How to Write an Elevator Pitch for
Your Business [Template & Examples]

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch in business is a brief description of your business, which can be spoken in 30 to 60 seconds (about the same duration as a short elevator ride), that excites your audience and encourages them to want to learn more about your company.

6 Components of a Great Pitch

Your company’s elevator pitch should include the following:

1. Who you are – Introduce yourself and your company.
2. What you do – Describe what products and/or services you offer.
3. How you’re different – Describe what makes your company different from its competitors.
4. Why you’re the best – Explain your value proposition.
5. What’s in it for them – Describe what your audience can gain by working with you.
6. Call to action – Describe your desired outcome.

What Makes a Great Elevator Pitch?

A quality elevator pitch:

• Gets everyone in your company on the precise same page regarding what your business is and what the key objectives are.
• Allows everyone in your company to give a concise and consistent explanation of your business which leads to more customers.
• Allows investors, lenders, partners, etc., to quickly understand what you do and hopefully get excited to work with your business venture.

Below you’ll learn the 7 keys to writing an effective elevator pitch for a company with examples from successful companies.

Then you’ll see our elevator pitch template to allow you to skillfully create your own elevator pitch for your business.

7 Keys to Writing an Elevator Pitch with Examples

Below are a few tips to help you create an effective elevator pitch with examples from multiple industries.

1. Make Your Elevator Pitch Short

With elevator pitches, brevity and simplicity are the keys. Take this elevator pitch example:

“We network networks.”

This is the introductory statement of the elevator pitch of Sandy Lerner, co-founder of Cisco Systems. The entire business premise is explained in just three words. A tremendous feat but one that is achievable with practice and patience.

2. Make it Simple

Use straightforward language in your elevator pitch with the goal that someone with very limited knowledge about your industry can easily understand your value.

Celebrated investor Michael Moritz in his book Leading recalls founders of Google, Sergey Brin and Larry Page’s straightforward elevator pitch:

“Google organizes the world’s information and makes it universally accessible.”

Moritz recalls being impressed with the crispness and clarity of the pitch. The lesson here is that your pitch needs to be concise but with a clear sense of purpose and direction, which makes it memorable and easy to deliver.

3. Hook Them with What Makes you Unique

Your elevator pitch should spark interest, arouse curiosity, and make people want to engage with you to know more about your business and/or idea. It should be creative and distinctive.

Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs was a star presenter who perfected the art of the hook. At the 2007 iPhone launch he began his pitch with the following statement:

“Today Apple is going to reinvent the phone.”

Similarly, Airbnb’s pitch clearly highlights their distinctive offering:

“We are a web platform where users can rent out their space to host travelers to: save money, make money and share culture.”

Once you have people hooked you can expand upon your idea, depending on the time you have.

4. Include Numbers in Your Pitch

Instead of industry jargon, incorporate numbers into your elevator pitch. Investors understand numbers and a single relevant data point can do most of the influencing for you.

Consider the premise of The Laundress, a non-toxic fabric care company founded in 2004 that sold to Unilever for a reported $100 million in 2018:

“90% of items labeled “Dry Clean Only” are actually washable.”

Almost no one understands the specialized textile science that underpins The Laundress’ products. But almost everyone understands that dry cleaning is expensive and uses harmful chemicals. The 90% figure is an attention-grabbing statistic that immediately prompts curiosity around how The Laundress will clean your clothes while saving money on dry cleaning and reducing your environmental impact.

5. Prepare Several Elevator Pitches for Various Stakeholders

When getting your business off the ground or trying to scale it you will pitch different stakeholders.

You might find yourself pitching to an investor, coworker, or client. All will have a different agenda and need from your business. So, your elevator pitch to each one of them should be slightly varied to account for their needs and prospective benefits.

Consider a fictional startup aerosol disinfectant company and the below elevator pitches as framed to various stakeholders:

Prospective investor: Aeroclean’s portable disinfecting equipment creates the finest mist on the market and performs twice as effective at killing bacteria and viruses as the leading competitor. We estimate the market for products like ours will double in the next 24 months and, because we are the best in the business, your $500,000 investment will triple in that same period.

Prospective salesperson: You will be joining Aeroclean at the front end of a massive market expansion never before seen in the disinfectant space. We expect that your past experience in chemical sales coupled with our competitively priced state-of-the-art product will result in a six-figure commission opportunity over the next 12 months.

