Welcome to Day #1 of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge. As on each day of this project today I’d like to present you with two things:
- Some Teaching/Theory
- A Task to go away and Do
Teaching
Today’s task (outlined in full below) is to develop an Elevator Pitch for your Blog. Let me explain why.
What is an Elevator Pitch?
“An elevator pitch is an overview of an idea for a product, service, or project. The name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride (for example, thirty seconds or 100-150 words).” – Wikipedia
Many business and self improvement type courses teach students to develop an elevator pitch for their business (and even for themselves). The idea is to have something short and sharp that you can say about yourself when the opportunity arises instead of bumbling your way through explaining what you or your business does (and miss an opportunity).
The goal is both to communicate what you do and to get the person you’re communicating it to to want to know more.
Elevator Pitches for Bloggers
While the idea of an elevator pitch is usually something that start up entrepreneurs are encouraged to do when looking for investors – developing an elevator pitch for your blog is also a smart move also.
One of the most important reasons to do this exercise is that to develop an elevator pitch YOU as a blogger to have thought through and crystallised in your mind what your blog is about.
If you’re fuzzy on what your blog is about it’s unlikely than anyone else will have much of an idea either.
Knowing what your blog is about helps you in developing every aspect of it including:
- Writing Content
- Promotion and Finding Readers
- Search Engine Optimisation
- Networking with other Bloggers
- Branding
- Design…. the list can go on.
In fact almost every task that we’ll be doing in this next 31 days should flow from this task.
Other Reasons for Developing an Elevator Pitch
Of course coming up with an elevator pitch is not just for your own benefit. Once you’ve got one it is brilliant for communicating what your blog is about to readers (both the ones you already have and potential ones), other bloggers, potential partners, media/journalists, advertisers and even to friends and family members who might not get what you’re doing.
Once you’ve got your blogs elevator pitch there’s no limit to the places and situations that you can use it (either part of it or in its entirety). Here are a few that come to mind:
- Your blogs tag line – having a short, sharp and descriptive ‘tag line’ for your blog can be a powerful technique for quickly communicating to new readers to your blog what it is all about. Readers who don’t get a sense for what your blog is about are in danger of leaving quickly – so a tagline that is displayed prominently on your blog can be a great way to hook them in.
- Your about page – the about page of a blog (if you have one) is one of the most read pages of a blog by first time visitors. It is an ideal place to communicate what you’re about and to ‘sell’ to potential readers why they should subscribe and come back.
- Real Life Conversation – whether it be at a conference, in business interactions or just in everyday conversation, the topic of your blog is likely to come up from time to time and these interactions can be an ideal moment to pull out the elevator pitch to describe what your blog is about.
- Business Cards – I get a lot of business cards given to me at conferences and to be honest at the end of the day I can’t remember who gave me most of them. Adding an elevator pitch to a card can help trigger who you are and what you do in the mind of those you chat with at these busy types of events.
- Pitching to Media – One of the things I’ve noticed about many journalists is that they’re very busy people who are constantly being pitched with ideas for stories. Having a thought through and effective ‘pitch’ can help you get noticed and give a journalist a reason to listen to what you’ve got to say.
- Pitching to Other Bloggers – Similarly, I find that if I’m being ‘pitched’ to as a blogger that I take more notice if the person pitching to me gives me a brief insight into who they are and what they do.
- Email Signature – many people have links to their blogs in their emails, but a link can be somewhat meaningless on its own. Why not add your elevator pitch? Similarly signatures in forums can be a good place to have a short description of what you do to motivate people to check you out further.
- Social Media Profiles – the same thing goes for all those social media profiles that you have. Why not use them to not only point people to your blog but to give them a reason to go there!
Where else would you use an elevator pitch? I’m sure there are so many more times to pull them out! Feel free to share other places you’ll be using yours.
Your Task for Today
Take some time out today to develop an elevator pitch for your blog. If you’ve already got one take a few minutes to review and refine it.
