Elevator Pitch

There are six building blocks that create your value proposition and define your positioning statement.
Answer each question thoughtfully to define your unique offering:

1. Target customers. Whom do you serve? What makes for an ideal customer regarding industry, location, size, type, and so on? This allows the person on the receiving end to think, “They work with companies like ours and people like us.” Know your target customer so you can craft messages that will resonate with them. In addition, the more you can position specialization for a particular buyer set, the more you differentiate.
2. Need/business problem. What types of needs and business problems do you address? How do you help? This helps prospects understand how and when they should use you.
3. Impact of solving customer needs. What are the financial and emotional benefits of solving the customer’s need? How do you provide value? You may be thinking, “We do so much, and the specifics of our solutions are always different.” When crafting your positioning statement, choose one or two, generalize the type of impact, and later, in proof of concept, you can provide a specific example. This helps people see why they should address their needs with you!
4. Your offerings. What’s your product and service approach, how do you run your company, solve problems and work with customers? Notice that company and offerings are the fourth point. Don’t lead with your capabilities. Take a customer-centric approach and frame your offerings within the context of the customer needs you can solve.
5. Proof of concept. How can you demonstrate that your approach has worked to solve similar problems for others? How do you substantiate your claims? How do they know that what you say will happen, will actually happen? Tip: Use reference stories, case studies and relevant data to provide evidence to substantiate your claims.
6. Distinction. Why is your offering preferable to other options for solving the customer’s need? Do you have something unique about you that is worthwhile to share? Is there some way to highlight how you’re distinct from others?

As you build your value proposition and create a positioning statement, take care not to build just one canned statement that you use with everyone. Slick “elevator pitch” deliveries always sound a little too rehearsed and smooth. These six components are building blocks that you can use to build the story you want to deliver about what makes you unique and valuable.