"And you, what do you do?" Does this question make you freeze up, or do you respond with ease? As a business owner or creative professional, nailing your introduction can open doors—but getting it wrong leaves opportunities on the table.
Presenting your unique work isn't always straightforward, especially outside traditional roles like lawyer or teacher. At trade shows, networking events, or casual chats, a fumbling pitch can cost you clients, collaborators, or connections. The good news? With practice, you can deliver a clear, compelling response every time.
I've helped countless creatives and entrepreneurs refine their pitches through my coaching at selmapaiva.com. These 5 steps will equip you to talk about your work confidently—perfect for elevator pitches, 'About' pages, social profiles, or sales pages too.
Let's dive in: Craft your pitch using these 5 key phrases to engage your listener and spark interest.
In your first two sentences, share your name, website, what you do, and your ideal clients. Examples:
My name is Marie Dupont, and you'll find my work at mariedupont.com. I design shoes for executive women who must follow dress codes yet want to showcase their personality through accessories.
I create personalized herbal blends to help clients overcome personal or professional blockages.
I help parents preserve precious memories of their children while enjoying quality family time.
Focus on the impact for your clients. Use the prompt "It's important to me that..." to unlock this, then refine. Examples:
It's important to me that women in demanding, male-dominated roles can express creativity without defaulting to black or white attire.
It's important to me that people held back by past patterns can break free without endless therapy or medication.
It's important to me that busy parents don't miss their children's fleeting childhood moments.
Use "Currently..." to highlight progress positively. Examples:
Currently, I'm developing new online offers to grow my business and serve clients worldwide.
Currently, I'm setting up a shared practice space—it's motivating to collaborate with peers!
Share direction and challenges constructively; avoid dwelling on negatives, as it disengages listeners.
Use "Ideally..." to inspire with your goals. Examples:
Ideally, I'd delegate admin tasks to focus on showcasing my work and expanding my network.
Ideally, I'd split my week between in-person client sessions and online work to reach a broader audience without excessive travel.
Final tips for delivery! As Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, said, "You don't build the future by looking in the rearview mirror." Skip the resume recap—save backstory for later if they're hooked.
Start drafting with these hooks: "My name is... It's important to me that... Currently... Ideally..." Practice daily for 21 days, improv-style: whisper it, shout it, use accents—make it fun to build conviction.
About me:
My name is Selma Païva, and I help creatives, enthusiasts, and non-conformists implement progressive strategies to grow their businesses. It's essential to me that free-spirited people get as excited about business as their offerings—that's how they scale. Currently, I'm mastering delegation with a virtual assistant. Ideally, I'd free up time to nurture my network and expand beyond my office.
And you? Share your pitch below—I'd love to hear it!
www.selmapaiva.com
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