself or your idea and spark interest. Common scenarios include:

  1. Networking events – Meeting new contacts and leaving a strong impression.
  2. Job interviews – Answering “Tell me about yourself” in a focused way.
  3. Client meetings – Explaining your services or value proposition quickly.
  4. Investor pitches – Summarizing your project or startup to potential backers.
  5. Casual encounters – Anytime someone asks “So, what do you do?”
  6. LinkedIn/social media introductions – Explaining why you are reaching out to connect.

Step by step guide to writing your pitch:

The below guide follows a five step approach to developing your elevator pitch. If you can nail all five of the below points your off to a great start!

1. Define your Core Message

Start by considering what the core message is that you are trying to convey:

  1. Who you are: Start with your name and role/ job title.
  2. What you do: Summarize your expertise or product in one sentence.
  3. Why it matters: Highlight the unique value or impact you bring.

A strong elevator pitch usually follows this flow – this is expanded further in the table below:

  1. Introduction – Who you are – if you wish you can use an attention grabbing hook here before introducing yourself (as per the below example).
  2. Problem/Need – What challenge you address.
  3. Solution/Value – How you solve it uniquely.
  4. Impact/Proof – Evidence or results.
  5. Call to Action* – Invite engagement (e.g., “I’d love to share more over coffee”)
*Maybe not necessary immediately if you expect the conversation to continue – you don’t want to shut the conversation down before it’s begun!

 Remember it’s an elevator pitch – if you can’t describe your product or service in less than a minute you don’t understand it well enough! 

  1. Aim for 50–200 words or 30–60 seconds.
  2. Avoid jargon; use simple, memorable language.
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You should always have more than one elevator pitch ready to go depending who you’re talking to – it should be like a CV, tailored to the specific requirement, and you should be equally comfortable explianing your idea to a 5 year old, or a potential investor:

  1. Adjust depending on whether you’re speaking to investors, employers, or collaborators.
  2. Emphasize what’s most relevant to them

Practice makes perfect!

  1. Rehearse until it feels natural, not scripted.
  2. Test with peers and refine based on feedback.

Elevator Pitch Framework:

The following table breaks down a very simple elevator pitch into five constituent parts, this example uses Rob, a hypothetical graphic designer who focusses on the sustainability sector:

Elevator Pitch Framework

Pitfalls to Avoid:

If you take just one thing from this guidance (well three things…) make it these:

  1. Overloading with detail – Stick to essentials.
  2. Sounding generic – Avoid clichés like “hardworking” or “team player.”
  3. No clear ask – Always end with a next step (meeting, call, demo).

How should I tailor my pitch?

There are generally four different style of pitch – and each one should be focussed slightly differently. While the content will largely remain similar, the emphasis should differ depending on the audience:

  1. Networking: Keep it light, focus on passion and connection.
  2. Clients: Emphasize results and services.
  3. Investors/Partners: Highlight alignment with global frameworks and measurable impact.
  4. Casual: Use when time is tight or in informal settings – keep it short, snappy and you guessed it, casual.
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