The Elevator Pitch is for Image, Not Just Selling Projects.

Altogether too common are examples of idioms and commonly known sayings (think proverbs) which stress that the difference between achieving triumphant success versus suffering utter failure can come at the smallest of margins. Football is a game of inches, the devil is in the details, sayings like these exist for a reason. The smallest window of opportunity could and often does lead to the greatest success while a seemingly miniscule slip-up can bring business professionals, athletes, community leaders, and even the President crumbling to the ground (think Bill Clinton and the infamous white stain on Ms. Lewinski’s blazer). When put in these make or break situations, it is vitally important we are prepared. In the business world, an elevator speech is an excellent way to make sure you ate prepared when a potentially impactful windows of opportunity are opened to you via direct conversation with business leaders, clients, and others.

What I mean is, most of us think of this opportunity to share work you are contributing on a big project or some new idea you have. This is true, these can be great opportunities to get a word in influence wise but what if you don’t have any big projects you need to talk about? What if you’re not trying to influence this executive directly? Well, you still have one important thing to thing about—image.

Image in my opinion, is more important than performance i.e. the way leaders within your organization (or customers or anyone else) perceive you is much more noteworthy than that big project you’ve got cooking. Don’t get me wrong, the project is important and you should certainly take the opportunity to espouse its various virtues and work hard to ensure others assign it proper reverence—but this is not what sets you apart. The project can lead to the spotlight or recognition that will get you attention for the next big promotion or salary increase but the yes/no decision comes down to how you are seen—image.

With that in mind, the elevator pitch takes on a new meaning and therefore should be planned for accordingly. I propose that over 50% of the “success” of the elevator pitch comes down to delivery and how the words are perceived more so than what is actually being said. Now that other 50% of “substance” is vitally important as well but it is not the entire pie as is often thought. Our verbal delivery as well as non-verbal clues give the receiver of the message just as much information as the literal meaning behind the words do.

Your goal then should be to be perceived in a light that reflects the character traits of the position you want. In layman’s terms: you need to walk the walk and talk the talk. If you want to be promoted to a manager or director, then you better exhibit strong communication skills and confidence—even charisma. If you want to be promoted to a new highly technical engineering area, then you better come off as intelligent, hardworking, and technically savvy.