By: Kelly Smith; Photo by: Brooke Dennis for Alt Summit
The first time I heard the term “elevator pitch” was when I read this article, while preparing for my very first Alt conference. To be honest, I was so nervous about summing up my story, nervous about sounding inexperienced, and nervous about being nervous. I followed all the advice, figured out what I wanted to say, and practiced my little heart out.
So, how did it go? Well, I will tell you. I found myself being introduced to a group of my all-time favorite bloggers and when it was my turn for the big elevator pitch, I started choking up (there may have been a couple tears even). I was so embarrassed.
But you know what – everyone was so nice. As it turns out, by the end of the day I got a lot better and in the process made a lot of great friends. I flipped things around, found my rhythm, and stopped thinking about how I was delivering and more about the message behind what I was saying.
So whether you are trying to make a good first impression on your blog, or in person – just relax a bit. The real conversations, the real relationships, start after the elevator pitch. A bad pitch here and there will not be the end of you; just have the confidence to pick yourself back up, keep practicing, and network like a ninja.