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I guess those who have been to industry events in person, have something of an elevator pitch ready, to explain what music they write, who they "are" ? You know, like when meeting someone new. With different variations based on who they are talking to, maybe it's someone in film, or another gigging musician, or someone outside of the industry, or ahem a future groupie.

I know this topic has been covered, but maybe not in the following way. It would be cool to see a livestream on this topic with examples where maybe members give their best impression of their "personal introduction". Maybe a screener could chime-in and say how well it conveys their work or genre or whatever. The recent call-in TaxiTV Q&A episode was neat, maybe a version like that, on elevator pitches.

There was one TaxiTV where ML gave his story of actually giving his elevator pitch to Richard Branson CEO of Virgin, in a coincidental elevator ride. That's really cool.

It seems a bit tricky to distill easily because this scope of skills covers sooo much ground; composing, production, mixing, instrumentalist, arranger, lyricist, audio engineer, even publisher, ... whereas "musician, I'm in a rock cover band" is what my rock n roll friends at the bar gigs might say very simply.

My feelings towards elevator pitches are somewhat ambivalent. People want to meet people, not a pitch. Elevator pitches tend to be uncomfortably formal, and have not been really suitable on the conferences and events that I have been to.

On the other hand, a short presentation of what you can do is good to have, so you are prepared to talk about yourself in a way that is helpful to others when considering a professional relationship. Often you can cherry pick from what you've prepared.

Tbh I see it as a communication tool to prepare yourself, but not something that you'd actually use when talking with people. You don't want to sound like a broken record.

It can be a good thing to give someone, if they are to present you, though.

I dunno, maybe it's a Nordic thing, but nobody uses elevator speeches here.
If you do, you may be singled out as a somewhat "not listening" type.

Kolstad wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:40 am

I dunno, maybe it's a Nordic thing, but nobody uses elevator speeches here.
If you do, you may be singled out as a somewhat "not listening" type.

Where ever you are I guess people still introduce themselves right? Elevator pitch has many meanings, some in business sense, though also in casual sense, simply means, "what do you say when someone asks: What do you do?" If in music there is an importance of who-you-know or who-you-get-introduced-to, otherwise known as the buddy-system, it seems described in too politically correct terms, "developing relationships". That's salesperson-speak for the actual brutal truth of "getting an 'in'".

If anyone in a conversation gets the impression "ok, this turkey is not the listening type" then it is definitely a badly-given elevator pitch. Yes obviously it should not be like a broken record.

Or I could use pouty lips and cleavage which is also purported to work.

superblonde wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:04 pm

That's salesperson-speak for the actual brutal truth of "getting an 'in'".

As a career sales guy where I come from we call it building rapport. Just talk to people naturally , take an interest in them - it's not about you.

If they like you and peg you as someone they can do business with , they will ask YOU what you do. Then you can tell them. Best not to think of it as a pitch, it should be a conversation.

A skilled salesperson can navigate and steer this conversation because they understand in order to have a better chance there needs to be something of structure , understanding where you are in the process and what your objectives are is what separates regular folk from trained sales people.

superblonde wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 18, 2021 4:09 pm

It would be cool to see a livestream on this topic with examples where maybe members give their best impression of their "personal introduction". Maybe a screener could chime-in and say how well it conveys their work or genre or whatever. The recent call-in TaxiTV Q&A episode was neat, maybe a version like that, on elevator pitches.

It has been great to see this topic 110% thoroughly covered in the Road Rally 2021 Hangs by Robbie Hancock's elevator pitch exercise rounds and pair-ups.

Personally, I'm not that concerned about an elevator pitch as 99.9% of all I do is virtual. I've been to 13 road rallies and never got into that situation where having an elevator pitch was needed. As Cosmic said, if you meet someone, just make normal conversation.

THAT BEING SAID, it is a good idea to know who you are and be able sum it up in a short amount of time/words. That goes for your website and bio as well. So the elevator pitch practice has value.

Casey

Casey H wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 16, 2021 6:32 am

THAT BEING SAID, it is a good idea to know who you are and be able sum it up in a short amount of time/words. That goes for your website and bio as well. So the elevator pitch practice has value.

Casey

Well put Casey
I know it really helps to be able to verbalize your intent so as to build confirmation within
Helps narrow focus and increase confidence

Casey H wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 16, 2021 6:32 am

be able sum it up in a short amount of time/words. That goes for your website and bio as well

cassmcentee wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 16, 2021 8:00 am

be able to verbalize your intent so as to build confirmation within

+1 to all that.
For me - not being a social empath - I have a hard time putting myself into (or even finding myself in) the situation where I can/must spit out my 'elevator pitch'. But I don't have a hard time understanding why I need to know myself well enough to verbalize it.

You might also consider that there's always two sides to this, so put yourself in the other pair of shoes. What would you feel like if approached by a stranger and they start trying to 'sell' themselves to you? What would you want to hear? How much? What would make you want to know more, and what would make you want to walk away?

Life is never so prescriptive, so there will never be two identical interactive situations with two identical people with identical moods, interests, hang-ups and agendas. You might as well ask what to wear and how to style your hair, but if you can sum up what you do in maybe 5 seconds that should be sufficient, should the natural opportunity to do so arise. If anyone else cares enough to show any interest you can elaborate if they ask. I'm sure ML didn't just run up to Branson and start 'selling' himself.