Honing the Elevator Pitch for Analyst Presentations, Media Interviews and More

Guest post from Tom Gable, founder and CEO of San Diego IPREX partner firm, Gable PR

Whether working with a CEO who loves to spin long tales about his company and his successes, a Ph.D/M.D. who knows too much, or a startup or anyone else who is new to trying to connect with financial, media and other audiences, we’ve found a good starting point in the communications process is drafting a classic elevator pitch.

The challenge is writing short copy, especially for engineers and scientists who are used to citing published articles, case histories and other resources ad infinitum. The long approach is perfect for pitching peers and colleagues, less so for connecting with analysts, the media and non-industry audiences. Thus, the following was created by Gable PR as a starting point for honing a one to two minute pitch (also referred to as the cocktail party pitch) to grab the attention of your audience in the shortest amount of time and set the stage for next steps.

TAG LINE/SOUND BITE – The opener – an instant picture or quick summation of your positioning.  What you do, what you stand for, to what effect and why it’s important. One sentence is best. Practice with people who don’t know what you do and keep honing this one sentence (two at the most) until it rings like Shakespeare.

PROBLEM, SITUATION ANALYSIS – What exists – the pain or problem you solve?

DYNAMICS AND OPPORTUNITY – Quick historical overview of how it got to this point, how the challenge has been addressed, what is the sweet spot for your company or organization (keep it to three important points, no more!).

WHAT (solving the problem) – Your company (or organization) has been working X years to plan for and develop D, E and F to solve the problem, take advantage of the market opportunity and grow and succeed over the next Y years.

OVERVIEW FROM 30,000 FEET – We have done it: the macro view, the big picture of how your great concept all comes together and grows market share, sales, traffic, profits, benefits the community, whatever – the BIG PICTURE vision of future success rather than technical details and features.

SO WHAT (benefits) – You will succeed because of the creative planning, results and ultimate value you deliver.  Create a mental picture of the benefits to science, patients, customers, the world. If there is a good case history, cite the proof of principle in a sentence or two. Do it in two sentences and you get a Pulitzer Prize (plus the desired result).

THE TEAM – The team includes executives with national credentials in A, B and C. It has a combined ZZ years in the industry, has built MM, helped YY other companies or institutions grow and knows the market and how to provide an expanding array of products and services to help it succeed (make it relevant to the big picture).

THE CLOSE (call to action on the elevator) – “We have the people, the plan and the commitment to succeed in a rapidly growing new market.  I can provide incredible detail that I believe will convince you to … (invest, interview, buy, etc.).  How about a follow up meeting?  Where would you like to meet?  What else can I provide?”

Ask questions that will take it to the next step!

Got Skills? How to Become a Winner in Today’s Competitive Talent Search.

The good news? Manufacturing is on the upswing. The bad news? Skilled worker numbers are on the downswing.  Competition from global manufacturers coupled with an outdated perception of manufacturing held by most young people has created a battlefield for good talent.

In this new reality, the company with the best talent will win the game. And clearly there will be winners and losers in this high stakes game that pits small and mid-market companies against the global giants that exist in every market. “I can’t win this battle” many of these smaller companies might say, but for those willing to think differently, Trefoil Group says “yes, you can.” And we’ll tell you how.

The most important thing your company can do is create a powerful brand. Help recruits see the story of the future and why your company and the work you do matters – to them, to your customers, your communities, your industries. 

The Branding Basics -- there are many ways to create a story worth telling:

1. Understand what characteristics define your company – Involve everyone from your CEO to your customers and vendors to really delve into what is important. Once you know, market it.
2. Become a thought leader – through articles, speaking engagements and events.  When prospective employees Google you, give them plenty of reading material that showcases the innovation, knowledge, and involvement of your company.
3. Update your recruiting – Word of mouth isn’t enough anymore. People spend so much time online that it’s critical to develop a digital presence. Develop a careers page, partner with technical colleges and join social media.
4. Support government and community hiring initiatives – prospective employees want to be a part of something bigger,  see what you can do to help programs, such as Dream It, Do It, in your area.

Waiting for talent to seek you out is no longer adequate - Manpower Group recently released the results of its seventh-annual Talent Shortage Survey, revealing 49 percent of U.S. employers are experiencing difficulty filling mission-critical positions within their organizations.

It’s time to face this new reality and arm your company with all the necessary tools to succeed in today’s hiring market. Creating the right and differentiating employer brand could be the key to finding the perfect person for your company.

What has your company done to set itself apart from the competition? We would love to hear it.