How to Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Blog
I’m sure there has been much written on the topic online but here’s some starting points that I use when doing this type of thing.
- Solve a Problem or Need – I’m a big believer in developing blogs that fulfil real needs and solve problems that people have. The problem need not be a big one (like World Peace) but you should be attempting to create something that people need on some level. Communicate this in your elevator pitch.
- Define Your Audience – who is your blog for? Who are you attempting to attract? IF your blog is targeting a certain demographic or type of person (and it may or may not) – include this in your pitch. If your blog is for teens, don’t develop a pitch for grandparents – target the reader you want.
- Be Clear – don’t leave people second guessing what you mean or interpreting jargon – make your elevator pitch crystal clear.
- Keep it Short – People have limited attention spans and capacity to absorb lots of information. Get to the point, eliminate unnecessary words and make it punchy!
- Stand Out – be willing to use humour or powerful imagery to grab the attention of those that hear your elevator pitch.
- Be Intriguing – your elevator pitch is unlikely to ‘convert’ people to read your blog all on its own – but it should entice them to learn more. You don’t need to say everything in it – but attempt to write something that is still in the mind of those who hear it long afterwards.
- Be Energetic but not Hyped – you convey more than just dry information when describing your blog – but you also convey what YOU feel about it. This is important – if you ‘pitch’ someone with language and a voice that is dry and uninspired you’re unlikely to convert anyone into a reader. Show people that you love what you’re doing, that you’re passionate and that you care about your topic. But don’t go too far and hype it up beyond what it is!
- Consider Using a Question – people are wired to answer and engage with questions. Ask them, even just rhetorical ones, in your pitch and you’ll hook people in.
- Be Ready to Expand Upon Your Pitch – at a recent conference I had someone come up and give me what seemed like an elevator pitch about their blog. It worked really well, they got me interested – so interested that I asked them to tell me more. The problem was that they didn’t really have much else to say about their blog. See an elevator pitch as a conversation opener – something designed to lead into further interaction with people. You don’t have to say it all in your initial pitch – but you should be ready to say more if people are interested.
These are just the thoughts that come to my mind on elevator pitches (what would you add?). Not everyone will be able to incorporate all of the above points but I hope that some of it will help you to develop yours.
My Elevator Pitch
I have a couple of elevator pitches my blog here at ProBlogger. One’s short (just 6 words) and one’s a little longer (a minute or so). I use one or the other of them depending upon the circumstances and opportunity to share.
My short one is very simple – ‘ProBlogger helps Bloggers Build Exceptional Blogs’. I’ve used others over the life of this blog (and continue to evolve it) but have settled on this one for the time being because it is so simple, to the point and clear.
The longer version expands upon this and shares some of the ways that the blog helps bloggers improve their blogs by talking through a few of the main topics I cover.
Write Your Elevator Pitch
Once you’ve got an elevator pitch for your blog write or print it out and put it somewhere near your computer so that as you blog you can be reminded of it. You might also like to start to incorporate it into your blog as a tagline or in your about page – or even to write a post about it on your blog to communicate to your readers what you’re on about (the appropriateness of writing it as a post will of course vary from blog to blog).
Once you’ve done that – feel free to share what you’ve come up with in comments below. I’m looking forward to reading yours.
Tomorrow on the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge – tomorrows task is a writing task that will have you writing a particular type of blog post to use on your blog in the next few days.
Sign up for 31DBBB
If you’re not already signed up for the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog challenge you can find more information on what it entails here.
Update! Get feedback on your results, and see what others are doing over at the forum: Day 1 – Create an Elevator Pitch for Your Blog
Want More?This task is a sample of one of the tasks in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Workbook – a downloadable resource designed to reinvigorate and revitalize blogs. Join over 14,000 other bloggers and Get your Copy Today. |
My tag line for personal blog is
Lori’s Reflections, come, grow and go.
Book Review site:
Reviewing books with a purpose.
Thanks for all the content rich words you just spun my brain with! I have been working on being a slacker since I was laid off in 2007 but this internet web keeps me spinning.
