The Elevator Pitch You Can Actually Say Out Loud (Not the One You Wrote for LinkedIn)

Here's how you can tell an elevator pitch was written for a screen instead of a mouth: it has commas doing the work of full sentences, at least one word like "leverage" or "holistic," and it takes twenty seconds just to find out what the business actually does. Say it out loud to yourself right now — if you stumbled, so will every person you say it to. The businesses that win the room aren't the ones with the cleverest tagline, they're the ones whose founder can answer "so what do you do?" in one clean, human sentence, every time. 💖

What most business owners get wrong

Most elevator pitches are written to sound impressive rather than to be understood. They front-load vague value language — "we help businesses grow" — instead of naming a specific, recognisable problem. They're also usually written once, at a desk, and never tested against the noisy reality of an actual conversation — a networking event, a school pickup chat, a stranger at a trade show. A pitch that reads well doesn't automatically sound good, and those are two different skills.

The other common trap: trying to cram in everything you do. A pitch that lists five services is a pitch nobody remembers. The goal isn't to fully explain your business — it's to make someone curious enough to ask a follow-up question.

How to actually build and test yours

Write three rough versions using the formula above, then read each one aloud to a colleague who isn't in marketing — if they ask "wait, what do you actually do?" afterwards, it's not ready. Time yourself; if it runs past about 15 seconds, it's too long. Then actually use it — at the next networking event, on the phone, in the first line of a sales call — and notice which version gets a genuine follow-up question versus a polite nod. That's your real test, not how it reads on a slide.

Mistakes to avoid

• Don't write it at a desk and call it done — say it out loud to a real person before you trust it.
• Don't try to list everything you do — pick the problem you most want to be known for solving.
• Don't use words you wouldn't use in a normal conversation — if it sounds like a brochure, it'll land like one.
• Don't make it so short it's vague — "we help businesses grow" is short, but says nothing.
• Don't use the same pitch forever without testing it — the version that works in one room can fall flat in another.

Frequently asked questions

Should the pitch change depending on who I'm talking to?

The core formula stays the same, but which detail you lead with can shift — emphasise the part of the problem most relevant to that person. It's honest tailoring, not a different pitch each time, and it takes a bit of practice to do smoothly.

How long should it actually be?

Aim for under 15 seconds without rushing. That's a guide, not a hard rule — a slightly longer pitch that's genuinely clear beats a shorter one that's confusing.

What if my business is hard to explain in one sentence?

That's common, and usually means you're trying to explain the whole business instead of the one problem you most want to be known for. Pick the sharpest entry point, not the most complete one.

Does a good elevator pitch actually generate business, or is it just a nice-to-have?

On its own, rarely — it's an opening, not a close. Its real job is earning a follow-up conversation; what happens after that depends on your offer and your follow-up, so don't expect the pitch alone to do the selling.

Keep reading 🤍

• How to Turn Speaking Engagements & Industry Events Into Client Leads
• Are Networking Groups and Chambers of Commerce Worth the Membership Fee?
• How to Write a Meet the Owner Page That Doesn't Read Like a Resume