The elevator pitch is just as important today than ever before. Many people use networking events to drum up business. It’s important to give a clear, confident, qualified elevator pitch at these times, or when you happen to find you’re sharing an elevator with a prospect you’ve been wanting to talk to for weeks. In these impromptu situations, having your elevator pitch on the tip of your tongue is a godsend. Be ready to make your pitch, at any time, face-to-face or tweet-to-tweet, if you’re a social media maven.

Can you pass the one-minute test?
Can you say who you are, what you do, why you’re unique, and what you want in one minute or less? And be compelling enough actually solicit contact from the prospect?

Regardless of what you’re pitching — your own skills, a business venture or a client’s goals — you should be able deliver your message clearly and concisely. Practice your elevator pitch like a fine tuned instrument until you’re able to perform it like a virtuoso.

Like a good tweet, the elevator pitch should be concise, accurate and compelling. If you don’t have your elevator pitch polished, consider revisiting it soon.

Need help creating your elevator pitch?
Check out the Harvard Business School’s Elevator Pitch Builder. It’s an interactive tool that offers excellent good pointers on the why and how of the elevator pitch and will guide you in creating a great one.

Because once the proverbial elevator door begins to close, it’s only your pitch that can make it open once again.