Inc.

Ditching the Elevator Pitch

Want people to fall in love with your company? Don’t bother perfecting that sound bite

THERE’S NO SHORTAGE of lore about the importance of the elevator pitch.

There’s the 1850s version, in which inventor Elisha Otis’s dramatic demonstration of his innovation—a safety brake that keeps elevators from falling during a cable failure—set a new bar for colorful, efficient salesmanship.

There’s the Hollywood version, in which writers pitching scripts have just 60 seconds to capture the imagination

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Inc.

Inc.1 min read
Piersten gaines
26 Going Fishing for Sharks FOUNDER AND CEO OF PRESSED ROOTS Piersten Gaines's first real pitch, to Shark Tank‘s “Mr. Wonderful,” Kevin O'Leary, did not go well. To start, her concept for Pressed Roots—a Dallas-based salon chain focused on curly and
Inc.1 min read
Beauty Filter
Countless companies have elevated everyday items to iconic: Apple upgraded the nerdy MP3 player, Nest turned thermostats into real estate selling points, and Aesop made hand soap a status symbol. Ryan Babenzien and Arjan Singh, founders of NYCbased J
Inc.3 min read
Be You, but Better
Esther Perel has heard it all. There's the tale of a marriage born of the Iraq War and the one about a twice-married (to each other) couple. And, of course, there's the classic couple's dilemma: She wants change, and he can't let go. Perel has explor

Related Books & Audiobooks