Explain Your Solution in 60 Seconds or Less – Here’s How

Published on: 14 November 2018 Last Updated on: 24 July 2024

Do you have an elevator pitch?

Whether you’re an ambitious entrepreneur with nothing more than a good idea, a fully funded startup gearing up for further funding rounds or your long-anticipated go-to-market, or a mature company looking to retake control of its reputation, a succinct encapsulation of your identity and solution(s) is crucial to a cogent market strategy.

Elevator pitches are important for individual professionals, too. “Your elevator pitch is a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively with people who don’t know you,” writes personal branding expert Alison Doyle.

Here’s what you need to do to develop and refine your elevator pitch. Your ultimate goal: a comprehensive spiel that answers one question — “what do you do?” — in 60 seconds or less.

1. Start With a Concise Directory Description

The nub of your elevator pitch is a company description (or a personal one, if you’re still pitching an idea) that factually describes what you do (or hope to do). If you haven’t already done so, develop a descriptive statement for your social media and business directory profiles, along with the lines of this Crunchbase profile for Florida entrepreneur Steve Dorfman. This statement won’t be compelling enough to build your entire elevator pitch around, but it’s a good skeleton for the initial who-what-where.

2. Identify Your Core Audience Groups

How much do you know about audience segmentation? If your answer is, “not much,” get up to speed on the process and spend some time drilling down on the core audience groups to which your pitch needs to speak (if you’re not already reaching out to them in other ways). Remember, you can draft multiple iterations of the same pitch, depending on who’s in the room or on the page.

3. Set Yourself Apart from the Competition (Without Disparaging Them)

Now comes the real meat of your pitch: a unique selling proposition that differentiates your idea or solution from competing concepts — theoretical or otherwise — without throwing shade. Generally speaking, you don’t want to name names, unless your solution is an explicit offshoot of something that came before.

4. Isolate One or Two Key Factoids or Stats

You don’t have a lot of time to throw facts or stats out at your audience. Nor should you dwell on specifics, for their (and your) sanity. But a well-placed nugget or two may well be what’s needed to concentrate minds. Again, your audience may dictate which nugget you choose to include in any given iteration.

5. Make the Ask

You won’t know if you don’t ask — to make the ask, smoothly. Regardless of who’s listening, your pitch should conclude with a clear call to action that doesn’t read like a pro forma sales pitch. Make your audience believe in what you’re asking them to do.

You’re Talking — Is Anybody Listening?

We’ve all been there: explaining a concept near and dear to our hearts so earnestly that we become lost in our own narrative — only to pull back and realize that the audience has nodded off or lost the plot.

A concise, well-articulated, well-organized elevator pitch should hold your audience’s attention, if only because it’s not long enough to put anyone to sleep. Striving to be the entrepreneur who listens twice as much as they talk doesn’t preclude you from being the entrepreneur who effortlessly commands a room, too.

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The Definitive Lean Startup Guide: Everything You Need To Know

