When someone asks what you do, your answer either sparks interest or falls flat. A good elevator pitch — a clear, compelling, concise way of explaining who you help and the value you deliver — is a surprisingly powerful tool for any coach, consultant or founder. Yet most people’s answer is vague and forgettable. Here’s how to write an elevator pitch that sticks, and makes people want to know more.
Know what an elevator pitch is for
An elevator pitch isn’t about cramming everything about your business into a few seconds; it’s about clearly and memorably conveying who you help and the value you offer, in a way that sparks interest. Its job is to make someone instantly understand what you do and want to know more — not to close a sale on the spot. Understanding this purpose keeps your pitch focused on clarity and intrigue rather than information overload. A great elevator pitch opens a conversation; it doesn’t try to be the whole conversation.
Focus on who you help and how
The heart of a strong pitch is clarity about who you help and the value or transformation you deliver. Rather than listing your job title or services, express the difference you make for the people you serve. “I help [these people] achieve [this valuable outcome]” is far more compelling than “I’m a consultant.” Focusing on your ideal client and the real value you provide makes your pitch instantly relevant and interesting to the right people. Lead with who you help and what changes for them, and your pitch immediately lands. See positioning yourself.
Make it clear, not clever
The most common pitch mistake is being clever or jargon-heavy at the expense of clarity. A pitch full of buzzwords or vague abstractions leaves people confused about what you actually do. The best pitches are strikingly clear — anyone can immediately understand them. Prioritise being understood over sounding impressive. If a listener walks away unsure what you do, your pitch failed, however sophisticated it sounded. Clarity is what makes a pitch effective, so use plain, direct language that instantly communicates who you help and how. Clear beats clever every time.
Keep it concise
An elevator pitch should be short — deliverable in the time of a short elevator ride. Concise pitches are easier to say, easier to understand, and easier to remember. Trying to say too much dilutes your message and loses your listener. Distil your pitch to its essence: the core of who you help and the value you deliver, without unnecessary detail. The discipline of keeping it short forces you to clarify what really matters. A tight, concise pitch lands far better than a long, rambling explanation that overwhelms and forgets to be memorable.
Make it memorable
A pitch that’s instantly forgotten does little good. Aim to make yours memorable — through a vivid way of describing the value, a striking result, a clear and distinctive framing, or simply exceptional clarity. When your pitch sticks in someone’s mind, they remember you and can describe you to others, which spreads your reach. Think about what would make your pitch stand out and linger, rather than blending into every other vague description. A memorable pitch keeps working long after you’ve said it, as people recall and repeat it.
Speak to what they care about
An effective pitch connects with what your listener cares about — a problem they recognise, a desire they share, something relevant to them. Framing your value in terms of the problems and outcomes people care about makes your pitch resonate rather than just inform. When someone hears their own challenge or goal reflected in your pitch, they instantly lean in. Understanding what your ideal clients care about, and speaking to it, is what turns a pitch from a description of you into something genuinely interesting to them. Make it about their world.
Make it natural, not robotic
A pitch delivered like a memorised script feels awkward and off-putting. The goal is to know your core message so well that you can express it naturally and conversationally, adapting to the moment, rather than reciting a rigid script. A natural, genuine delivery is far more engaging and trustworthy than a robotic one. Internalise the essence of your pitch so it comes out as authentic conversation, not a rehearsed speech. The best pitches feel like a real person genuinely and clearly explaining what they do, not a salesperson performing a line.
Refine it over time
Your elevator pitch isn’t fixed forever; it improves with use. Pay attention to how people respond — what sparks interest, what confuses, what lands — and refine your pitch accordingly. Testing and adjusting it in real conversations sharpens it over time into something that reliably connects. The best pitches are honed through repetition and feedback, not perfected in one sitting. Treat your pitch as a living tool you keep improving, and it becomes an ever more effective way of clearly and memorably conveying the value you offer. See differentiating your business.
Have variations ready
Different situations call for slightly different pitches, so it helps to have a few variations of your core message ready. A quick one-line version for a casual introduction, a slightly fuller version when there’s more time or interest, and versions tuned to different audiences all let you fit the moment naturally. The underlying message stays consistent, but the length and emphasis flex to the situation. Having these variations prepared means you’re never caught fumbling for words, and you can always meet the moment with a clear, relevant answer. One strong core message, adaptable to context, serves you far better than a single rigid script.
Frequently asked questions
What should an elevator pitch include?
Clearly who you help and the value or transformation you deliver, expressed concisely and memorably — enough to make someone instantly understand what you do and want to know more.
How long should an elevator pitch be?
Short — deliverable in the time of a brief elevator ride. Concise pitches are easier to say, understand and remember; trying to say too much dilutes the message and loses the listener.
Why isn’t my elevator pitch working?
Usually it’s vague, jargon-heavy or focused on your title rather than the value you deliver. Make it clear not clever, focus on who you help and how, and speak to what your listener cares about.
A pitch that sticks comes from genuine clarity about who you serve and why you’re different. Book a discovery call to sharpen the message behind everything you say.