pixelkin

I’ve always had trouble telling people what I do. I had never been able to nutshell “I talk to clients, listen to what they need, find a metaphor to carry the communication, develop the plan, discover the shape of the data, design the look & feel, create the collatoral, execute the production, work with programmers, deliver the solution to the client” only ever gets a blank “huh?? what the heck does that mean??” on a good day, and a “So how about that local sports team, they’re doing great, aren’t they?” on most other days.

This recurring instance reached a point a few years ago that, under the self-imposed stress of the question, I began lying about what I did.

“I’m a model” I would say.. “I’m an Airline hostess”.. “I make playdough” and when they’d look at my obviously non-America’s Next Top Model figure say “I’m a *BEFORE* model!”. When they’d look at my obviously too wide hips and mentally comparing them to the width of the plane aisle I’d say “Yeh, I just do the PA announcements”. When they’d raise their eyebrows at the thought of someone actually making play dough by hand, I’d challenge them “Well it doesn’t make itself, you know!!”

Even though this was quite a bit of fun at the time, that sort of brat-like behaviour to the prefectly legitimate question of “What do you do?” didn’t win me any new connections. It didn’t move my career forward nor did it provide any hook for potential “word of mouth” opportunities that may have come my way. I decided to pull my socks up, do a little bit of homework and be prepared for the next time I was asked that question in a social situation.

Checking the Internets lead me to the term “Elevator Pitch“. Simply put, the Elevator Pitch is the ability to sell an idea to a stranger (the decision-maker in a company, for instance) in the time it takes the elevator you are both traveling in to move from the Ground Floor to the Top Floor and then to the Boardroom – with you in tow of course, because the stranger has been so wowed by your pitch he wants the CEO to meet you. A perfect example of this is in the 80 movie Working Girl when Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) sells a media solution to the owner of her company, Mr Trask, in the elevator. Her pitch changes his mind, gets her the job of her dreams, and gets the added bonus of her double-dealing boss being fired.

My research revealed Elevator Pitches need to be:

• Concise: 30-60 seconds (assume short buildings)
• Clear: use plain language (leave off the jargon and acronyms)
• Compelling: hook your listener (show your passion)
• Credible: know your stuff (there are going to be questions – be prepared)
• Customised: know your audience (modify your pitch to the CEO compared to your pitch to a peer)
• Consistent: know your message (get a couple of examples up your sleeve – don’t be a one trick pony)

With those thoughts in mind, I’ve developed a first draft of my “elevator” pitch:

I work with a talented team of web-fanatics in South Melbourne. We build smart, beautiful websites for companies who want to make a strong, positive impression online. Our clients hire us because they know we understand how to target their audiences, how to encourage customer participation and how to communicate the right message. My specific job involves making our websites easy to use and understand, and have them work for as many people as possible.

With a bit of work I think that might be able to be tucked up into my sleeve for the next time I’m asked “What do you do?”

How about you? Are you interested in devoping your own pitch? Take the Elevator Pitch Challenge – what are you going to say next time someone asks you what you do?