How to do it:

Elevator pitches began as a business concept, but the idea has been adapted to many uses. Start by choosing an issue that you undertand and wish other people understood. This might be based on your own community (e.g. you come from a farming family) or it might be something you have expertise in (e.g. you’re a medical professional) or perhaps it’s simply something you’re passionate about and wish more people knew.

Instead of starting from scratch every time you get in a dialogue (or becoming tongue tied!) prepare one or more short, simple explanations for issues that matter to you. We’ll use the general structure of the MIT Policy Pitch.

A good starting point is to ask yourself “What do I keep explaining to people” or “What really frustrates me that people don’t know?” For example, if you’re in health care the surge in new parents refusing the Vitamin K shot might be particularly upsetting to you. What would you say if someone at a party mentioned they had a new grandchild on the way, and then said something anti-vax? Here’s one possibility:

“I’m a registered maternity nurse, and while I hear that you’re concerned about vaxination schedules I feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t make sure you know that the Vitamin K shot new babies get is NOT a vaccine. We’ve been seeing parents refuse it because they think it’s a vaccination, but it’s actually a vitamin supplement that protects babies from bleeding to death. If your baby falls, or has internal bleeding for any reason, it’s a literal life saver.” (Learn more here.)

Here are the key points: we listed our expertise up front, then we empathized with their position without endorsing it. This helps avoid defensiveness. The rest of the message is designed to get life-saving information out. It’s best to drop the subject then, unless they ask genuinely curious questions.

Here is another example, if you’re trying to get people to vote and keep bumping into “it doesn’t matter”:

“You’re absolutely right that there is a ton of meddling! From voter purges to closing polling locations in blue-leaning areas, they’re absolutely trying to steal the election, legally, right in front of our noses! That’s why it’s more critical than ever to turn out to vote, and to help our neighbors vote! They wouldn’t be trying to stop us if it didn’t matter.” (GOTV here.)

The key to a successful elevator pitch is its brevity and clarity—you should be able to convey your message quickly while still being engaging. Depending on your audience, you might tweak your pitch for different settings, but the main goal remains the same: To capture attention and interest in a short amount of time. – Yale School of Management.