My blog: http://www.mariesthatwhichisgood.blogspot.com/
My tag: Creating personal change while living a good life
About me:
On May 1, 2007 I was laid-off from a high stress telecommunications job. Phil, my husband, decided to follow suit and come along for this ride. Come join us as we uncover our next chapter.
I often struggle with how to allocate my time. Building graphics for my POD store (http://www.thatwhichisgood.com), learning and doing around SEO, blog writing and last but not least playing in the desert. It’s a tough life. ;)
You rock! Thank you for the nudge.
My blog probably isn’t the ideal blog for this series, because its a comedy blog filled my own musings, commentaries and editorial pieces. I haven’t been blogging in months here really because I do a lot freelance writing work at another site called Punchline Magazine, a stand-up comedy blog. I think it will be good to get back into the groove though, so here’s my elevator pitch.
“Chaseblogger is a comedy blog where comedic writer, Chase Roper, delivers his humor and insight about current events related to pop-culture, religion, and everything else in between. If you like quick wit, smart writing, or are a fan of shows like, “The Daily Show,” “The Colbert Report,” or “Empty Nest,” then Chaseblogger is for you.
I posted my elevator pitch yesterday, but didn’t post it on here. Oops! peglegpug.com/blog
Great advice. I created an elevator pitch and turned it into a Mission Statement for my blog and shared it with my readers in this blog post:
http://www.peakpersonalfinance.com/peak-personal-finance-mission-statement/
Thanks,
Rob
Homework below, teach!
My blog: The Grass Stain Guru
My tag: Childhood was meant to be messy
My Pitch: Restoring childhood, and saving ourselves in the process.
http://www.grassstainguru.com
Cheers- Bethe @balmeras
Darren,
The short version of the elevator pitch I’ve been using is “DailySense: daily drips of not so common sense.”
I like it but I think it’s not as descriptive as it needs to be on the subject matter (sales, marketing, pricing, change, work, productivity – think Seth Godin).
I could obviously expand in the longer version of my elevator pitch but would like to get across the idea in my short version as well.
Thoughts (Darren or the group) on tweaking my elevator pitch / tagline?
I have a lot of work to do. I need to find the direction of my blog. I actually have two businesses. Would you have two seperate blogs?
One elevator phrase: Use the best of nature to look and feel great!
For my other business: Can you really make money online?
Thank you. I’m really excited about these excerises.
Amazing that is what I did just before reading your post. Always is good to be validated. Thanks.
Dear Darren,
I am a 20-something blogger who was brought up on ProBlogger articles. In the course of understanding the nuances of blogging and Problogging, your website has been an immense help.
So when I saw this challenge, I grabbed at the opportunity. And I can see its been a life changing decision.
10000 participants and counting, 350+ comments on the first day and 30 more days to go.! This is much more than I could have asked for.
Thanks for initiating such an endeavor.
Now for the Elevator Pitch.
Although I was not aware of what it was called, I did choose a tagline for my blog.Now I know what an elevator pitch is.
_________________________________________
My blog: http://www.threetipsaday.com
Title: Three Tips a Day
Tagline: Learn something, everyday
It is about giving three tips, across categories like technology, business, life and what is tips.
About:
Three Tips a Day is our effort to make your life simple – three times over. At Three Tips a Day you’ll find at least three useful tips each day, encompassing a wide variety of topics like lifestyle, freebies, internet, gadgets, how-to-guides, blogging, productivity and almost everything under the sun that makes your(and our) lives easier.
The internet is replete with tid-bits of information which when worded carefully and presented in an easy-to-understand manner, can make your lives miraculously simple. At Three Tips a Day we are always on the look out for such information and present it to you on a regular basis.
So each day we bring you the opportunity and the assurance to learn new things(and impress your colleagues, wife, neighbours, boss, friends and everyone around you)
___________________________________________
I believe while the tagline is good, I need to shorten the elevator pitch a bit.
