Perfecting the Elevator Pitch

When was the last time you practiced your elevator pitch? Was it while you were working on your MPA? It’s time to dust off that oft-neglected skill and give it some exercise. One of the most important things a nonprofit leader must do is learn how to speak about their cause to others.

The ability to quickly and memorably tell what makes your organization different is a fundamental skill. Are you ready to give your elevator pitch – named because it should be short enough to be told during an elevator ride – at the drop of a hat?

An well-crafted elevator pitch is an extremely effective way of reaching new volunteers and donors. Even if they don’t join or help you right away, they should leave with a clear idea of who you are and what you stand for.

Here is a quick exercise for creating your powerful pitch:

1) Write it down

Start by writing down whatever comes to mind. Imagine you’re at a cocktail party and someone asks you about your organization. What do you tell them? Don’t labor over this draft, just get something on paper.

2) Compare it to your marketing content

It’s important that your nonprofit organization, whether big or small, has a consistent tone and a consistent message. Look on your website and browse through some of your paper brochures and mailers. What is your bio on Twitter? Pull out the consistent themes and make sure that your elevator pitch is in line with your organization’s goals.

3) Trim the fat

You don’t have time to fit everything into a 30-second explanation. The good news is that your listener doesn’t expect you to. Get rid of details that are unnecessary. Especially focus on removing operational details that impact your day-to-day life, but don’t have a lot of appeal to outsiders.

4) Listen to others

You’re not the only person in your organization who is giving your elevator pitch. Perhaps someone else has crafted a memorable line or an effective analogy that you could use. Get together and share your elevator pitches. Pay attention to the way other people in your organization describe it.

5) Practice

Say it out loud. Tell it to your family. Practice until you don’t have to think about it any more.

6) Leave it the Same

Even if you’ve said the exact same words hundreds of times, this is the first time your listener is going to hear them. If you’ve developed a great elevator pitch, use it the same way every time. Fight the urge to change it up. Use what you know works.

When you’re ready to pitch your story, build support, and accept donations, you can start up your own online fundraising campaign today on Fundly.