Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch template helps you create a clear, concise explanation of why your project, or feature exists. So concise, in fact, that you could explain it during the course of an elevator ride.
USE THIS PLAY TO...
Set your team up with a consistent and simple explanation of your project or job, and the value it delivers to your customers.
If you're struggling with shared understanding , one-pager or service mandate on your Health Monitor, running this play might help.
People
4 - 8
Time
1 hr
Difficulty
Easy
Running the play
Include the elevator pitch template below in your meeting invite, and challenge your team to arrive with ideas for how to fill in those blanks. It's like MadLibs™, but for the office!
Step 1
Introduce the elevator pitch template (5 min)
For [TARGET CUSTOMER TYPE] who want to [NEED / DESIRE], [PRODUCT / FEATURE] is a [MARKET CATEGORY] that [KEY BENEFIT].
Remind your team that your goal for the session is to come up with a snappy one-liner describing the work you're doing and the problem you're solving. Hand out sticky notes and pens or markers.
Step 2
Write lots of elevator pitches (15 min)
Working individually (or in pairs, for groups larger than eight), fill in the blanks in the template using a sticky note for each blank. There are no wrong answers here, so just let the ideas flow. Feel free to create a few versions of the pitch if inspiration strikes.
Remember: this is not the same as a vision. It's narrower than that. The elevator pitch is a way for you to articulate what's valuable to customers about your product or service, in contrast to anything else that might be on offer.
Pro tip
Within "key benefit", consider what measurable value you'll deliver to customers and your organisation. Capture the unique value proposition of your product, project, or service.
Step 3
Pitch to your team (10 min)
Take turns and have each team member (or group) deliver their pitch.
Be careful not to get caught using team- or organisation-specific jargon or (horrors!) acronyms.
Step 4
Discuss and vote (20 min)
Dig deeper to understand each area. Challenge each other and discuss the phrases that resonate the strongest. Then give everyone a marker and ask them to vote by placing a dot on their favorite sticky for each area.
Pro tip
Don't just describe features and functionality. Make sure everyone understands the difference between features, market categories, and benefits so you can express your unique value proposition.
Step 5
Bring it all together (10 min)
Tally up the votes and massage the pitch into a single statement using the top-voted stickies from each area.
If you're struggling to reach consensus, go deeper. Ask each team member to consider:
- What would happen if our product, project or feature didn't exist? What do we do that others don't?
- What would we (the organisation) lose without this product, project or feature?
- Who would suffer or be affected? Who are our users or customers?
Anti-pattern
You only answer the "what" your team is doing.
Remember to answer the "who" (who is your customer?), the "why" (why does your team or project exist?), and articulate the benefit you'll deliver.
Nailed it?
Be sure to run a full Health Monitor session or checkpoint with your team to see if you're improving.
Variations
MAKE IT COMPETITIVE
After defining different elevator pitches in step 2, pitch them both to your project sponsor, who has one dollar. The sponsor gets to spend their single dollar on one of the pitches.
Follow-ups
Ensure that the final elevator pitch is captured, then use this in project communications afterward. Add it to the top of your project poster. State it at the beginning of your end-to-end demo.
And don't forget to test it out! Hop in an elevator and shop it around. You'll get it memorized, and you'll look sharp the next time your CEO asks what your team is up to.
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