Your Elevator Pitch Isn't About You. Here's What It's Actually For.
Every Friday morning, our local chamber hosts a coffee chat.
It's a good group. By the end of the meeting, thirty, forty, sometimes fifty people are crowded into a local business, holding their coffee cups, waiting for the circle to start. Everyone gets a turn to introduce themselves. Some take the allotted thirty seconds. Some stretch it to two minutes. A few go longer than that.
I've been in that circle a lot of times now. And if I'm being honest, most introductions sound the same. Or they're confusing. Or they go on way longer than they should.
You know the ones.
There's the person who lists every service they offer, every industry they've worked in, and every credential they've earned. By the time they're done, you've lost track of what they actually do. And you've mentally started drafting your grocery list.
There's the person who uses words that sound impressive but don't land. "I help organizations leverage transformative solutions to optimize stakeholder outcomes." Okay. Good luck with that.
And then there's the person who finishes their thirty seconds and you still have no idea what they do, who they help, or why you should care.
None of this is said with judgment. I've been that person. Second guessed myself and gotten into my own head. Either said too much or made it too complicated.
Keeping it focused and simple takes practice. And it helps to know what you're actually trying to accomplish.
Because here's what most people get wrong about the elevator pitch. They think it's supposed to explain everything about them. Their background, their approach, their philosophy, their offer.
It's not.
Your pitch has one job.
Get the right people interested enough to come talk to you.
That's it. Nothing more.
You're not trying to close a deal in thirty seconds. You're not trying to impress everyone in the room. You're trying to plant a flag. So the people who need what you do think "oh, that sounds interesting" and find you when the circle breaks up.
And the people who don't need what you do? They tune out politely and wait for the next person. That's fine. That's actually what you want. You can't help everyone. And trying to speak to everyone usually means you connect with no one.
So what does a pitch like that actually contain? A few focused things.
Start with the problem you solve
Not your name. Not your company. The problem.
People tune in when something sounds familiar. When a challenge comes up that they're living or that someone they know is dealing with, their ears perk up. That's the hook.
Keep it simple. Keep it specific. Think about the one problem that describes about 80% of the people you help. Not every problem. The main one.
Something like: "A lot of business owners I work with have a hard time explaining what they do in a way that actually connects with people." Or "A lot of coaches I work with are great at what they do but can't figure out why their marketing isn't working."
One sentence. Specific enough to feel real. Simple enough that anyone in the room gets it.
Then say who you are and what you do about it
After the problem, now you introduce yourself. "I'm Mike. I'm a marketing strategist." Or whatever your title is.
Then give them the "so that" statement. You help [who] with [what], so that [what happens as a result].
"I help coaches and consultants get clear on their message and where to focus their marketing, so they stop spinning their wheels and start getting traction."
That's it. No jargon. No buzzwords. No acronyms. Say it the way you'd say it to a friend at a backyard cookout.
If they'd tilt their head and ask "what does that mean?" find different words.
Here's what that looks like in practice. Same person, same expertise, three completely different results.
The credential dump:
"Hi, I'm Jennifer. I'm a certified life and business coach with fifteen years of corporate HR experience. I work with executives, entrepreneurs and high-achieving professionals on leadership development, career transitions, mindset work and organizational culture."
You know Jennifer has a lot of experience. You have no idea if she can help you or who she's really for.
The jargon version:
"I help purpose-driven leaders leverage their authentic potential to create transformative impact through aligned action and intentional growth strategies."
Read that again slowly. Still not sure what Jennifer does.
The version that works:
"A lot of professionals I work with are really good at their jobs but feel stuck. They've hit a ceiling and can't figure out why. I help them get clear on what's holding them back and what to do about it, so they can move forward without second-guessing every decision."
Same person. Completely different result.
You understood the third one immediately. And if you've felt stuck lately (or know someone who has), Jennifer just got your attention.
Tell them what's in it for them.
You don't always need a separate sentence for this. Often the "so that" takes care of it. But if there's something quick and tangible you can add, add it.
What changes for someone when they work with you? What do they stop worrying about? What do they finally feel? What result shows up in their life or business?
That's what people are listening for. Not your process. The outcome.
One thing to play with once you have the basics down.
Once you can say your core intro comfortably without stumbling, try opening with a question instead.
"You know how a lot of business owners are really good at what they do, but struggle when it comes to marketing their business? That's what I help fix."
The question format works because it invites people to recognize themselves before you've even finished talking. You've already created a moment of "yes, that's me" before you ever said your name.
But get the basics working first. Master the simple version. Then experiment.
The practice part matters more than you think.
A lot of people work out a pitch, say it once or twice at home, and then freeze when someone asks "so what do you do?" in real life.
Write it down. Say it out loud. Say it in the car. Say it in the mirror if that's what it takes.
The goal is for it to feel like yours. Not rehearsed. Not stiff. Just clear and natural, like you've said it a hundred times because you have.
When it clicks, you'll notice the difference. People will ask follow-up questions instead of just nodding. Conversations after the meeting will feel easier. And you'll stop dreading "so what do you do?"
One more thing worth mentioning.
Your elevator pitch and your website homepage have more in common than you might think.
When someone lands on your homepage, they're making the same decision someone in that coffee chat circle makes in thirty seconds. Do I want to learn more? Is this for me? Is this person I want to talk to?
You have about five seconds on a homepage before someone decides to stay or leave. If your headline doesn't answer who you help and what you do for them, they're gone.
The same clarity work you do for your pitch works for your homepage too. The words just live in a different place.
If you're curious how your homepage holds up, the 5-Second Clarity Scorecard is a free assessment I personally review. It looks at whether your homepage is doing the job it's supposed to do. Request yours today.
And if you're at the point where you want to nail both your message and build a whole marketing approach around it, that's what the Aligned Marketing System is designed for. It starts with exactly this kind of clarity work and builds from there.
But start with the pitch. Work it out. Try it this week.
If you have a networking event coming up, you've got your homework.
Action Step
Grab a notebook or open a blank doc. Answer these three questions in plain language, the way you'd explain it to a friend:
What's the one main problem I help people with?
Who specifically am I helping?
What's different or better in their life or business after working with me?
Then string those answers together into a few sentences. Say it out loud. Adjust until it sounds like you. Keep it under thirty seconds.
That's your pitch.