Build A Pitch – 3 Online Elevator Pitch Builders

The search for the perfect elevator pitch is something that preoccupies entrepreneurs, students, job seekers and many others. There are probably a million articles online that talk about how to build a strong elevator pitch. With a push towards automation, I anticipated finding dozens of tools that could build the pitch for you and while there are numerous tools that help you to build an attractive slide deck, there are relatively few tools that help you to build a pitch from scratch, here are three.

 

Pitcherific https://pitcherific.com/

Pitcherific helps you to create different types of pitches depending on your membership. With the free account, you can work on your elevator pitch. Pitcherific starts by focusing you on four elements, the hook, the problem, the solution and the close. Its strength is in helping with the timing of your pitch, providing a framework you complete depending on your objectives and allowing you to practice your pitch with a teleprompter and choice of simulated audience.

The teleprompter function also allows you to test your speaking speed both with the pitch in front of you or with it hidden. It allows you change your potential audience so that you can better imagine how it will feel to deliver your message.

You can also record your pitch with Pitcherific, a great feature if you have to send your pitch to someone or if you want to see how you look in action. If you need help, then Pitcherific allows you to co-edit a pitch online.

From my perspective,  an elevator pitch as a quality introduction (See, The Truth About Elevator Pitches), rather than the world’s fastest sales job, so the structure Pitcherific provides is limited. Fortunately, paid accounts can create custom templates and you can adjust timing to suit your needs.

 

Buzzuka http://www.buzzuka.com/

Buzzuka helps you to structure your elevator pitch based on a series of questions and then generates the pitch using your answers. Needless to say, that can make for some awkward pitches, but you can always edit them once you see how the structure was intended to work.

What I like about the Buzzuka process is that it makes you think about your objectives, your benefits and features and most importantly, your audience. Buzzuka also provides examples of pitches created by other users. What I like less is how much your final Buzzuka pitch sounds like a commercial. If you are pitching an idea in an environment that expects a fast sales job, then this tool is a great way to start, but if you are looking for an elevator pitch to use in most day-to-day environments, then this won’t quite hit the spot.

 

Pitch Builder https://pitch.fi/

Pitch Builder helps you to build a pitch deck that should take 24 seconds to deliver. It’s a free tool and helps you to build a persuasive message by focusing your attention on identifying the problem, the solution, the market, your plan and proposed deal. It also allows you to add information about yourself.

The challenge is in the number of questions asked and the way the questions are presented. If you actually follow along in most cases your pitch will use up more time then you should.   In addition, the slide deck format implies more formality than you would typically have at a reception or in an elevator. The product is in the beta stages, so I expect to see new features or refinements with time.

 

All three of these online tools have elements that are helpful, with Pitcherific probably being the most useful at this stage, but if your pitch really matters, then nothing is as effective as you.  You alone can read your audience in the moment when you are delivering.  You alone can adjust and respond. Having a well-crafted pitch is the beginning of the process of engagement, not the objective. Your pitch is about being prepared and understanding your product, service or your own talents well enough to talk about them with ease.

Related Articles:

The Truth About Elevator Pitches

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Time Keeps on Tricking

Time and I have never been great friends. Not surprising coming from a champion procrastinator, still, I haven’t had as much patience for Time as I’d like. It’s not that I expect to love the way Time operates, but it’s just that Time has always struck me as being a little skittish. You’re in the middle of doing something important and suddenly Time is gone like you hadn’t been working together to accomplish something. Then there are those moments when you’d like Time to get going and instead of hopping on it, Time just lingers and lingers, hanging around like a bad smell. All in all, I find Time just a bit too temperamental for my taste.

My lack of simpatico with Time has meant that I’ve had to come to an agreement about certain things just so I can avoid Time conflicts. For instance, when I travel, I get Time on a leash. I watch every second as if it were my last and plan for all eventualities because if you’re not careful when you need it most, Time will get away from you. One moment you’re flying and the next, you’re stuck at the airport and Time has hopped the last plane without you. I also don’t play around with Time when I have critical deadlines or meetings. I make sure  I’m well prepared in advance in case Time slips away.

Rather than be defeated by Time, I thought it would be better to go back to basics and implement some tricks for managing Time.

11 Time Management Tips:

  • Schedule time for the things you care about. If you don’t make time for these things you will find yourself living without the things you love or crashing into other priorities because you didn’t make the time.
  • Identify your priorities. Do the important things first.  Every day, decide what matters most and get it done or at least make some progress on it.
  • Set time limits. There’s nothing like a deadline to sharpen your focus and push you to get a task completed in a timely manner.
  • Schedule time to be distracted. Years ago an old boss told me that I should schedule half my time for the things I needed to accomplish and half my time for the things that would get in the way.
  • Set objectives. Before starting meetings, tasks or calls, determine what you want to get from them.  This will allow you to focus your time more effectively and you will know whether you have been successful.  Don’t forget to take the time afterwards to determine whether you achieved your objective.
  • Create systems for staying organized. Organizing systems don’t have to be complicated, they are really meant to create shortcuts for deciding where things should go or what order they should be done in. It can be a simple as a filing system or reducing the amount of email that comes across your desk.
  • Make sure you get enough sleep. Different people need different amounts of sleep, but we all need to sleep. Experts suggest that you get no less than 7 hours but you may need as much as 11 hours to feel well rested.
  • Eat well and Exercise. When we are healthy, we are more productive.  Studies show that exercise increases the blood flow to the brain increasing alertness and focus. Exercise also increases our energy level and brain function.
  • Schedule time to think. If I can only do one time management trick, then that’s the one. In order to plan, perform and produce, I need to think. No matter what you are working on, it will go faster and smoother if you think about it first, even if time doesn’t seem to be your friend.
  • Say “No”. Don’t overburden yourself, it adds stress and means that you are constantly fighting an uphill battle to meet objectives. Even a great opportunity can become a problem if you don’t have the time to manage your priorities.
  • One thing at a time. The quickest way to overwhelm yourself is to try to tackle everything on your list at once. Break activities down into digestible pieces and do them one at a time.

What do you think? Are you friends with time? How do you manage time when it decides to manage you?
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