The Importance of Effective Elevator Pitches at Trade Shows

The Importance of Effective Elevator Pitches at Trade Shows

The original idea of the “elevator pitch” was to create a promotional pitch that could be delivered during a thirty second to two-minute elevator ride.

As a result of its concise and punchy nature, the elevator pitch has become ubiquitous at trade shows. The challenge for a business attending trade shows is to deliver an elevator pitch that stands out from those of its competition.

Getting Started

Before a business sets about preparing an elevator pitch and all other aspects of their presentation at a trade show, it should identify the unique selling proposition/points (USP) of the product they are promoting. In other words, singling out what exactly are the potential benefits of the product to customers and what it is that might entice a customer to choose their product over that of their rivals.

It is also important that everyone in the business is on the same page and delivering the same elevator pitch each time. A situation to be avoided is the giving of a pitch to a business, only for a colleague to deliver something completely different to the media, confusing the message and possibly jeopardizing current and future business opportunities.

Preparing the Elevator Pitch

The elevator pitch is a short summary used to quickly define a process, product, service, organisation, or event and its value proposition. While you can’t explain all the intricacies of your product in such a short time, the goal is to have your elevator pitch serve as an ice breaker that will hopefully lead to a deeper dialogue about the functionality and specialty of what you and your company offer.

First and foremost, any elevator pitch needs to let a trade show attendee know the name of the product. This is the first insight the attendee receives about what is being promoted. At a trade show, an attendee is likely to hear a large number of pitches throughout the day. It will therefore potentially help the pitch to give attendees something memorable to take with them, such as a catchphrase for the product or an interesting statistic about the product’s industry.

The purpose of an elevator pitch is to be to the point, captivating and informative. The elevator pitch should end in such a way that leaves attendees intrigued and wanting to know more about the product. An elevator pitch might not allow enough time to tell attendees everything about the product, but if delivered effectively, could leave them wanting to seek more information later.

In addition to stating the benefit of their product to the potential customer, it is vital for a business to identify the differentiator, namely, the reason the customer might want to buy from them over another company. Strong differentiators contain facts that are concrete and independently measurable rather than unsubstantiated claims and opinions.

The follow up to the elevator pitch should also be planned. This is when a meeting with an interested customer is arranged. It is a mistake to try to close a sale in an elevator pitch. At this point, what is wanted is the first, but all important, fact-finding meeting during which the customer’s needs can be assessed and a mutual decision made as to whether those needs can be met.

At a busy trade show, there are thousands of people to meet, dozens of meetings to attend, hundreds of stands to visit, several keynote addresses to go to and countless educational sessions to join. That leaves very little time to waste. If you want to make a lasting impression on someone who has shown interest in learning about your company, you only have between thirty seconds and two minutes to do it.

Delivering the Elevator Pitch

Once the elevator pitch has been completed, it needs to be practiced aloud and timed with a stopwatch. It should be an absolute maximum of two minutes, otherwise there is a risk of losing the person’s interest, or monopolizing the conversation.

The pitch should be free from technical jargon or other terms and expressions that might confuse the customer. In fact, anything that doesn’t absolutely need to be there should be cut out. The pitch needs to be snappy and compelling, so the shorter it is, the better.

How things are said is just as important as what is said. Without practice, it’s likely that the delivery will be too fast, sound cheesy and unnatural, or important elements of the pitch may be forgotten. The delivery should sound like a smooth conversation and not an aggressive sales pitch.

As delivering the pitch becomes secure, it is a good idea to vary it a little so that it doesn’t sound too formulaic or like a learnt script. Over time, you’ll learn how to quickly adapt it depending on the profile of the person (or group) you are talking to.

Body language is also something to be aware of as the elevator pitch is being delivered. It conveys just as much information to the listener as words do. It is a good idea for pitchers to practice in front of a mirror or in front of colleagues until the pitch feels natural.

The elevator pitch needs to excite the presenter, because that excitement is likely to be infectious when shared at the trade show. People may not remember everything that is said, but they are likely to remember the enthusiasm of the delivery.

Learn More with Smart Display and Exhibitions

An effective elevator pitch affords a company or organisation the opportunity to engage with potential customers within a matter of seconds. If it has been crafted well it will clearly deliver the benefits of a product or service in an engaging and memorable way. It will also highlight the differentials that will make the product stand out from its rivals.

Crucial to the success of an elevator speech is the work the company or organisation does to identify all of the benefits and differentials of a new product, together with its selection and training of the individuals that are going to deliver the pitch on the day.

Get in touch with us here at Smart Display to learn more about making the most of trade shows and exhibitions.