Prospective client: Keeping your common spaces bacteria and virus free will keep your workforce healthier and more productive, but 3 out of 4 companies we meet with haven’t found a solution that works for them. Aeroclean is portable, twice as effective as our competitor and priced at $1,500, payable over six months, and comes with a money-back guarantee.

Understanding how to get your audience’s attention is important for any pitch situation. Make sure you practice giving your elevator pitch so you can effectively communicate your business or idea to the right audience.

6. Have a Key Takeaway

Make sure your audience knows what you want from them at the end of your elevator pitch, be that their business, capital investment, or endorsement.

Consider Heal, a mobile app that facilitates doctor house calls for patients. Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Renee Dua makes this pitch to potential patients on Heal’s website:

“We want to be your family’s first choice for healthcare. When you’re sick or when you’re well, Heal was created to make it easy and affordable to see a great doctor on your schedule.”

The takeaway here is a bid to you as the consumer to switch to Heal from other alternatives for your family’s healthcare needs.

7. Rehearse Thoroughly

Practice your pitch whenever you can and on whoever you can. Record yourself and play it back to see how you come across. Practicing also fosters confidence so that in an actual pitching situation you do not stall or come across as robotic.

Your body language also matters, so practice in front of a mirror to see how you move. Sit up straight, make eye contact and use hand gestures to help communicate the important points.

Your delivery must be smooth, conversational, and delivered in a compelling way. Seeing you entirely in control and confident will automatically inspire the audience’s confidence in the idea and/or business you are selling. The way you deliver your pitch is a great indication of the amount of passion you hold for your business. Hearing a passionate pitch can convince investors who invest in people as much as they invest in ideas. But, be sure to have your business card handy. 

Business Elevator Pitch Examples for Inspiration

Some specific examples of how to craft your company’s elevator pitch can be helpful. The following sample elevator pitches cover a wide range of businesses and organizations.

Some other real-world elevator pitch examples include:

Nerdwallet: “We help people make decisions about their money.”

DoorDash: “DoorDash is the fastest way to get food from great restaurants to your door.”

Blue Apron: “Blue Apron helps you cook incredible meals at home.”

Warby Parker: “Warby Parker is a better way to buy glasses.”

ZocDoc: “ZocDoc makes it easy to find and book appointments with top doctors and dentists.”

Uber: “Uber is a fast, reliable way to get around town.”

While these elevator pitch examples are great for inspiration, remember that the best pitch is the one that fits your company perfectly.

To make the perfect elevator pitch, focus on what makes your company different and how you are helping your customers. If you think about your pitch as a conversation between two people, it should flow and sound natural.

You can also try using one of these elevator pitch examples as a starting point or our template below from which you can craft your own elevator pitch. However, keep in mind that the best way to have a successful pitch is by tailoring it for each potential investor.

General Elevator Pitch Template to Help You Write Your Pitch

The following elevator template includes six questions to help you develop a good elevator pitch for your business.

1. What does your company do (start with phrases such as: we help, we provide, we manufacture, we offer, etc.)?
2. Who does your company serve (who are your customers? teenagers? entrepreneurs, new parents, etc.)?
3. What key benefits do you offer your customers? (e.g., higher quality/more success, lower cost, more reliable, etc.)?
4. Why is your company better than competitors? (e.g., even faster, less expensive, etc.)? 
5. What information gives your firm more credibility  (e.g., track record)?
6. Is there a clear and clean business sector that your company fits into (e.g., restaurant, CPA firm, etc.)?

Combine the key points from Questions 1-6 into a 35 word or less statement that describes your business.

Say it aloud to make sure it sounds good and makes sense. Tell it to friends to make sure they “get” it. Tell it to team members and other employees to confirm that they can repeat it back to you.

Business Elevator Pitch Conclusion

Developing a strong elevator pitch is essential for any business. It can help you sell your company to potential investors, employees, and customers.

The best elevator pitches are clear, concise, and easy to understand. They highlight what makes your company different and why customers should choose you over the competition.

Remember to tailor your pitch to fit each individual investor and to make sure it sounds natural and normal. Practice saying it aloud to make sure everything flows together well.

If you follow these steps, you will have a much better chance of selling your business to investors and achieving great success for your business.

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