elevator pitch

American  

[el-uh-vay-ter pich] / ˈɛl əˌveɪ tər ˌpɪtʃ /

Also elevator speech

noun

1. a brief talk or pitch intended to sell or win approval for something, as a product or business proposal.

   a two-minute elevator pitch to a prospective investor.

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Etymology

Origin of elevator pitch

First recorded in 1995–2000; from the idea of persuading someone while on an elevator moving between floors

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

elevator pitch

As the contest to succeed Powell heated up last year, Warsh honed an elevator pitch tuned to Trump’s ears.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

Even before I first saw the film during last year’s Sundance Film Festival, this one-line elevator pitch was taking up all the space in my prefrontal cortex.

From Salon ● Feb. 18, 2026

That Pritzker doesn’t have a natural feel for such material is a bit surprising given his history in venture capital, a cultural space that celebrates the visionary elevator pitch.

From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2025

Asked to describe the sport in which he is a double world champion, Tomas Woods has it down to an elevator pitch: "It's basically BMX in a wheelchair."

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2025

“It’s about marriage, adultery and regular church attendance,” she whispered, clearly pleased with her pithy elevator pitch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2024

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