Elevator Pitches

I hate to spoil this for you. 

But elevator pitches are - 

Wait, I meant to say I love to spoil this for you. 

Elevator pitches are for people who ride elevators. 

If you only have a few seconds to approach someone in a confined space with a sales pitch you’re hoping won’t creep them out or terrify them - by all means, use an elevator pitch. 

If you have time, 

If you are not in a confined space, 

If you can just get out of the confined space and there’s interest in spending a moment more in human interaction - then,

You don’t need an elevator pitch if you’re not pitching in an elevator.

You need a…

Sitting in the lobby having a conversation pitch. 

Or a quick video call on a Tuesday for an explanation pitch. 

Or an anything that’s not whatever people still think elevator pitches are pitch. 

I get the need to be succinct and clear. 

By all means, work your message down to something familiar yet different. 

But save your elevator pitch for the elevators, and think about how your pitch plays different across different mediums, media, and meetings. 

Ps. “The Medium Is The Metaphor (Postman, Not McLuhan)” applies well here too.