Warren Buffett Gets in the Elevator with You… (Cindy Lindsay)

Entrepreneurs need to understand the importance of having an elevator pitch.  The ability to clearly and concisely explain your business and the opportunity is provides is a huge asset when meeting new people – especially if they are potential employees, investors and/or can introduce you to resources.

For a good laugh, check out “The World’s Worst Elevator Pitch”: http://elevatorspeech.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.

Here are a couple of key points for a good elevator pitch:

1. What is unique about your business?
• Why would someone care – what is the problem you are solving?
• How big is the market for your product(s)/service(s)?
2. What does your company do?
• What product(s)/service(s) do you make or offer?
• Who are your customers and how do you sell to them?
• What is your current status?
3. What is the value proposition – for your customers and investors?

Make the Pitch Interesting:

1. Tell a story – give interesting examples to explain the “so what“
2. Make it relevant to your listener
3. Get to the point quickly and clearly - avoid jargon at all costs

Now, check out a really good pitch:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT7WzDxwe5c.

Now, what happens after you do your great pitch to Warren?  He invites you to meet with him so he can hear more!  To create a really great presentation check out Guy Kawasaki’s - The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint:   http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2005/12/the_102030_rule.html#axzz0j43SNzRs.

Mr. Kawasaki is the former chief evangelist for Apple.  Here is the Cliffs Notes version for his ‘rules’:  a PowerPoint presentation should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes and contain no font smaller than thirty points.  For an interesting presentation (that doesn’t follow the Kawasaki rules) and isn’t an investor pitch; but is fabulous at conveying the message, check out: http://www.slideshare.net/jbrenman/thirst?src=embed.

Cindy Lindsay is a strategic consultant at http://www.flsassociates.com/.