Elevator Pitch

ELEVATOR PITCH

Present something quick but compelling

The Elevator Pitch is a time-effective method used to support formal presentations of individual participants or their institutions within a larger group of people. Guided by a short briefing, participants create a 30 to 60 seconds informative and compelling pitch that should be delivered in an (imaginary) elevator ride.

Use this method to:

Deal with time constraints for presentations.
Support participants when introducing themselves, their institutions, or their work.
Introduce a new idea or project in a persuasive way.

Steps to apply this method to:

Preparation

Prepare information about this method to share during the session. For example, you can create a slide or use a video to explain the method.

Delivery

Brief the participants about the concept of an Elevator Pitch.
Brief the participants and explain the objectives of the pitch, the target group, what has to be presented, etc. It may be useful to present learners with challenging tasks, for instance, to convince the Head of the Department that Participatory Facilitation is an effective strategy, or to Introduce their Team in less than 60 seconds.
Stimulate reflection and structured brainstorming by using guiding questions. For example: a) start with a hook (10 sec), b) state the problem (15 sec), c) explain value proposition (20 sec), and d) speak about people (10 sec).
Allow participants sufficient time to create their pitches, either individually or (preferrable) in small groups in break-out rooms to enable co-creation.
Once time is over, invite participants to present their pitches within the agreed time (60 sec)
Make sure you use a timer that is visible to all so that online participants are adequately instructed during the delivery
Allow time for questions and answers once all pitches have been presented.

NOTE
The duration of the activity depends on the number of participants, the time that participants will have to create and present their pitches, and the time allocated for questions and answers.