At a networking event, you find yourself standing next to the person you’ve wanted to talk to all evening. “What exactly is it that you do?” It feels like an opportunity you have to take. After two deep breaths, you go for it. Your elevator pitch. You introduce yourself and suddenly, before you know it, you turn into a walking LinkedIn bio.

“I am…”

“I do…”

“I help organizations with…”

Halfway through, you see it happen. They check out.

This is exactly where an elevator pitch often falls short. Not because it’s poorly phrased, but because it makes people feel nothing. An elevator pitch is not a summary of your work and not a list of your resume highlights. A good pitch is an invitation to connect. And that requires a different approach. No broadcasting, but connecting.

The goal

The goal of an elevator pitch is not to say everything. The goal is to spark curiosity. If the other person says, “Tell me more,” you have succeeded. You have not simply transferred information, you have opened a door.

Start with the other person’s world. A recognizable problem. A desire. An ambition. Something that makes them think: yes, that’s exactly what I struggle with. For a trainer at Happy Good Talk, this could sound like:

“Too many people hold an incredible amount of expertise, but struggle to explain their role in a clear way. As a result, there’s no impact. It’s my mission to help them translate their expertise into a story that truly sticks.”

In far under thirty seconds, you point out the problem, your solution and why it matters to the other person. The goal of an elevator pitch is not to say everything, the goal is to spark curiosity. If the other person says, “Tell me more,” you have succeeded. You have not simply transferred information. You have opened a door.

Our tips

Pitch tip 1: Find the Core

For almost every professional, it feels important to be complete. You know a lot. The details matter. So you want to share them.

But the real power lies in what you leave out. Decide what is truly worth saying now. The rest will naturally follow.

Pitch tip 2: Be Brave

Speaking clearly takes courage. It means making choices. Letting go of jargon. Not hiding behind complicated language, but being direct.

The more concrete you dare to be, the stronger your story becomes.

Pitch tip 3: Be Yourself

An elevator pitch that is technically correct but reveals nothing about yourself will always feel flat. Your energy, your conviction and your perspective make the difference.

Maybe you are analytical and calm. Maybe you are energetic and outspoken. Both can work, as long as it aligns with who you are.

Practice makes perfect

Your elevator pitch does not get stronger by sleeping on it one more night. It gets stronger by saying it out loud. To real people.

Test it. Cut words. Make it sharper. Make it clearer. Notice when someone loses interest and adjust.

Training

Truly want to sharpen the way you tell your story?
Our Storytelling training will help you translate your expertise into a clear and compelling message that sticks.

Podcast

And for your pitch perfect warm up:
listen to our podcast, where we break down an amazing elevator pitch.
We’ll show exactly what works, and why.
We see you.