10 Steps to Writing Excellent Elevator Pitch for Ecommerce Start-up Funding

Want to get some funding for your e-Commerce start-up? Well, start writing your elevator pitch, already! Ok, ok, but what’s an elevator pitch? Simply put, it’s a small (really small – 20 or 30 seconds) presentation or speech in which you try to convince people – your audience about your company’s products and services.

Start-ups can use elevator pitches to get some funding or even a collaboration. A good elevator pitch can help you in different settings to get what your company needs the most. Whether you attend a business event or a business party, this is a great way to make your ideas and huge potential known to some key-people. 

But what it’s tricky about this type of presentation is how the short period you have for capturing your audiences’ attention and convincing is. But we have a guide that will help you tackle all those tricky parts in a matter of minutes. 

#1. What should I include in an Elevator Pitch?

Obviously, there are some key elements when it comes to putting together an Elevator Pitch. While there are a ton of templates you can find on the web, you can forget about those and concentrate on the following details.

  • Your name
  • Your company’s name
  • Your company’s product
  • Your target audience
  • A unique selling proposition or some information on what differentiates your company/products from the competition’s
  • A call to action

Craft your small presentation around these details, and you’ll be set for a profitable journey with your start-up colleagues. 

#2. Grab your audience’s attention

This is the part where you have to turn yourself into an amazing conversation starter. Once you succeed to create a conversation start elevator pitch, you will be able to get a meeting with one of the key people attending the event for further discussions on the topic. 

You will be tempted to use those fancy words in your industry, but hear us out. It’s not going to work. Make it too technical, and your audience won’t have any idea what you’re talking about. 

Aim for a crisp and simple introduction that explains in simple words what your company does and grabs your listener’s attention”, recommends Estelle Liotard, a content editor at Studicus and a senior writer at WoWGrade

#3. Forget about specialized terminology

As we already mentioned, you should avoid at all costs using specialized terminology. Peers in your industry will certainly understand the jargon, but investors won’t. Besides, they all seem to have a keen aversion towards buzzwords. 

Use simple, everyday language. This will help you connect with your audience easier, and it will help you get the message out in an effective way. Jargon puts a lot of barriers between you and your listeners, so better avoid it. 

#4. Open your speech with a question

Some people are natural-born public speakers, while others find it difficult to organize their thoughts and ideas when faced with a moderate crowd. If you’re part of the latter, consider starting your elevator pitch with a notable question. For instance, Steve Jobs was notorious for his incredible elevator pitches. And do you know what these all included? 

A question. 

Ideally, ask a question that your company’s services or products is specifically answering. This will help you address a potential common problem for your listeners while helping you get across more efficiently. 

#5. Concentrate on your audience

A good trick to master an elevator pitch is to get more personal about the entire problem. Again, Steve Jobs is the man when it comes to such presentations. After all, he’s the man who asked the Pepsi Co. CEO if he wanted to sell sugared water for the rest of his life or if he wanted to change the world. 

Since you don’t want to make your listeners feel insulted, you can come up with a different approach. An easy way to grab your listeners’ attention is by trying to address their needs. And most importantly, avoid making it sound like you’re trying to sell something. Leave this for your marketing strategy. Instead, try to make it sound like you truly want to help your listeners. To help them find a solution to one of their biggest issues. 

#6. Offer them some proof of your company’s performance

We know that your e-Commerce start-up is just at the beginning of the journey. But you can use any sort of aspect that will help you demonstrate your company’s value and potential. Show them your products or services have notable results. When it comes to opening new gates for your enterprise, risk assessment is a huge factor that investors take into account. 

If your products or services are backed up by notable people or even companies, be straightforward about it. This will add up to your company’s value and it will turn it into a more tempting one for potential investors. Learn more about earned media and how it can help you boost your brand value.

#7. Get a little emotional

Not all emotions work well in elevator pitches but showing enthusiasm always helps. Although people generally believe all important decisions are purely rational, scientific proof begs to differ. According to a lot of scientific papers that were recently published, most decisions are made based on emotions. So, a great tip would be to include a powerful emotional statement. 

Think of all those book and movie reviews. They’re powerful, they’re convincing, and they’re highly emotional. Craft your elevator pitch by following the same pattern. It will be easier to touch the right spot with your presentation. 

#8. Call to action

This small presentation you’re offering is just the beginning of an amazing journey. So, think about crafting it as a “to be continued” story. A call to action will help tremendously here. Offer your audience the following step that should come. For instance, you can tell them you’re always available for further discussions and you can even invite them over at your office. Alternatively, offer them a demo version of your product or service to spark their interest. 

This will take the discussion up a notch and will open new gates for further discussions. Keep it short and simple since this approach seems to work best. 

#9. Keep it clean and simple

Yes, again, you should keep your entire presentation short, sweet, and simple. Try to be as natural as possible. Note that audiences generally react and respond to the speaker’s personality. For instance, although you want to write your elevator pitch in advance to make sure it has a good structure, tone, and message, you want to remain natural in your wording. This will help you avoid sounding like you rehearsed too much. 

Keep it conversational, leave room for questions and discussions. This is the baseline here. 

#10. Imitation is sometimes the best

You have most certainly red, for research purposes, stunning elevator pitches by now. If you like one and find it brilliant, you can try to imitate the style and tone, and still remain original and witty. There is no issue in doing so. 

No matter the type of start-up you run, the advice above will help you put together a smart and entertaining elevator pitch, and find some funding for your amazing business. 

About Guest Author

Melanie Sovann, born in 1990 in the greater LA area, is a seasoned writer and blogger, passionate about a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from technology to sociology. She is currently a writer and editor at BestEssay Education and loves every second of it.


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