How To Master A 60-Second Elevator Pitch For You And Your Personal Brand, According To An Expert

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When it comes to creating your personal brand, you can stop nothing short of having everything covered. You're often a one-woman (or man) team working on everything.

But, having social media accounts that speak to you and creating content you believe in is not always enough.

Part of growing your brand is being able to partner and collaborate with other brands and people like you.

If you read my last post you know I went to BlogHer17, one of the "world's largest conferences for women online content creators, and the brands, media, and fans who want to connect with them."

Among the slew of valuable information I gathered, I was able to meet with a lovely expert, Sanja Gardasevic, at the Domain.ME booth who helped me craft my perfect elevator pitch.

Not only were her tips and tricks helpful for me as a blogger, but they will definitely be lifesavers when I prepare for that dreaded "So tell me a little about yourself" moment at the beginning of most interviews.

But, instead of sharing the information with you in my words, I wanted Sanja, Content and Campaign Manager for Domain.ME to share her expertise with you herself.

Here's how to craft your perfect 60-second elevator pitch:

Why is a 60-second elevator pitch so important?

"Just imagine how many people brand representatives meet during the course of one conference. We are talking about hundreds. And most often, the people they meet are very similar to you. They blog, they have an audience they care for, they know and love the brand. So what makes you different? This is where the 60-second elevator pitch comes in. You have to explain who you are and what you do in a way that will make the brand representative want to know more. The same thing goes for HR managers, potential partners, and/or random acquaintances. You never know which opportunities a new person in your network can bring."

What should you cover in your 60-second elevator pitch? Can you walk me through the process?

"There are five questions you should answer in your elevator pitch:

          1. What's my best angle?

                    Think about what makes you special, what you are known for, whether that's your niche
                    topic or the mediums you favor. For example, when it comes to Taylor, I would
                    emphasize her storytelling skills.

          2. What's my differentiator?

                    Think about what makes you different from all other bloggers in the room. For you
                    Taylor, that would be your background in journalism and the fact that all your messages
                    are coming from the perspective of a young woman navigating new responsibilities that
                    come with adulthood.

          3. Whose eyes are on me?

                    Think about who is your audience, why do they follow you and why are they important
                    to the brand. Be as specific as possible. Share the demographics and if you have data,
                    all the better.

          4. What's my purpose?

                    Share why you do what you do and how your brand fits that picture.

          5. What do I want to do next?

                    After the pitch, comes the follow-up. Tell them why you approached them and what you
                    want to do next. Perhaps you can share where to find the best examples of your work,
                    ask for a 15-minute meeting to talk more about partnership opportunities or send your
                    personal website where they can find out more about you and all that you do. Get them
                    while they are hooked."

Before answering all of these questions, what should you do to get started?

"The most important thing is to know what you want to achieve with your elevator pitch because it will change based on the people you are pitching to. In addition, you have to be aware that the goal of a pitch is not to say everything there is about you/your blog, but to capture attention. This means you have to be ready to cut all those flowery descriptions you love so much and be succinct and specific."

Are there specific words/adjectives/verbs that help make a pitch stronger?

"Forget about passive voice. Keep adjectives and “happy talk” to a minimum. Other than that, there aren't specific worlds I would suggest you use because the whole point is for your pitch to be unique, original, and true to your brand."

What is the most important part for individuals to remember when trying to stand out to brands?

"This may seem like a no brainer but you would be surprised by the number of messages we get from people who don’t really get what Domain.ME is. So first, do your homework. You have to communicate the value you can provide for the brand and the only way to discover what that value is to really know that brand. Know their business, target audience, and corporate values."

If you could give one other piece of advice to millennials navigating early-adult life, what would it be?

"Keep learning and keep moving forward. Find a mentor and be a mentor. Don’t wait for the perfect moment, it will never come: act now."