When clients first begin my public speaking workshop and enter the lion’s den known as giving their elevator pitch to a group of strangers, they always freeze, stumble, and become very frustrated, so why does this happen?

Speaking in public and delivering your elevator pitch to a group is definitely intimidating, but for all the focus on how the audience is judging them, the real issue and stress comes from the person giving the pitch and that’s because they have no idea what to say. Put yourself in their position, you are likely either feeling overwhelmed because you have too many things to say or are drawing blanks because you don’t know what to say.

Fortunately, I have put together a elevator pitch framework that will have you public speaking with confidence and closing deals before you arrive at the 6th floor:)

1. Attention grabbing opener.

When you grab an audience’s attention from the beginning, they have made the decision to listen and will be engaged, looking for your wisdom.

ex: startling fact, story, current situation (What’s the problem), etc. Include details that make the audience able to see it, hear it, feel it.

2. Give an example of how this impacts the audience.

Make the problem “real” for your audience by connecting it to something they identify with.

ex: financial loss, time loss, health consequences. Very effective to quantify the loss in a specific dollar amount because it’s easy to see it affecting their bottom line.

3. Why you’re qualified to publicly speak on this topic.

If the audience agrees that the problem you described is worth addressing, they must now develop trust that you are qualified and capable to solve it.

ex: Identify how you know their pain, why you’re an expert, create trust

4. Educate the audience: Describe your solution.

Explain what their solution looks like and how it changes their lives. It’s real when people can see their interpretation of it.

ex: What’s the big picture, what steps will is take to stop their pain/problem

5. The Close. What’s the Offer/CTA (Call To Action)

The audience is with you and is looking to take action, you must tell them the next step to make your solution to their problem a reality, don’t waste this golden opportunity.

ex: stop losing money and contact me today, enter your email address and receive…, book me for a free assessment of how to stop wasting money.

When you customize this framework with your own material, you will feel more comfortable presenting it to groups of strangers because you now know what to say, it’s a matter of practicing until it becomes refined in your delivery.

Take action and fill in your elevator speech framework. If you like what you read, please share it below.

P.S. Yes, this is my Call To Action:)