The lean startup methodology is revolutionizing the way companies launch and grow. But what exactly makes this new methodology so valuable? Lean startup provides both inspiration and practical tools to make that achievable. So if you're gearing up for a new venture, take a close look at how this approach can help you maximize your chances of success! While the journey may present challenges, the potential rewards make it all worthwhile. Read on to get the full rundown on maximizing lean principles to build your next business. Introduction To Lean Start-Up:- At its core, lean startup is all about taking an experimental approach to creating and managing startups. However, the methodology emphasizes rapid iteration, customer feedback, and eagerly testing ideas to reduce risks and uncertainty. Thereafter, take a look at the chart below to get more clarity on the major benefits of lean startup methodology. Some standout lean startup principles include: Validated Learning: Rigorously testing hypotheses and getting hard data from real customers to validate if a product or strategy is truly viable. Failures become learnings. Build-Measure-Learn: Using feedback loops to build minimum viable products (MVPs). This helps in measuring their real performance and learn from results to improve the next iteration. Innovation Accounting: Tracking meaningful startup metrics like customer acquisition cost rather than vanity metrics like total users. Persevere Or Pivot: Using validated learnings to determine whether to persevere on the current path or pivot by changing the product, strategy, or even the entire business model. Thus, following these core concepts allows startups to maximize learning while eliminating wasteful practices that drain resources. Comparing Traditional And Lean Startup Approaches This table provides a clear visual comparison between the two approaches, highlighting their key differences. Focus In-depth upfront planning Rapid experimentation Traditional Business Planning Lean Startup Methodology Decisions Based on projections and assumptions Based on real customer data Progress Follow a fixed roadmap Continually re-evaluate based on feedback This comparison table highlights the major contrasts between traditional planning and the lean startup methodology in a visual format. Harnessing Innovation Accounting For Lean Startup Success One important lean startup principle is innovation accounting. Unlike traditional accounting, which focuses on financial metrics, innovation accounting uses lean startup methodology. Besides, it helps to track actionable metrics that offer insights into the startup’s progress and customer response. Some examples of metrics used in innovation accounting include: Customer acquisition cost Churn rate Lifetime customer value Active usage metrics By diligently tracking these metrics, lean startups can gather the data they need to determine whether to persevere on their current path or pivot based on customer feedback. Thus, innovation accounting provides validated learnings that inform smart business decisions. It is opposed to vanity metrics like total customers or sales. The Lean Process Step-By-Step While the lean startup methodology is flexible and adaptable, there is a rough process that generally guides its implementation: Step 1. Identify The Problem The first step is to take time to clearly identify and articulate the specific customer problem or need that your startup aims to address. Now, you must ask questions like: What underlying frustration or pain point are customers experiencing? What needs are going unmet in the market? What improvements do customers wish existed? The issue should be urgent pervasive in the target market. Moreover, they are aligned to a sizable potential customer base. Hence, avoid vague problem statements. Get ultra-clear on the exact problem. Step 2. Define The Solution Once the problem is precisely defined, brainstorm potential solutions. Outline an initial product or service concept that could feasibly address that problem in a novel way. Moreover, think creatively about different approaches, features, and minimum requirements that could satisfy customer needs. At the same time, focus more on figuring out the right broad solution rather than detailed requirements at this stage. Step 3. Build An MVP Next, construct a minimum viable product (MVP) to test the solution. The MVP is a prototype that has just enough critical features to validate the core idea and start the learning process. Hence, avoidover-engineering at this stage. Build the simplest, fastest, most stripped-down representation of the product that enables validated learning. It can be as simple as a landing page description, mockup, or very basic prototype. However, the goal is to waste the least amount of time and resources. Step 4. Test And Measure Get the MVP in front of real customers to test assumptions. Approach target users, share the MVP, and collect key data based on how they react and interact with it. Focus on defining and measuring a small set of actionable metrics that offer insights into customer behavior, needs, and preferences. Example metrics include sign-up rates, clicks, conversions, usage data, etc. Step 5. Learn And Iterate With data and feedback collected, analyze results to determine what resonates with customers and what doesn't. Figure out key learnings, positive signals, and areas for improvement. Use these learnings to rapidly tweak and tailor the product through iterative changes. Make small refinements and run additional small tests to continue validating the product direction. Step 6. Scale Once product-market fit has been achieved based on metrics and feedback, it’s time to scale. Come up with plans for expanding business processes, operations, marketing, and resources to drive growth. Executing this rapid build-measure-learn loop cost-effectively allows startups to gather data, fail fast, and iterate their way to success faster. “Companies that prioritize experimentation are 2.5 times more likely to outperform competitors.” Lean Startup Success Stories Plenty of today's hottest startups have leveraged lean methods to skyrocket growth: Airbnb: Grew from renting air mattresses in a living room to a $100 billion hospitality disruptor by constantly testing innovations. Dropbox: Exploded from 100,000 users to over 4 million in just 15 months thanks to growth hacking experiments. Groupon: Pivoted from a collective action platform to become the massively successful daily deals leader. Zappos: Originally only sold shoes but iterated into an online customer service powerhouse after recognizing bigger opportunities. The flexibility of the lean framework lets startups fluidly adapt and uncover breakthrough ideas. Top Lean Startup Challenges Adopting lean startup practices comes with hurdles, including: Letting go of old habits: Requires shifting away from linear execution plans and embracing experimentation. Ambiguity: The constant pivoting and iterating can feel disorganized compared to having a fixed roadmap. Need for patience: Repeated rapid testing is meticulous. Results and traction take time. Institutional resistance: Established organizations may reject lean approaches that disrupt existing norms. However, committing to small experiments, tracking meaningful metrics, and iterating products judiciously can help overcome these roadblocks. Adjusting mindsets is essential. “Over 70% of startups say their corporate culture is not suited for rapid experimentation.” Tracking Lean Startup Success Instead of vanity metrics, lean startups should focus on actionable metrics that offer real value: Churn rate: The percentage of customers that disengage over time. Lower is better. Customer lifetime value: How much revenue each customer generates on average. Want to maximize. Cost per acquisition: The amount spent to acquire an average customer. Should decrease. Net promoter score: Quantifies customer satisfaction and loyalty. Positive trends are ideal. Monitoring these unique metrics ensures startups have data-driven insights to guide smart pivots and growth. Key Takeaways Lean startup emphasizes rapid experimentation and customer feedback over detailed upfront planning. The core methodology follows a process of identifying problems, defining solutions, building MVPs, testing, and iterating. Tracking actionable metrics helps startups make data-driven decisions about pivoting or persevering. Well-known startups like Airbnb and Dropbox leveraged lean principles to fuel incredible growth. Lean startups fail fast and cheap, learning critical lessons in the process. Adopting lean startup practices requires adjusting mindsets away from linear execution plans. Patience is key, as measurable traction takes time when running rigorous experiments. Conclusion The lean startup methodology offers a modern, nimble approach to launching and growing a successful business. However, by focusing on rapid experimentation over detailed long-term plans, startups can quickly adapt to markets and build products that customers love. While adopting lean startup practices requires adjusting mindsets, the benefits are game-changing. Instead of huge upfront capital investments, companies can take small risks, learn quickly, and uncover breakthrough innovations. Dive in to start reaping the many rewards of the lean startup philosophy. The keys to your next game-changing startup await. Lean Startup FAQs Let's go over some common lean startup questions: How does lean startup differ from traditional business planning? Traditional plans focus on in-depth upfront research and analysis. But lean emphasizes quick experiments and adapting based on customer responses. What types of startups is lean startup best suited for? The methodology can benefit all startups regardless of industry or business model. However, it may offer the most value for highly uncertain, innovative product ideas. Are there tools that can help adopt lean practices? There are various low-code tools for building MVPs fast, analytics for tracking key metrics, and more. Lean startup guides like Eric Ries' book provide foundations. Read Also: How Inspirational Speakers Like Tony Robbins Can Help Your Business Alternative Business Financing – What Is It And How Do You Do It? Starting A Small Business – Finding Your Target Market And More

