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Crafting a Killer Elevator Pitch

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Here’s the scenario: you’re in an elevator mindlessly scrolling through your phone when the doors open, and in walks the client you have been dying to work with. Here is your chance, you have 30 seconds to grab their attention…so, what do you say?

While we aren’t saying that you will experience this exact scenario in real-time, there may be real situations where you are in a room with a dream client of yours where you only have a few minutes to spark their interest. It’s crucial that as an artist, you prepare yourself to take advantage of these supercritical moments by having a killer elevator pitch in your arsenal.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of creating your elevator pitch:

What the heck is an elevator pitch?

Your intention with an elevator pitch should be to introduce yourself, establish your brand identity, pique interest, and encourage them to want to know more; this should all fit into a 20-30 second summary. Any longer and you'll risk losing the attention of your audience. Any shorter, and you might fail to capture the interest of your audience.

Let’s discuss crafting your elevator pitch

When choosing a place to start, think about your target audience and ask yourself these questions:

  • What industry-specific problems/obstacles do they face?
  • What are their artistic needs and desires?
  • Why does your service matter to them?
  • How are you better than your competitors?
  • What makes you stand out?

Things to remember while delivering your pitch

  • Be Confident. Confidence generates trust. Whatever pitch you craft, you must be comfortable speaking it aloud to people.
  • Keep it Short and sweet. Stay focused on the essentials. Keep it brief and no longer than 30 seconds.
  • Use a Conversational Tone. Think of it as if you’re explaining the work you do to a close friend. Sales jargon has no place in your elevator pitch.

Keep Working on It

Please don’t make the mistake of writing your first draft and assuming that’s the best it will get. Review. Rewrite. Refine. Your pitch should grow and evolve just as your business will. If you find that you’re stuck, dig a little deeper into the questions from above:

Target Market

  • What is your target market?
  • What are the problems that these potential clients face?

How You Are Helping Clients

  • What are the biggest desires of your clients?
  • What results can you guarantee to them?
  • What can you help your clients achieve through your work?

Benefits of your Work

  • What are your areas of expertise?
  • What is your specialty?
  • Why are clients satisfied with your work?

Add Your Personality

  • What do you wish to achieve?
  • What inspires you?

An example:

Below is an example of what your completed elevator pitch might look like.

“Joe Smith is a commercial fashion photographer in New York. His well-produced images are bold, graphic and dramatic. Joe’s work can be seen in editorial magazines to advertising campaigns.”

Remember, you only have 30 seconds to grab the attention of your prospective client before the doors of the elevator open…Good luck - we're rooting for you!

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