The Elevator Speech
The Elevator Speech
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Is a tool used by job-seekers and for
organizations and individuals with products
and services to sell.
Gives your audience the “who, what, and
why” in about a minute – the length of time it
takes to ride from the top to the bottom of a
building in an elevator.
The “Elevator Speech” is an effective tool that can
be used in any number of situations:
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events designed specifically for networking
casual networking opportunities we encounter nearly every day
– the kids’ soccer games, plane flights, waiting in line to buy
tickets, etc.
career or job fairs
cold calls to employers
cold calls to absent employers – leaving your Elevator Speech
in the form of a voicemail message virtually guarantees the
employer will call back
(Assuming your speech is sufficiently compelling, call after
hours when you know for sure you will get the employer’s
voicemail)
The “Elevator Speech” is an effective tool that can
be used in any number of situations:
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Opportunities within your own company to
talk with higher-ups, let them know you’re
doing a great job, and position you for
promotion
Job interviews, where the Elevator Speech
can provide the answer to at least two
common interview questions: “Tell me about
yourself” and “Why should I hire you?”
Outline your elevator speech using
these questions:
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Who am I?
What do I offer?
What problem is solved?
What are the main contributions I can make?
What should the listener do as a result of
hearing this?
Things to Remember…
 Know
your audience.
 Employ a “You Attitude”.
 Stress your benefit to the listener
and touch on how you’re better
than the competition.
The Elevator Speech
This principle encompasses many
names: “unique selling proposition”,
“value proposition”, benefit statement,
competitive advantage, deliverables,
differentiation…
 The bottom line is the same: what can
you bring to the employer, and how can
you do it better than anyone else?
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Know Yourself
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Be sure to include:
– key strengths
– adjectives that describe you
– a description of what you are trying to let
others know about you
– a statement of your interest in the
company or industry the person
(audience) represents
Try to answer:
 The
listener’s unspoken
question is: “Why should I do
business with/hire you?”
Sound Bites
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Short, 15-30 second Elevator Speeches are
referred to as “Sound Bites”. You would use
your Sound Bite in situations where you are
meeting a lot of people and probably not
spending a great deal of time with any one of
them.
The trick is to make your Sound Bite so
intriguing that people will want to spend more
time talking with you.
Sound Bites
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At its most basic level, the Sound Bite’s structure is:
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Hi, my name is __________. I’m in the _________
field, and I’m looking to _______.
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The last blank would be filled in with your current
career aspiration, whether it is to stay within your
field and move up or move into a different career.
Sound Bites
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A college student or new graduate might add
the following to the basic structure:
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Hi, my name is _________. I will be
graduating/I just graduated from _________
with a (diploma/degree) in ___________. I’m
looking to ____________.
Sound Bites
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You can stick with the Sound Bite’s basic
structure and see where it takes you. It may
not take you very far because it lacks two
things: a “hook” and a request for action.
If you add an element of intrigue – a “hook”—
by incorporating your ‘unique selling
proposition’, the ensuing conversation has
considerable potential.
Example One
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Networker 1: Hi, my name is Pat
Southwick. I make dreams come true.
Networker 2: How do you do that?
Networker 1: I’m a wedding planner. I plan
dream weddings for couples. I’ve been
working for myself, but I’d like to get in with
one of the big resorts that hosts weddings.
Example Two
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Networker 1: Hi, my name is Sam Watson.
I’m responsible for this country’s future.
Networker 2: This I’ve got to hear about!
Networker 1: I’m a teacher! I love shaping
the minds of the next generation, but I’m also
interested in getting into corporate training.
Now you try!
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Who am I? (introduce yourself)
What business/field/industry am I in? (Identify yourself in
terms of a job function or contribution. What do you do?)
What group of people do I service? (be specific – do you have
a niche?) What position am I in? In what capacity do I serve?
What makes me different from the competition? (Develop a
statement of the primary differentiation of yourself. The
differentiation is the single most important thing that sets you
apart from the competition.)
What benefits do my customers derive from my services?
What benefits can employers derive from my skills based on
my proven accomplishments?
References
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Hansen, Katharine. Fantastic Formulas for
Composing Elevator Speeches. Retrieved February,
2, 2009, from:
http://www.quintcareers.com/writing_elevator_speec
hes.html
Hansen, Katharine. The Elevator Speech is the
Swiss Army Knife of Job-Search Tools. Retrieved
February 2, 2009, from:
http://www.quintcareers.com/writing_elevator_speec
hes.html