How to Start an Irrigation Business?

Recent economic issues and the unwarranted spread of COVID-19 have demonstrated how fragile the economy is. Of course, the fragility of the economy directly affects your job security and future prospects. It can be disturbing and worrying when you realize that the job you love may not be there tomorrow. That’s why many Australians are looking at new prospects and opportunities. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of these are based on self-employment or creating your own financial opportunities. That’s why you may be considering setting up your own irrigation business. There is certainly a demand for it. Every year the temperature heats up and people need water, it doesn’t matter if it’s large scale farmer, public spaces, or private individuals with large gardens/small fields. You’ve got the right plan, now you just need to start your business. Financial Planning This is potentially the most important part of the process. You need to look at what your costs are, who your customers are likely to be, and what sort of income you can expect to make. In this sort of business, the costs are relatively controlled. You’ll need to invest in good traveling irrigators. This will allow you to move between places and distribute the water for your customers. Of course, you’ll need to allow for insurance costs, fuel costs, and consider where your water is coming from. But, you’ll also need to consider the number of customers you’ll be able to help yourself. It’s likely that you’ll want additional equipment and manpower to service several customers at the same time. The issue then becomes whether you have enough space to store all the equipment or whether you need to hire premises. This will drastically increase your costs. It’s important to take your time when creating a budget, you need to think of everything and then add a little extra for unforeseen emergencies. Once you’ve established the costs of getting started and running the business for a year, you can use that figure as the number of funds you need to get started. Then, you’ll have to start speaking to finance companies to raise the capital you need. Advertising The moment you commit to the business idea you need to start attracting customers. There are various ways of doing this from going door-to-door, to posting information on the internet. You will want your own website and you will need to reach out via social media. But, your customer base is certain t be local. It’s worth taking the time to get to know some of the people in your area. You can give them the personal service that larger companies struggle with. Test Run Once you’ve got your finance sorted, customers becoming interested, and your equipment has turned up, you need to do a test run. This ensures you know what you are doing with the equipment and get the job done efficiently and effectively. That is essential if you want repeat business and referrals. This isn’t the cheapest business to start, but profits can be significant, it just takes a little hard work. Read Also: Have You Been Laid Off Because Of Coronavirus? Here Are 5 Income Earning Opportunities For You Optimize Your Small Business Revenue by Taking These Steps

