Elevator pitch

As explained in Think Like a CTO

A concise spoken presentation intended to explain an initiative and persuade listeners to support it or seek more information.

An elevator pitch is a concise spoken explanation, usually about 30 seconds, that makes an initiative understandable to people with different skills and backgrounds. In technology leadership, it turns an approved vision into an outline that can build excitement, support, and interest in further detail. section 3.5

Make the pitch clearer and more natural by:

• Keep the opener consistent so listeners quickly understand the subject. section 3.5.2
• Adapt technical and business explanations of each feature to the audience. section 3.5.2
• Repeat the pitch, observe body language, and refine the wording until it sounds conversational rather than scripted. section 3.5.2
• Judge success by whether listeners become engaged, ask questions, and seek more information or offer support. section 3.5.2

HomeMax

A HomeMax pitch connects client-managed data on mobile devices or browsers with lower call-center burden, better data quality, stronger engagement, scalable architecture, third-party integration, and possible new services. It communicates cost, quality, and future-market benefits without requiring the listener to absorb technical detail first. section 3.5.2

Figure 3.8 The elevator pitch

Use the elevator-pitch figure as a visual aid when shaping the short explanation. section 3.5

How Think Like a CTO covers it

How deep it goes

Explains the 30-second format, audience adaptation, body-language feedback, repetition, and listener-engagement measure.

Examples

Uses the HomeMax scenario to connect self-service data management with cost reduction, data quality, engagement, integration, and new services.

What it assumes

Assumes an approved vision and requires awareness of differing technical backgrounds and organizational concerns.

What you can do after

Practice and perform a flexible 30-second vision explanation that engages listeners and earns time, questions, or support.

How it connects

Links vision to business benefits, technology improvements, timelines, and planning and execution.

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Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Tech Startup ToolkitAn elevator pitch is a brief spoken or written business presentation designed to capture an investor's interest and obtain a meeting.

Compare how 2 books explain elevator pitch →

Related concepts

• technology visionuses · A strategic view, typically expressed as a statement, of how technology should support and shape an organization's future direction.
• venture capitalistuses · A venture capitalist is an investor or investment professional who provides capital to high-growth private companies, typically in exchange for equity.
• data qualityaddresses · Data quality is the degree to which data is accurate, complete, consistent, relevant, and suitable for its intended use.
• model architectureuses · The structural organization of a computational system’s components, relationships, and operations that determines how it processes information or behaves.
• CEOused by · A chief executive officer is the senior executive responsible for directing an organization’s overall operations and strategic direction.
• cloud computinguses · Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of computing resources and services over a network from remotely managed infrastructure.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Think Like a CTO. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.