31DBBB has started on an amazingly high note for me and I hope it will be a nice experience for all of us.
Best wishes to all participants and Darren,
Shantanu.
http://www.threetipsaday.com
@threetips
Oh crap! I’m late! But here is a stab at it, do I get points off for late work?
Blog: Super Bubble Life
If life were a bubble it would be a delightful vision of iridescent energy in motion. With a lifespan as brief as a breath, random and interesting. This brings new meaning to the word ‘airhead’…welcome to my bubble!
I’ll work on it.
Thanks you for all your work. It really got me thinking. I have the challenge of several target groups, my students, colleagues, and myself. I am torn between offering just one feed, feeds separated by language (German and English), maybe even by main topics. Well, you started me thinking.
Ulrich
oops, I put in my other website.
My elevator pitch:
timbursch.com- Helping connect business and social mission
I’m a day late but worked on the pitch this morning. Here is what I came up with:
Short:
Simple Abnormality, Pagan Information and Open Education
Long:
Paganism as a whole is not new on the scene as an umbrella for alternative religious views. What is new is the way in which people who are becoming pagans gather their information and develop their own spiritual beliefs. Simple Abnormality’s goal is to provide as accurately as possible, free alternative religious information and news to help people who are learning about paganism choose their own paths, stay informed and strive to keep developing their own set of beliefs.
Not sure if the long version is too long…it could be. Thoughts?
BTW, Thank you for doing this Darren :)
I’m a day late. But I am very serious about this learning experience.
Will there be feedback on our attempts?
Here is mine:
Why do Artist’s have a hard time making a business out or their passion? It’s the limits they place on themselves in the first place. “Artist’s Hub” (www.arthub.ca) explores business, Art techniques, and software tools for freelance illustrators and artists to make a great life out of their passion.
that was not the least bit easy!!! looks like i am among the last here. took me this long to write the pitch!!!
I write a personal travel blog, and though the idea was there, getting the words took quite a while.. thanks for starting this…… check out the pitch on my profile.. thats where i could put it as of now… shall start an about page soon..
I have a quick elevator pitch which I’ve been using a few months now. – Writing Yourself into the Web. I have something a little longer in my About page.
I am a day late, but not a dollar short!
My Blog:
http://www.pennyscraper.com/
My Tagline:
Building Wealth, one penny at a time.
Elevator Pitch:
PennyScraper is a blog I started after I was laid off from my job in hedge fund auditing at a Big 4 accounting firm.
Here I tell you about the quick and easy tricks and tools I use for making money, reducing my expenses, planning my financial future and building wealth…one penny at a time. Hope you all like it.
Never thought of an elevator pitch for a blog – never thought of doing a “business plan” for one either. Since I just started, I have been all over the place. But now you have made me think.
My blog was really started to help customers and prospective customers be able to get their printing done so it makes them look good. Also, to get the output they were expecting.
And I also like the question idea…
So, I am toying with “Do you look professional in print?” or “Can you speak printer-eze?”
But basically I have settled on having my blog “give you tips and suggestions on helping you convey a professional printed image.”
Hi Darren, thanks for this series, already quite excited about it.
I’m using this series to start my blog called DevCulture.com (still waiting for domain resolution).
Here’s my elevator pitch:
Experiences as a software developer, and what the other slaves working down in the dungeons experience in the large IT world. It can sometimes be a dark but wonderful place. We are our own specie.
Never been good with words.
This is an awesome post. I am surely to start working on this.
I have seen some people post an audio introduction in their about page.
Thanks for this Darren you certainly are giving something to think about. I am really pleased i signed up for this.
My tag line is Ramblings of a sewing addict and i am yet to write my elevator pitch, thanks once again.
I’m so excited to participate in this 31 day challenge. Thank you for providing this information. I’ve done elevator pitches for businesses but not my blog.
So, here goes my quick elevator pitch:
Heart Choices helps people make healthier lifestyle choices that impact body, mind and spirit.
