Blog

Let's Have An Elevator Conversation

4 Sep 2008

Suddenly everyone wants an ‘elevator pitch’ to describe their organisation. The concept, imported from the US, is based on the need to succinctly describe what you do and the opportunities you offer.

Surely that’s got to be a good thing - a chance to speedily sell you wares between floors before the ‘ping’ when the doors open.

The Times recently offered a sample pitch helpfully suggesting that you focus on your ‘unique core differentiators’: "Hello. My name is Robert Simmons, and I am a director of Leverage Publishing. We specialise in online marketing materials and systems designed to help opticians, dentists and small businesses in the health sector become more successful. Our best-selling package, More Clients, typically increases client numbers by over 25 per cent within three months, and was awarded the Silver Star for support services in this year's ..............................................

Hang on, exactly how slow is this lift (sorry elevator)? And are you are really going to blurt out your unique core differentiators between floors?

Whatever happened to the idea of showing some interest in the other person in the lift? Surely you are more likely to achieve your objective by asking a question and listening. As Dale Carnegie, representing a more mature period of American thinking, said: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming more interested in other people than you can in two years trying to get people interested in you.”

So maybe we should abandon the idea of the elevator pitch and start to think of how to structure elevator conversations. It’s harder, because you have to be sharp enough to anticipate the response. But effective communication is two-way and more often about effective listening than effective speaking.

Ian Coldwell