what is an elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is a brief, clear, and concise message that outlines an idea, product, or company in a way that any listener can understand it in a short period of time. It is called an elevator pitch because it takes roughly the amount of time youd spend riding an elevator with someone, which is usually between 30 seconds to two minutes. The goal of an elevator pitch is to convey the overall concept or topic in an exciting way and to entice an investor or executive in a company, or explain an idea to a founders parents. An elevator pitch can be used to introduce yourself, get across a key point or two, and make a connection with someone in networking situations and career fairs or answer the interview question, “tell me about yourself” . The pitch should be short and direct, with the first two sentences being the most important, as they should hook or grab the attention of the listener. An elevator pitch is frequently memorized and practiced in advance by entrepreneurs who actively seek backers for their business ideas.