← DictionaryElevator Pitch
also called short pitch
A compressed spoken explanation of what a business does and who it serves.
The 20-second answer to "what do you do?"
What It Is
Elevator Pitch belongs to Brand, specifically the Messaging part of it. Stated plainly: a compressed spoken explanation of what a business does and who it serves.
It is a repeatable structure, which means it only pays off when it is actually followed through instead of quoted. Used with that meaning, it stays a working tool rather than a talking point.
How It's Used
In practice, Elevator Pitch shows up in positioning conversations, identity decisions and the language a business commits to. In real work it sits close to Messaging, Positioning Statement and Value Proposition. The practical test is whether anyone can follow it without the person who wrote it in the room.
Why It Matters
Elevator Pitch is one of those items that only becomes visible when it is missing. When it is unclear, every later choice about message, design and channel is made on sand. Deciding it deliberately costs one conversation. Leaving it undecided costs several.
Think of a checklist that stops you skipping the important part. The 20-second answer to "what do you do?".
Termshift™
How the meaning shifts depending on who is using it, and where.
Inside the industry, Elevator Pitch is used tightly and assumed to be understood: a compressed spoken explanation of what a business does and who it serves.
Away from the jargon, it is the 20-second answer to "what do you do?".
The Bottom Line
The practical takeaway on Elevator Pitch: the 20-second answer to "what do you do?". Judge it by that, not by how it sounds.