ELEVATE YOUR SUCCESS IN BUSINESS BY INFUSING THE INSPIRED “WHY” INTO YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH

People can buy what you sell anywhere. The reason they want to buy from you is because you inspire them. When you’re effervescently and genuinely inspired about what you do, they can’t help but want to share in that magic.

Whether you sell a product or offer a service, you’re really selling inspiration.

The irony is you can’t fake inspiration. You can’t actually sell inspiration or make someone inspired. The beauty of inspiration is that it’s authentic by default. So then what are we really doing?

We’re finding a way to share the unique inspiration that fuels why we do what we do. But sharing something so natural can end up being challenging because inspiration is beautiful, deeply personal, energetic and pure. It’s like trying to describe why you love your kid, partner or pet. No words you can say compare to how it feels or how it fuels you. And that’s the magic of a great elevator pitch. You find a way to get the closest you can to sharing that magical feeling that inspires you to do the work you do. It’s not to produce widgets; it’s to change people’s lives while fulfilling and enjoying your own.

A fantastic Sonoma County photographer (and uber-inspired family guy), Tyler Chartier, has my favorite example:

(Hi there, Tyler. What do you do?) I am extremely lucky because I get to take those experiences that we all have when we walk into a space or when we see a person that we just had a compelling conversation with… I get to take those experiences, squish them flat, cram them into a rectangle, and then show them to other people… and if I do my job right, I inspire them to feel the same way that I felt.  And for me, that is magic.

WHAT does he do? He’s a commercial photographer. But without the above inspiration revealing, we would have no way to differentiate him and very little motivation to work with him over another.

Sharing his elevator pitch isn’t an obligatory first step in business development; it’s enjoyable because he is sharing what inspires him. He doesn’t fake enthusiasm. He genuinely lights up and his eyes brighten. You can feel a warmth from his heart or soul (or both). You want to get part of that. Every time he shares his elevator pitch, he is sharing an authentic part of who he is, and he gets recharged by inspiration just by thinking about it.

This style of elevator pitch could come off fake quite easily, counter-productively hurting your integrity. Except Tyler isn’t faking. You can feel his authenticity radiating and hear the love and gratitude for his craft in his voice. Because inspiration can’t be (successfully) faked, you can only do this when you tap into the genuine inspired why of what you do.

To reflect your authenticity, don’t memorize it word for word. Tyler has shared his statement enough that it flows naturally, but I’ve also heard variations where he talks about “3D moments” and “evoking the same feelings.” He knows the gist because he lives it, he’s practiced enough to sound professional, but he is present enough to keep it feeling special and sincere.

Other advice: “One on one, I can be a little more direct because I have their full attention, so I might say something more like, ‘I’m a commercial photographer, but what I really get to do is capture photos of things that might generally be boring, like buildings or products, and take on the challenge of bringing them to life for other people within a flat rectangle.'”

Even when you’re asked what you do, answer in a way to share why you love what you do, what your favorite moment is, and how it makes your clients feel. Infuse the inspired why and you’ll inspire potential customers. You also get the added bonus of filling yourself with inspiration just by sharing it.

Check out Tyler Chartier’s inspiring work.

Want to follow Tyler’s fearless footsteps into his Zero Hour Work Week of doing work that inspires him? Explore what’s stopping you from your dream job.