An elevator speech gets home elevator its name from the fact that it should be short enough (under 30 seconds) to tell someone on an elevator. It should be easy for you to remember at anytime, whether you are relaxed or nervous, and must include attention-grabbing information. While the exact content is up to you, be sure you include the following:

Your name

Area of expertise

Attention-grabber that speaks to the need of the listener

Here are two actual elevator speeches. Which one do you think gets the best results

Hi. I am Caroline Cross, a pharmaceutical rep for Sandoz. I have a Bachelors degree in chemistry and a Masters degree is biology. I am looking to join a company where I can advance my career and eventually work my way into management

My name is Chris Stanley and I generated a 30% increase in territory sales over the past 6 months. Additionally, I developed a new product projection matrix that has increased product diversification among our client physicians by 15% over a 2 month time period. My ultimate goal is to use my industry knowledge to increase the profitability of a cutting-edge organization.

Obviously, the second example generated greater interest. In this elevator speech, Chris whet the appetite of his listener by providing results and highlighted what he could give to an employer, NOT what he wanted from a company.