By Garry Law, Technical Lead

Here’s the scenario: you are walking into a pitch at a client’s office tower. You arrive with plenty of time to rehearse your presentation and go through your notes, but in the foyer, you bump into the client who seems to be having a bad day.

“Mate, I’m really sorry but I cannot hear your presentation today,” he says. “I’ve got a crisis that I need to attend to.”

You know that you are the last agency to pitch and the client is making their decision today. The hasty client apologises, but he gives you a chance to make the sell on the 2-minute ride up the elevator.

What do you say?

After listening to some hilarious pitches and presenting ourselves at the STW retreat, Izzy and I found that the most effective pitches contained at least some of the following:

Sparklers

Each sparkler contains both a message and proof, for example the message could be “we create the best ideas”, and the example would be “just like that award-winning campaign we created.”

It may sound simple, but in a pressure situation, it is easy to rattle off a whole stack of ‘messages’ while neglecting the examples, or vice versa.

The right words

Knowing your clients’ needs, and wording your pitch accordingly can assure them that you are the right company for them. For example, words like ‘people’, ‘specialist’, ‘ideas’ and ‘proven results’ give the impression of an effective and trustworthy agency.

Acronyms

Finally, just as the lift door opens, and you’re about to part ways with your client, a simple acronym that sums up your points can leave a lasting reminder of the elevator pitch.

The power of the elevator sell is not just limited to clients; it is also an effective way to communicate ideas in your everyday work – so try it out!