An elevator pitch is a term given to any sales pitch that could, in theory, be delivered in the space of a short elevator ride. It is a fantasy scenario as you are never likely to be called to pitch your book in this way.
However, the idea is that you might find yourself in the elevator with a Person of Interest who can’t, for those twenty or thirty seconds, escape or deflect your attention – so you can use that time to deliver a sales pitch so utterly compelling that that Person of Interest is drawn in and wants to hear more.
Authors should still utilize the concept of Elevator Pitch because it’s a neat conceptual way to understand certain metrics surrounding your book: What is your book’s Unique Selling Point – which in turn determines:
1. How to pitch your book to retail buyers
2. How to pitch your book to reviewers
3. How to pitch your book to readers (online or physically)
BE CONCISE:
You should work with about 30-60 words to cover all the relevant points of your book. Brevity is key, not because the theoretical elevator ride is short, but because you need to isolate what is special about your book. That means discarding nearly everything about the book other than the key aspects. If the Person of Interest in the elevator gets out on the same floor as you and says, “Sounds great, tell me more”, then tell all the other aspects about your book. A great elevator pitch is essential, yes, but it’s never enough on its own. It’s just an appetizer to get people interested to know more about your book.
HAVE A COMPELLING HOOK:
This will make your pitch stand out in the sea of pitches. Create a strong why to ensure the listener or reader understands the reason behind the book. You should also demonstrate tension by showing conflict or obstacles that relate to your readers.
PAIR PROBLEMS WITH SOLUTIONS:
Readers are interested in books that clearly cover their pain points (problems in life) with a clearly demonstrated solution. Ask yourself, ‘Why would readers in my target audience find this interesting?’ The theme should also be very clear in your pitch ie Power, Leadership, Betrayal, Love etc.
STATE YOUR TARGET READERS:
Why is this so important? It allows you and others to precisely understand your readers and meet their specific needs and wants. In the long run, this will benefit you because you will be able to use your time and resources more effectively towards a specific goal. It also enables you to make better strategic marketing decisions.
HERE IS A SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS TO ANSWER TO MAKE YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH:
”
1. What’s your book about?
2. Who is your target reader?3. What problem is your book giving solution to?“
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