The expanded version:
Heart Choices is a blog about how your day to day choices determine what your tomorrows will become. Those choices encompass body, mind and spirit. I feature weekly topics such as Fitness Friday, Thankful Thursday and In Other Words Tuesdays. I challenge people to become life long learners and to consider healthy options for staying fit so they have more energy and stamina to fullly live their lives. As a Christian, I also focus on the spiritual aspects of their heart choices.
My elevator pitch: Providing a glimpse into various events, thoughts, and interests experienced by Kris that might not be mentioned in newsletters or emails
Looking forward to the course. Not only to get my blog in better shape but to glean skills useful in other aspects of my work: online seminary level education and website maintenance.
Darren, great start to this series. I used to have to write these when I worked in PR. My blog is a family/mom/recipe blog, and here’s my tagline/elevator pitch:
The Type A Mommy blog is confessions on motherhood and life, from an overachieving stress junkie stay-at-home mommy with a sweet tooth.
PS – Sorry I’m delinquent on my homework, Professor Darren!
Victus Spiritus
Nourishment for the Soul. The current focus for this blog is rooted in inspiration and life path seeking. As my views evolve, so does the message. Posts will gravitate towards the marketing of ideas. The primary tool being social networking and it’s role in the shaping of the future of internet commerce and society. How far do you believe we can go with world wide collaborative projects?
Some great work here. But now I suddenly start worrying if mine is good enough:
“Streamhead is a the quick-start resource for professionals wanting to keep up with the changing media and the technology on which it is built. From tutorials of the latest web trends, to analysis of new ways to reach your audience. While Streamhead also publishes news, it is not just any news site, it searches for the connections and common themes in the latest events, so you can focus on deciding if and how you can incorporate this in your projects. Streamhead tries to avoid the empty marketspeak and only shows you useful technology, and how to apply it right now, not somewhere in the far future. We know that it can be difficult to keep innovation in your products, so that is why Streamhead’s summary and hand-ons will make sure you won’t miss a thing.”
It might be a bit long, but can easily be shortened. But I don’t like it too short. I’m not too fond of taglines with lots of hyperbole.
I’m so thrilled with the 31 day challenge. Thank you Darren for this excellent project.
My blog is called The Six Month Experiment which is located at http://sixmonthexperiment.com. I would appreciate your feed back on which of the following pitches/taglines you like best
The Six Month Experiment:
1-proving that big things can be accomplished in under 6 months
OR
2-Real people acomplishing their dreams in under 6 months
Thank you for the thoughts and comments.
My elevator pitch:
“My journey through weight loss to lose130 pounds, one day at a time. I encourage others and draw great encouragement and strength from all who read and comment on my blog. This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, but together we can lose the weight we so desperately want to lose.”
I just realized the other day that I dont have something like this for America the Lost when someone asked me what it was about and i fumbled. Going to work on it today.
My blog, which will be launched next week is at
http://www.ChampionOrganizations.com
TagLine: Helping Leaders Create Champion Organizations
Mini-Elevator Speech:
The Champion Organizations blog helps business leaders and leaders of non-profits to create an engaged, enthused and empowered workforce that improves productivity and an organizations’ bottom line!
Full-Elevator Speech:
You know how many business leaders or leaders of non-profits are continually frustrated by the lack of motivation, innovation and creativity of their employees? Well, this blog provides insights, tips and strategies that will bring out the best in any team of employees in any industry. The strategies shared in this blog will include best practices from some of the best organizational cultures in the world, my personal experience over the last eight years in coaching and consulting clients to improve their culture, and what I learned about creating a Championship team during my 20-years in professional baseball management. This blog will continualy explore issues around employee engagement and empowerment so that today’s leaders can create a Champion organization, one in which, everyone is treated like, and feels like a Champion!
Ended up with the elevator pitch: Tynan’s Anger is an arts & culture blog that aims to provide a youthful perspective to adult cultural conversations. It places special emphasis on theater, film, and rock music.
