Ditch the Pitch!

Lessons From the Movies

From “Elevator Pitch” to “Branding Trailer”

Instead of giving your "elevator pitch" or "30 second story," former MGM studio executive and professional speaker, Stephanie Palmer, suggests using a "trailer" like those used for movies. In fact, studios produce different trailers for different market segments. Rather than a basic "pitch," why not select listeners strategically, wait until you have their attention (which you won't in an elevator), and customize your communication. Or put another way, wait for the right person, at the right time, and in the right way. Furthermore, trailers are crisp, full of action, and provide the viewer with an experience of the film. Oh, and avoid the word "pitch," despite its omnipresence in the corporate world. No one wants to be "pitched" today; people are too sophisticated for such an approach and will see it as manipulative. Instead, simply connect and converse, even when presenting to a group.