6/14/2007

Many people aren’t sure what an Elevator Pitch is because many people use the term to describe a much longer and very different beast called an Investor Presentation.
     There are several important differences between an elevator pitch and an investor presentation.
     First, there is an order of magnitude difference when it comes to the aspect of time. In general, an elevator pitch is a very short -- usually just 30 to 60 second -- overview of a new product or service. In contrast, an investor presentation can run anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour.
     That time difference creates a second difference when it comes to the use of slides and visual aids. When delivering an elevator pitch, at most you will be able to show people one slide. However, more often than not you will have to resort to hand waving and gesturing. As a result, you can only hope to communicate simple, high-level concepts, not complex, low-level details.
     In contrast, when giving an investor presentation you can rely on a deck of 15 or 20 slides to help you make you point. As a result, you are able to use diagrams and animations and can expect people to be able to understand more complex, subtle, or technical points.
     Finally, an elevator pitch and an investor presentation are very different when it comes to interacting with the audience. In general, an elevator pitch consists you of talking and the other person listening. If they ask any questions, it will be after you have finished speaking. In contrast, when delivering an investor presentation you should expect to be interrupted while delivering your pitch and should plan accordingly.