9 Steps: Crafting Your Elevator Pitch
In the classic Hollywood scenario, you have 30 seconds to make your pitch to a producer you meet in an elevator.
In an art-world scenario, you might have 30 seconds to say your piece, too—on a Zoom panel, social event, or actual elevator.
But Hollywood’s typical mix-and-match formula—Star Wars meets rom com—isn’t so useful in our space. “Frida Kahlo meets Cindy Sherman”? A challenging sell.
How can you describe yourself and your work in a quick chat—or on the public stage? Try these tips:
1. Introduce your self before your work
Start with who you are: It could be where you’re from, where you live, cultural or other signifiers. The art doesn’t make itself!
2. Say what you make
Instead of saying “my practice is about,” be specific about what your art is. Mention materials, tools, and subject matter most essential to process and meaning.
3. Evoke your artistic process
Inspire listener to imagine you creating the art in your studio.
4. Tell what it looks like
Paint a verbal picture—color, size, texture, mood—that sparks curiosity to see more.
5. Don’t say it all
View each encounter as planting a seed. The goal is to spark interest, not overload. Share distinctive qualities that highlight your creativity and originality.
6. Having trouble summing it up?
Try to find language that articulates the qualities uniting your work across different genres. Or, try this trick: Say you do a lot of things, but today in the studio you did this.
7. Sound enthusiastic
I’m not suggesting to fake it, or to be pushy. But if you don’t sound excited about your art, how can the audience be?
8. Breathe and pause
Leave space for questions from the listener.
9. Practice!
Adapt the technique of rehearsed improvisation: Practice individual elements of the pitch until they come naturally in conversation.
