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Sell with LinkedIn / Resources / Sales terms / Elevator pitch

What is an elevator pitch?

Discover how LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help you target the right prospects and deliver winning elevator pitches.

How to write a personalized elevator pitch using examples

When a chance meeting arises, having a prepared elevator pitch can help salespeople make the right connections at a networking event, or land a future sales meeting.

 

This comprehensive guide will explain the principles of a good elevator pitch. We’ll also share examples of how to craft a concise and tailored elevator pitch for different target audiences.

Learn about elevator pitch:

What is an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch is a succinct and persuasive explanation of the key benefits or value propositions that a person, product, or service can provide. It should be delivered roughly in the time it takes to ride an elevator with a prospective customer, around thirty seconds or less. A fine-tuned elevator pitch template or script helps business professionals and salespeople grab their potential customers' or investors’ attention and spark their interest in learning more.

 

The LinkedIn video below is an excellent sample elevator pitch, which we’ll discuss in more detail throughout this guide.

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How to write an elevator pitch

Let’s review the essential components of an elevator pitch template or script.

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Illustration of an elevator pitch on floor #1

Introduction

The introduction should be a short sentence where a salesperson introduces the product or service. In the sample elevator pitch video, the sales rep starts with,

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“LinkedIn Sponsored Content allows marketers to reach their audience through targeted content within the LinkedIn members’ feed.”

This sentence begins with the product name and then explains who it serves and how it does so.

Problem statement or solution statement

Sales reps can then move on to a problem or solution statement as part of their elevator pitch to carry the conversation forward. 

Many B2B marketers need help to serve the right content to target customers or buyers at each phase of the purchase funnel. That’s why, after the other person in the elevator probes for more information, the sales rep in the video continues with a solution statement to address that problem:

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“This mobile-optimized native ad format allows marketers to serve upper, middle, and lower funnel content to their audience in a professional context.”

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Illustration of an elevator pitch on floor #3

Value proposition

If a customer were to ask, “So what does that mean, exactly?” The sales rep in the elevator pitch example video continues with a clear and concise value proposition or key benefit of using their product (e.g., Sponsored Content ads):

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“Which means audiences are engaging with content in the right mindset, allowing marketers to develop trust and credibility while achieving their marketing objectives.”

This value proposition is important because building trust and credibility with target customers is crucial for helping B2B marketers attract and qualify valuable sales leads, who can be nurtured into future buyers.

Closing statement

Finally, the sales rep can close their elevator pitch with a memorable statistic or fact that leaves a lasting impression on their prospective buyer.

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“In fact, LinkedIn Sponsored Content delivers 3X higher conversion rates than other online marketing platforms.”

After the closing statement, the sales rep might give their new acquaintance their business card or ask for another opportunity to tell them more about their product or service. If all goes well, this conversation could kickstart a long and mutually beneficial business relationship.

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Tailoring elevator pitches to different audiences

The previous real-world elevator pitch example might work well if a sales rep speaks to a B2B Marketing Manager or Director. However, elevator pitches can be used in multiple scenarios – from cold calls or emails to client meetings and networking events. 

 

That’s why it’s essential to be flexible and tailor an elevator pitch to different audiences and situations. Let’s imagine a sales rep is chatting with a Director of Media Buying for an advertising agency at a networking event. 

 

The prospect has shared that their B2B marketing client is interested in advertising on social media for the first time. In this case, the sales rep might start with why LinkedIn is an excellent solution before discussing Sponsored Content ads.

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Their elevator pitch introduction might be:

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“LinkedIn’s social networking platform connects over 1 billion professionals worldwide.”

Or, they might start with a question, such as:

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"Did you know LinkedIn reaches over 930 million professional members worldwide?”

The solution statement in this sample elevator pitch might be:

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"LinkedIn’s digital advertising solutions help B2B marketers connect with their target audience via InMail and the LinkedIn members’ feed.”

If the agency director mentions their client invests heavily in content marketing, the sales rep could then share the product’s value proposition: 

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"Our mobile-optimized native ad format allows marketers to serve upper, middle, and lower funnel content to their target audience in a professional context, helping them develop trust and credibility while maximizing results.”

The solution statement in this sample elevator pitch might be:

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"In fact, LinkedIn Sponsored Content delivers 3X higher conversion rates than other online marketing platforms.”

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How to plan for different buyer personas and scenarios

While an experienced sales rep can tailor their conversation to any audience or scenario in the moment, it helps to prepare different elevator pitch templates or scripts in advance. Salespeople should work with B2B marketing teams to identify and profile several buyer personas, or ideal customer profiles (ICPs), to target when drafting pitches for various audiences.

 

Many sales organizations also use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to gain insights into their target buyers’ needs and challenges, helping them custom-tailor and personalize their elevator pitches to different audiences or personas.

 

They can also use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to send cold InMail messages to an unlimited number of prospective buyers at any time – using details from member profile pages to speak to the challenges or product needs that matter most.

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Actionable tips for effective elevator pitches

Below are some do’s and don’ts to consider when getting started with elevator pitches.

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#1

Highly effective elevator pitches are short and get straight to the point.

#2

Avoid talking too fast, and speak clearly and calmly.

#3

Don’t use too much technical jargon, especially in the introduction. Time-starved target customers want the simplest explanation possible to make a snap decision about whether they want to learn more.

#4

Be professional and friendly so the prospective buyer knows that the person they are speaking to is trustworthy and worth getting to know better as a colleague.

#2

Practice elevator pitches with co-workers first to get their feedback. It’s also helpful to record oneself to listen or watch and refine what works and what doesn’t.

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Perfecting elevator pitches with LinkedIn

The more prepared salespeople are for golden opportunities to deliver an elevator pitch, the better the outcome. Using the elevator pitch examples and tools recommended in this guide, sales reps can craft and practice elevator pitches with their teams to refine and deliver a convincing and memorable story. Try to do so in as few words as possible while getting all key points and product or service value propositions across. 

 

Once salespeople perfect their elevator pitch, they can start connecting with their target customers. Online tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help them identify and gain insights about prospects who fit their buyer personas to understand their challenges and needs related to a product or service.

 

Sales reps can even connect with ideal buyers to deliver a sales pitch via InMail or to set up a call to do so in person. For more information, sign up for a free LinkedIn Sales Navigator trial. Or, request a free demo.

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