How can you make your personal brand shine in your elevator pitch?

1 Define your personal brand

Before you can pitch yourself, you need to understand your core values, goals, skills, accomplishments, and how you want to be perceived. Crafting a personal brand statement that captures your essence and value proposition can help you to do this. To define your personal brand, ask yourself some questions such as what are your core values and beliefs? What are your professional goals and aspirations? What are your key skills and expertise? What are your most notable accomplishments and impact? And how do you want others to perceive you? Writing down your answers will help you to create a statement that accurately reflects who you are.

2 Tailor your pitch to your audience

Your elevator pitch should not be a one-size-fits-all script that you recite to everyone you meet. Instead, it should be customized to suit the specific context, purpose, and audience of your interaction. For example, if you are pitching yourself to a potential employer, you should focus on how you can solve their problems and add value to their organization. If you are pitching yourself to a potential client, you should highlight how you can help them achieve their goals and meet their needs. If you are pitching yourself to a potential network, you should emphasize how you can collaborate or support them in their endeavors. To tailor your pitch to your audience, do some research and find out what they are looking for, what they care about, and what they value.

3 Use a clear and concise structure

Your elevator pitch should be concise and clear, no longer than the time it takes to ride an elevator with someone. To make a lasting impression, start with a hook that grabs attention and sparks curiosity. Introduce yourself and your personal brand statement, followed by an explanation of what you do and how you do it differently or better than others. Provide an example or evidence of your value or impact to support your message, then end with a call to action or a question that invites further conversation.

4 Practice and refine your pitch

To make your elevator pitch sound natural and confident, you should practice and refine it until you master it. You can record yourself to pay attention to your tone, pace, volume, and clarity. Additionally, ask for feedback from people who know you well or who work in your field. Testing your pitch in different scenarios is also important. Try it online, in person, over the phone, or in a group and observe how people react to it, what questions they ask, and what outcomes you achieve. This will help ensure that you sound enthusiastic, professional, and authentic when delivering your pitch.

5 Showcase your personality and passion

Your elevator pitch is more than a way to communicate your skills and value, but an opportunity to express your personality and passion. Crafting a unique and memorable personal brand is what will connect you with your audience on an emotional level. To showcase your personality and passion, you can use storytelling techniques such as anecdotes, metaphors, or humor. Additionally, incorporating positive and powerful words like innovative, creative, or impactful can convey your energy and enthusiasm. Further, body language and vocal cues such as eye contact, gestures, or inflection can reinforce your message and build rapport. Crafting a memorable elevator pitch is a powerful tool for career development and personal branding. By following these tips, you can make your personal brand shine in your elevator pitch and create lasting impressions that can open up new opportunities for you.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?