Step 3.6: What’s Your Sentence?
Your SENTENCE is your ELEVATOR PITCH - your WHO, WHAT + WHERE.
It is how you introduce yourself - WHO you are, WHAT you do, WHERE you do it, WHO you do it for and WHAT’S in it for them.
Unfortunately, most people’s Elevator Pitches are very broken. Here’s how to make sure yours isn’t.
When was the last time you heard an introduction that didn't sound like a LinkedIn profile read aloud?
The truth: Most people's elevator pitches are career obituaries – long, boring, and focused on the past. You get 8 seconds to be memorable. After that, you're just background noise in a networking event.
The New Pitch Formula:
The Hook (Your One-Liner):
WHO you are
WHAT you actually do
WHERE you create impact
All in one breath
Example: when I ran business development for a Boston design firm, instead of boring everyone by saying "I'm the Director of Business Development”, I always introduced myself as the company’s “Minister of Opportunity”. It was a better way of saying what I did that didn’t sound crassly commercial and always got a smile or laugh.
The Payoff (Your Value Line):
WHO benefits
WHAT they get
WHY it matters
No corporate jargon allowed
Remember: Your pitch isn't your resume's greatest hits. It's your album's lead single.
The Test: If your pitch wouldn't stand out at a crowded bar, it won't stand out in a crowded market.
Simple? Yes. Easy? No.
Your Playbook:
Take your current pitch. Cut it in half.
Now make it interesting.
What's your sentence?
(And if you're still starting with "I'm passionate about..." – stop. Just stop.)
For inspiration, author Dan Pink has a great way of describing this - “What’s Your Sentence?” - in this video: