goodselevators

​The point of the elevator pitch is to sell yourself as quickly and clearly as possible, but you never know when you’ll have an opportunity for one of these in Chicago. Offset printing, pie charts, time tables… you don’t have any time for that! So to help you cut down and arm yourself with what you need to succeed, here are some tips to help you pitch yourself as best as possible.

Be Quick but Clean

Time is money. So you have to sell yourself fast and sound good doing it. For starters, you have about 60 seconds to pitch your idea which is about a 200 word speech. However, make sure you’re not rushing through your words! Nobody can understand a rushed sentence, so trim your pitch down and use only the key points with a strong delivery. Remember, confidence is key!

Solve a Problem and Grab their Attention

Word your speech so that you sound like your solving an important need. This can be really hard depending on your pitch in Chicago. Digital printing, for example doesn’t seem like it fills any major gaps in people’s lives, but if you sell it as a logical solution to getting your voice heard it becomes an obvious choice! You’ll also want to be passionate and consider making a catchy tagline so it’s easy to remember.

Speak Plainly and Tailor your Pitch

Depending on who you’re talking to, you need to tailor your pitch. An Employer will want to know why they need you, investors want to know how you’ll make them money, etc. You’ll want to do the same for your call to action in your closeout. You want them to feel like they should hurry up and invest, hire, whatever it is, right now.

Because you can possibly pitch to so many sources, you’ll want to get into the habit of using ‘Layman’s Terms.’ It’s hard to get a point across if no one can understand you through all the technobabble.

Have Visuals Ready

I know, it sounds a bit contradictory considering the time limit but you’ll want to keep some of these on hand wherever you go. You never know when you’ll come across someone who’d make a great contact in Chicago. Digital printing is always a good idea here as it’s clean and shows a lot more professionalism then to paper and pencil scribbles. Keep business cards on hand that you can give to possible contacts so they don’t have to try and remember you or write it down themselves.

If you’re attempting to pitch something to investors or partners, have a pamphlet on hand to give to them, in fact keep several on your person as you travel around Chicago. Brochure printing is cheap and easy and there are a lot of Chicago offset printing services to make your pamphlet look business sharp and professional.

Mind you, this doesn’t mean you should pack up your entire presentation and haul it around with you! But if it’s possible to get into a good discussion with someone over a position or opportunity you’ll want to have something ready even if it’s just a business card.

With these tips in mind, you’re sure to make some great pitches and start pulling in contacts and possibilities in no time!