Excellent first tip. I have 3 blogs and have been able to apply this lesson to all of them. Added polish – just what I needed. Thank you.
Read the adventures of 2 artists who ran away from the big city to try life in a rural riverside village in Nova Scotia. Tips and topics include painting demonstrations, rural living, organic gardening and metal smithing. Step into their studio where you can buy jewelry, paintings, weaving, books and meditation CDs.
Thanks Darren mate, for another great idea for teaching me what I should be doing for my readers!
http://www.professionalword.com/blog
Tag line:
Your source for practical tips, techniques and reative ideas for marketing your arts business.
Elevator speech:
Our blog is your source for practical tips, techniques and creative ideas for marketing your arts business. Learn about the latest and most successful marketing methods as well as effective content creation for websites and traditional media.
We help arts businesses, arts organizations and not-for-profits succeed through sharing experience-based practices that save time, reduce costs, and improve results.
While keeping our clients’ marketing up-to-date, we seek the best examples from innovative sources we know, but which are often overlooked.
Thank you so much for that 1st post. It’s awesome. I am grateful for learning a lot more points from you.
What a nice surprise that this has begun… I put it out of my mind and here it is – fantastic – I know I am going to enjoy doing this… and anything to boost our blog… Now this may be a bit twee for all the serious bloggers you have but I can’t be the only mom blog – I wold love a “I am doing the 31dbbb with the problogger” button type thing to pop on my blog – it will definitely keep me slightly more accountable if people reading my blog know I am doing it!
Here’s mine:
Blogging all the little things that add up to better advertising & marketing. Secrets, tips and tricks to standing out in today’s marketplace from Kristian Walker, Creative Director/Principal of Eurekaville Advertising & Design.
This should be great. I am ready to have fun and learn lots. Thanks Darren!
Darren, what you are doing is definitely helping me to become a better blogger. Keep up the good work. this 31-day challenge is great because it holds me accountable.
OK, here’s my pitch:
Hi, I’m Sarah Jo. I write A Fool of Myself, a semi-personal blog that allows me to make a fool of myself on a semi-daily basis. Sometimes I’m brilliantly creative. Other times I’m a gigantic idiot. My readers determine where the microscopically thin line between the two falls. I write about what I love, and on any given day that can range from blogging to running, from good books to kittens.
And my new tagline: Brilliantly creative? Gigantic idiot? You decide.
Thanks!
So, I write a Mom/Lifestyle blog and over the course of time, I’ve come up with this description.
I have it tweaked for verbal assault such as in an elevator.
“Homeschooling, jewelry designing, adventure seeking, picture taking, gadget loving, blog writing, foodie, up for (almost) anything Mom about town.”
Thanks for the great start…’clarity’ must be your middle name :-))
I’ll admit I’m having great fun with this assignment. My blog is http://www.tucsononthecheap.com.
My elevator pitch: The skinflint’s guide to fun in Tucson.
I have a knitting blog- I LOVE knitting, but real life often gets in the way and I don’t have the typical knitting blog with tons of finished objects (FOs) and designs, but I include general humor, knitting adventures, and real-life stories….Here is my pitch :)
“No lists of FOs. No edgy original patterns. No immaculate technique…just an average knitter…too busy for perfection but ballsy enough to try anything once.”
my blog is really more of an online journal of my daily life and a place i can keep track of recipes and books i’ve come across.
i’ve worked that into: “me being me. making my way through life one recipe and one book at a time.”
this is a great way to get started and it has already given me more focus moving forward. thanks so much
Well, i think i already had one, but i didn’t know. It’s “The world of an engineer prospect”. I have to say my blog is in spanish, and it’s kind of personal, so my target is almost everyone. Thanks for the info.
My one-liner: “I guide you to the good stuff for family travel.”
I decided that “I guide you….” is much better than “I’m bossy and have lots of ideas….” :)
Thanks for this project, Darren.
Hi, thanks for this guide, Darren!
I’ve just update my ‘about’ page ( now with a photo of mine :-) ).
Bye,
Massimo