An Elevator Pitch – Inside an Elevator

Ever wonder where the term “elevator pitch” came from?

Back in the ‘90s, Vanity Fair editor Michael Caruso was struggling to discuss story ideas with his editor-in-chief who never had time to meet. Resourceful as he was, Caruso found ways to sum up his pitches in the time it would take for them to ride the elevator. Each night, his then-girlfriend Ilene Rosenzweig would ask him how his “elevator pitches” went—and just like that the popular saying was coined.

Everyone here at Ceres Insights knows how important a solid pitch is—you need one ready to go so you can make the most of any situation. That’s why we were intrigued to see this story about Hyatt and Fast Company’s elevator pitch competition in a recent Washington Post article.

The 2015 “Pitch It to Win It” competition put the elevator pitch into real-life practice. Entrepreneurs were given a one-minute elevator ride with a camera crew where they pitched their hearts out. The grand-prize winner would receive $10,000 and a bunch of other coveted goodies. Not a bad deal in exchange for just one minute of time!

At the close of the competition, D.C. resident Veronica Eklund took home the gold.

While Eklund was up against some stiff competition, she managed to break through with a stellar pitch. This is no easy feat. You need to be able to say the right words, the right way, and offer outstanding value to a potential investor, partner or client.

It never hurts to have a grand-prize worthy elevator pitch ready for any situation. If you need help creating a great pitch, reach out to a copywriter for guidance. Here at Ceres Talent, we can connect you with a fabulous copywriter who can write an attention-grabbing elevator pitch and help your brand really shine.

Already got an award-winning pitch? Share it below—who knows who might see it!