To write an elevator pitch, say who you are, what you do, who it's for and why it's different, then end with a call to action, all in about 30 seconds or roughly 75 words. Shopify says the name comes from the idea that it shouldn't take longer than a ride in an elevator.
CFI calls it an elevator speech that tells people who you are, what you do and what you want to achieve. The hard part, it says, is fitting those in without talking about yourself for too long or taking over the conversation. Remember that a pitch is a surface-level introduction. Shopify's point is that it only has to hold attention for 30 seconds. If the listener is interested, you'll get more time.
When you'll use an elevator pitch
Shopify lists the situations where one earns its keep:
- Sparking interest from potential investors.
- Pitching an idea to a potential co-founder.
- Selling directly to customers at events.
- Guiding your copywriting and personal brand.
- Explaining what you do at networking events, job interviews or career fairs.
- Sharing a new project idea with your team or senior people in your organisation.
CFI notes that a job seeker, a salesperson and a business owner each want different things, but the ingredients are similar. A job seeker explains their expertise and skill set. Someone inside an organisation describes what it does and what it sells. If networking is where you'll use yours most, this guide to networking for business owners covers the rest of the conversation.
How to write an elevator pitch in 8 steps
- Grab attention with your intro. Shopify points to Monroe's Principles of Speech, which suggest humour, a compelling statistic or astonishing information. Advertising executive Cindy Gallop's advice in the same guide is to lead with your brand name, because she's often been pitched startups whose founders never said what they were called.
- Say who you are. Your name and your role, so the listener knows how you're connected to what comes next.
- Say what you do and how. This is your mission in one sentence. Shopify's example: "I'm Sarah, the founder of Formula One, a company dedicated to creating and providing the best formula for babies, regardless of their food sensitivities."
- Name your target market. Show who the customer is and the need you're meeting: a pain point, a passion, a gap or the time and cost you save people.
- Mention your goal. A job, an investment, a sale or simply a bigger network. Saying it makes your call to action land.
- Embrace the competition. Don't gloss over it. Mention an existing alternative, even if it's just the way things are done now, and say why yours is better.
- Include a call to action. A business card, a sample, a LinkedIn connection or a meeting. Gallop adds that you should make clear how the business earns its revenue.
- Practise it, and record yourself. Use the voice recorder on your phone so you can time it and hear how it sounds.
Three elevator pitch templates
Shopify offers three templates. Here's when to use each one:
| Template | Use it when | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose | Networking and general introductions | Name, company, offer for a target market, differentiator, recent milestone, call to action |
| Pixar pitch | Your product solves a pain point people relate to | A short story: the way things were, the problem, the search, the solution, how life is better now |
| Sales pitch | You're talking to a potential customer | A question about a situation they recognise, your offer, your differentiator, call to action |
The all-purpose template: My name is (your name), founder of (your company). We offer (product or service) for (target market) to (value proposition). Unlike (the competition), we (key differentiator). And we recently (recent milestone). (Call to action.)
The Pixar template follows a storytelling structure: Once upon a time (character and context). Every day, (the way things were). One day, (the problem). Because of that, (the challenge). Because of that, (the search for a solution). Until finally (the solution). Now, (how things are better).
The sales template opens with a question: Have you ever (situation the listener relates to)? (Company) offers (product) for (target market) like you to (benefit). Unlike (known alternative), (your product) is (key differentiator). (Call to action.)
A worked example to adapt
Here's the all-purpose template filled in for a made-up business. Brightside Bookkeeping isn't real, and neither is its founder. It's there to show the shape:
"I'm Jo Patel, founder of Brightside Bookkeeping. We look after the books for small online shops, so owners stop losing weekends to spreadsheets. Unlike software you have to learn yourself, we do the work and send a plain-English report every month. We've just launched a service for shops that sell in more than one currency. If you know a shop owner who dreads tax season, I'd love an introduction."
That's about 70 words. Notice what it leaves out: no history of the company, no list of every service, no jargon. It names the customer, the problem and the difference, then asks for one thing.
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Seven ways to make it stronger
- Use social proof.
- Include concrete numbers.
- Use an analogy to explain your product.
- Sell with a story.
- Write for the ear, not the page.
- Consider a video version of your pitch.
- Prepare good conversation starters for what comes next.
That list is Shopify's. Of the seven, writing for the ear is the one I see skipped most. A sentence that reads well on screen can be a mouthful out loud.
The catch: a great script is useless if you can't deliver it
CFI makes this point directly. Read your pitch aloud in front of a mirror or to friends until it sounds like a smooth conversation rather than a recital. Shopify's eighth step goes further: record yourself, listen back, watch how people react and fix the parts that sound off. Your pitch also leans on knowing exactly who you serve and why you're different, so if those answers feel shaky, work on your positioning first.
Where I come in
Messaging is a big part of what I do. I work with founders, SaaS marketing teams and small businesses to pin down who they're for, what makes them different and how to say it in a sentence people remember. A good elevator pitch usually falls out of that work. You can see how I work on my work with me page.
My advice on elevator pitches
Write it, cut it in half, then say it out loud. If you stumble on a phrase, change it, because you'll stumble on it in front of a real person too. Keep a version for each situation you're in often, whether that's networking, a sales call or an investor meeting, and keep each one under 75 words.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an elevator pitch be?
About 30 seconds, or around 75 words, according to Shopify. CFI says it shouldn't run much longer than 30 seconds.
What should an elevator pitch include?
Who you are, what you do, who it's for, what makes you different and a call to action. Shopify's eight steps also include a hook, your goal and acknowledging the competition.
What is the Pixar pitch?
A template that uses a storytelling structure: once upon a time, every day, one day, because of that, until finally, and now. It works best when your product solves a pain point people relate to.
How do I practise an elevator pitch?
Read it aloud in front of a mirror or to friends, then record yourself on your phone so you can time it and hear how it sounds.
