Write full elevator pitches with the eleven templates

In this step, you’ll (finally!) start writing your elevator pitch. 

In fact, you’re going to write lots of elevator pitches. That’s because there are several ways to write an effective one.

In the last step, you generated several ideas for each of the Seven Elements. And you may have a few ideas for each element that feels “best” to you.

But here’s the problem: If you try to shoehorn all seven elements into one comically long sentence, nobody will remember any of it.

So you need to make choices. And the templates you’re about to see will help you do that.

In a moment, we’ll introduce the “Eleven Templates.” You’ll see that each template only uses two or three of the Seven Elements – which is to say that each template communicates a slightly different message. This is on purpose.

Good communication is about making clear choices. And when you write out different versions of your elevator pitch, you’ll see that some choices will work harder for you than others.

The Eleven Templates are below. Continuing the example from the previous steps, I’ve included one example per template of how I might answer these for my own freelance consulting business.

1. I’m a CATEGORY and I help TARGET get RESULT/BENEFIT.

I’m a brand strategy consultant, and I help challenger brands to achieve brand clarity.

2. I’m a CATEGORY and this is my DIFFERENCE.

I’m a brand strategy consultant, and I only work on the most important brand questions – what you stand for, who you serve, and how you’ll win.

3. I’m a CATEGORY who specializes in OFFERING for TARGET.

I’m a brand strategy consultant who specializes in positioning, strategy, and guidance for challenger brands.

4. I help TARGET get RESULT/BENEFIT.

I help challenger brands to achieve brand clarity.

5. I help TARGET by OFFERING.

I help challenger brands with their positioning, strategy, and messaging.

6. I help TARGET get RESULT/BENEFIT by OFFERING.

I help challenger brands get clarity in their positioning, strategy, and messaging.

7. I help TARGET get RESULT/BENEFIT without PAIN.

I help challenger brands get clarity without the navel-gazing clutter of so many branding programs.

8. I help TARGET with NEED/PROBLEM.

I help challenger brands to focus on what matters most.

9. I help TARGET with NEED/PROBLEM by OFFERING.

I help challenger brands move from “fuzzy” to “focused” in their positioning and strategy.

10. I help TARGET who NEED/PROBLEM to achieve RESULT/BENEFIT.

I help challenger brands who struggle with focus to achieve clarity.

11. I help TARGET achieve BENEFIT through DIFFERENCE.

I help challenger brands to achieve clarity on their most important strategic questions.

Exercise D: write your elevator pitches

Use the workbook to plug your Seven Elements into the Eleven Templates.

There’s no magic number for how many full statements to write, but I suggest writing at least ten.

You may, of course, use multiple answers from the same element, or write multiple versions of the same template.

Remember that these templates are meant as directional guidance. Feel free to tinker with verbs or the order of the elements.

If in doubt, default to everyday language, not industry-speak.