From Idea To Reality: A 5-Step Guide To Launching Your Successful Startup

Are you someone who dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, driven by a passion for innovation and a desire to create something extraordinary? If so, congratulations on taking the first step toward an exciting and rewarding journey! Launching your startup is a thrilling experience that requires a mix of determination, creativity, and strategic thinking. It can also be a challenging and sometimes daunting endeavor involving overcoming hurdles, taking risks, and facing uncertainties. However, with the right guidance and a solid plan, you can overcome these obstacles and turn your vision into a thriving business venture. This blog post will cut through the noise and distill the wealth of knowledge into a concise yet powerful, 5-step guide. These carefully selected steps have been proven to be the cornerstones of building a successful startup. The Sea of Information Waiting To Be Discovered In today's digital age, plenty of resources and information are available to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to kickstart their journey. Countless articles, books, podcasts, and online courses offer valuable insights and tips on launching a startup. Also, many successful experts, such as Mladen Maksic, happily share their tips and tricks, which can give you a great heads-up from the beginning. However, amidst this sea of information, focusing on the steps that can truly make a difference in your entrepreneurial success is crucial. By following this guide, you'll be equipped with a roadmap that will save you time and energy and increase your chances of turning your idea into a thriving business venture. So let's delve into these vital steps and unlock the door to your entrepreneurial dreams. A 5-Step Guide to Launching Your Successful Startup Without further ado, let’s jump right into the crucial steps that will help you start a successful startup business! Step 1: Ideation and Market Research In the first step of launching your successful startup, it's crucial to focus on creativity and thorough market research. This stage is about generating and refining your business idea while profoundly understanding your target market. Start by brainstorming innovative concepts and identifying problems or unmet needs that your product or service can address. Conduct comprehensive market research to evaluate the viability of your idea, identify competitors, and understand your target audience's preferences and pain points. This research will help refine your value proposition and position your startup for success. By delving into market trends, consumer behavior, and industry dynamics, you can gather valuable insights that will inform your business strategy moving forward. Remember, a solid foundation built on a well-researched and validated idea is the key to creating a product or service that genuinely resonates with your customers. Step 2: Develop a Solid Business Plan Once you have a clear and validated business idea, the next step is to develop a comprehensive business plan. Your business plan serves as a roadmap that outlines your vision, mission, target market, competitive analysis, marketing strategy, financial projections, and more. It provides a structured framework to guide your startup's growth and acts as a tool to attract potential investors and partners. Start by clearly defining your business objectives and articulating how your product or service will meet the needs of your target market. Conduct a thorough analysis of your industry, identifying opportunities and potential challenges. Develop a marketing and sales strategy highlighting how you will reach and engage your customers. Additionally, outline your organizational structure and define roles and responsibilities within your team. A well-crafted business plan helps you stay focused on your goals and communicates your startup's potential to stakeholders and investors. Step 3: Building a Strong Team and Network A single individual builds no successful startup. Building a strong team and network is essential for long-term success. Surround yourself with talented individuals who share your passion and vision, complement your skills, and bring diverse expertise to the table. Seek out individuals who are not only skilled in their respective fields but also aligned with your startup's values and culture. Foster a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages open communication and creativity. Building a solid professional network is vital for gaining industry insights, accessing resources, and establishing strategic partnerships. Attend industry events, join relevant communities, and actively engage with mentors and advisors who can provide guidance and support. Remember, the strength of your team and network can significantly influence your startup's ability to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Step 4: Securing Funding and Resources Securing adequate funding and resources is often critical in turning your startup vision into a reality. Conduct a realistic assessment of your financial needs and explore various funding options. This can include self-funding, bootstrapping, seeking angel investors, venture capital, or applying for grants and loans. Craft a compelling pitch deck and business plan to present to potential investors or lenders, clearly outlining the value proposition and possible return on investment. Additionally, identify and secure necessary resources such as equipment, technology, and office space to support your operations. Remember to manage your finances carefully, track expenses, and regularly reassess your funding needs as your startup grows. By proactively seeking and managing funding and resources, you can ensure your startup has the necessary support to thrive and succeed. Step 5: Launching, Testing, and Scaling The final step in launching your successful startup is to bring your product or service to the market, test its viability, and scale your operations. This phase marks the realization of your hard work and preparation as you introduce your offering to your target audience. Start by developing a well-defined launch strategy with a clear marketing and sales plan. Identify your target audience and craft compelling messaging that communicates the unique value your startup brings. Leverage various marketing channels such as social media, content marketing, and partnerships to generate awareness and drive customer engagement. Once your product or service is launched, actively seek feedback from early customers and analyze their responses. Use this valuable input to iterate and improve your offering, ensuring it aligns with customer needs and preferences. Continuously monitor user experience, gather data, and make necessary adjustments to enhance your product or service. As your startup gains traction, it's time to focus on scaling. Develop a growth strategy to expand your customer base and enter new markets. Explore partnerships, strategic alliances, and distribution channels that can help you reach a wider audience. Invest in infrastructure, technology, and talent to support your growth. By launching with a strong plan, testing, and iterating based on feedback, and scaling strategically, you can pave the way for sustainable growth and long-term success. Remember - It’s An Ongoing Process Launching your successful startup requires a systematic approach and a combination of strategic planning, market research, team-building, resource management, and scaling. By following the 5-step guide we have explored, you can confidently navigate the complex journey from idea to reality. Embrace creativity, stay agile, and actively seek feedback from your target audience. Dedication, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of excellence can transform your entrepreneurial dreams into a thriving and impactful business. So take that leap of faith, believe in your vision, and embark on a remarkable journey to make your startup successful! Read Also: How Inspirational Speakers Like Tony Robbins Can Help Your Business Alternative Business Financing – What Is It And How Do You Do It? Starting A Small Business – Finding Your Target Market And More

Explain Your Solution in 60 Seconds or Less – Here’s How