The elevator pitch framework

Imagine stepping into an elevator with your CEO. You have 30 seconds to explain your product strategy before the doors open. What do you say? This scenario isn't just hypothetical. Product managers constantly need to communicate strategy quickly and clearly to different audiences.

An effective elevator pitch follows a proven template that distills complex strategy into its essence. The structure is: "For (target customer), who has (customer need), (product name) is a (market category) that (one key benefit). Unlike (competition), the product (unique differentiator)."

The key is adaptation. Your pitch to the CFO might emphasize cost savings and market opportunity within this framework. The same strategy pitched to engineers might highlight technical innovation while following the same structure. Customer-facing teams need to hear user benefits framed in this clear format. Practice multiple versions for different audiences, but maintain the core template for consistency and clarity.^[1]