Thought Exercise: Elevator Pitch

Agile Strategy

What is it?

Elevator pitch is a technique for distilling the product value proposition into a discrete, easy-to-remember, compelling, and repeatable phrase. It’s like a mission statement , but has more of a specific formula and should be created in the context of being on a very brief elevator ride with a potential customer or an investor who could help the business.

Why do it?

Do it to clearly and concisely articulate the unique value proposition — what is good about the product and why someone would really want it.

When to do it?

Create your elevator pitch at the beginning of a product development process, when you’re working on marketing materials or slogans, and revisit it throughout the process to help you stay on the right track and remind you what is important and what to keep in mind.

How to do it?

For (target customer) who has (customer need), (product name) is a (market category) that (one key benefit). Unlike (competition), the product (unique quality about your product).

Go through the fill-in-the-blank template for each persona identified in the previous persona exercise.

The agile flavor

Make it a collaborative effort involving student designers, UNI staff, and the instructor. Integrate the personas developed previously when identifying the “target customer.” Display the results in a key location in the class room and refer to it throughout the early phases of the project to keep you on track.