“A twit what?” you may ask.
A twitpitch is a description in 140 characters of what you do in work, life or play—or any important appeal or objective—presented in the space it takes for a single tweet.
We now meet many of the important people with whom we work, live and play in the digital world of Twitter. What makes Twitter unique is that everybody has the same allotment of 140 characters. But if we have done our due diligence, we have a targeted audience that will give us a moment of the valuable time they spend on Twitter.
Very few people are prepared to interact on Twitter in this way. The idea of an twitpitch is to have a prepared tweet that grabs attention and says “all one needs to know about you or your objective” in 140 characters or less.
What are you going to say?
By effectively tweeting the essence of your lifework, you will be marketing yourself and your business in a way that makes people want to know more.
Why prepare a twitpitch? Because preparation is vital in today’s world of radical discontinuity, and it is no different for your twitpitch. It is imperative to work on these 140 characters until they are perfectly crafted.
This tweet is one worth memorizing. Make it such a part of who you are that if someone startled you during a nap, and asked what you do, you would smoothly and without hesitation quote them your twitpitch. This tweet will serve as your brief introduction to others—so it has to be great!
Where and when do I use this twitpitch? Of course, if someone follows you on Twitter, use it for them. But it also comes in handy when you attend an event, a conference, a convention, or some other type of meeting. The twitpitch becomes useful in real life.
One of the first things people ask these days upon meeting is, “What do you do?” followed inevitably by the question, “Are you on Twitter?” If you give them the usual answer to the first question, they see that you are a lawyer…or an accountant … or a consultant … or an artist…or a pastor…or insert your title.
They will often label you in their mind with all of the stereotypes they perceive those occupations carry with them.
However, if you turn your twitpitch around and start with an answer like, “I work with small businesses that are grappling with computer problems,” (70 characters), right away — especially if they own a small business—their ears will perk up and want to know more.
It is the law of attraction.
I suggest working on this pitch and memorizing it because our natural reaction to the question, “What do you do?” is to answer with a label. We then go on to describe the things we do instead of sharing the benefits they will get from working with us.
Rather than thinking of ourselves as “culture creators” we picture ourselves as “being our occupation.”
How do I present my twitpitch? The more often you tweet and present your pitch, the better it will become. You will easily be able to tweak and add enthusiasm and energy to the tweet, because it will be so much fun experiencing the unique reactions to what you are saying. I suggest taking advantage of the wide variety of tweet-ups (networking events) in your sphere of influence.
Succinct. Evocative. Compelling.
A great twitpitch will make you memorable.
How do I craft my twitpitch? Tweak. Tweak. Tweak your Twit. Oops!
Well, you know what I mean. Run it by people you trust and listen to their input. Watch the reactions on Twitter and adjust if needed.
Don’t worry if your “Twitpitch” isn’t perfect in the beginning. As you present it, it will develop and refine, and before long, you will be getting a surprising amount of business—or, at the very minimum—a growing number of followers who want to hear what you have to say.
Here is my initial go at a personal twitpitch.
I am a creative who lives to spread influence by mentoring and encouraging influential people to diffuse ideas and create culture. (130 characters)
What do you think about mine?
Suggestions?
Now, give your initial twitpitch a go in the comments below on this post. Be brave. Do it!
104 responses to “How Is Your TwitPitch? — How To Craft An “Elevator Speech” in 140 Characters”
Christian. Husband. Dad. Assoc. Pastor. Poet. Imaginator. Dreamer.
It’s really week. Really working on trying to define this. (I even made up a word)
[…] and if you need help coming up with a better check out a post Randy Elrod wrote about crafting a “twitpitch” […]
I’m later translating this into Portuguese, since the vast majority of my followers are in Brazil, but I value your opinion:
“Singer, freelance translator, pending communicator, social networker & Corinthian supporter.”
I should note that Corinthians is a huge soccer team from São Paulo. I do love Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, though :)
@Marcel Freire, Nice. I would love to see it in Portuguese!
also, I’m curious, why do you say “pending” communicator?
@Randy Elrod, I say “pending” simply because I’m still a few credits short of finishing my communications degree. I actually have a music degree, and haven’t time to finish communication. But I don’t think people really need to know that. Anyway, here’s what it would be like in Portuguese:
“Cantor, tradutor freelancer, comunicador pendente, adepto às redes sociais e corinthiano.”
@Marcel Freire, Awesome, thanks!
I take pictures and tell stories. Please share yours with me.
@dkzody, Nice blog, too!
@Randy Elrod, Well, thank you very much, Mr. Elrod. Your twitter elevator pitch idea resonated with me for you see, I taught high school marketing & entrepreneurship classes for 21 years, and I was always training my students to have a good elevator pitch. Of course, it changes with the situation. It’s been hard to change mine from “I’m an inner city high school teacher,” to something different. I’m still honing my identity, post educator.
@dkzody, That is awesome!! You are very welcome!
my Twitter bio is:
writer: creativetheology.com co-founder: @themoveproject
i think my twitpitch would be something like…
I write about the implications of faith in creativity, and help people engage in social justice issues.
@Sam Mahlstadt, I love it! Where do you write? How can i see?
See, you made me ask questions…
I’m serious, how can i read your writings?
@Randy Elrod, Great! My blog is creativetheology.com – the about page also has a few links to things I’ve written on other blogs and for COLLIDE magazine. Thanks for the kind words and interest!
@Sam Mahlstadt, Thanks so much!
Nice post. I received a bunch of nice examples of #twitpitch to a little fun contest which i collated here: http://www.freddestin.com/blog/2010/12/twitpitch-your-startup-in-140-characters.html. Some examples stand out as hitting the recommendations you made.
@Fred Destin, Thanks, Fred. Awesome info!!
Im fairly new to twitter and promoting the music my wife and I make to the public so this has been a great exercise for me. Here goes. Let me know what you think.
I teach music in a public elementary school & create acoustic folk/spiritual music with my wife Kelly hoping to inspire and entertain others.
@Eric, Awesome, Eric, my one thought would be is there another word for hoping?
@Randy Elrod,
What about changing hoping to aiming?
@Eric, Revision – I teach music at a public elementary school & create acoustic folk/spiritual music with my wife aimed at inspiring and entertaining others.
@Eric, I personally like it better. What do you think?
@Eric, I think you need a stronger word than “hoping” or “aiming”. Those words convey that you might or might not inspire and entertain others. I would put “I teach music….with my wife….”TO” inspire and entertain. You don’t need “others” either, it’s implied and will save you some characters.
@Audra Krell, Great advice Audra. Thanks. To answer your question Randy, yes I’m liking it better all the time. Really makes me think about exactly what I do and why without rambling for 20 minutes like usual.
@Eric, Yes, it is a great exercise in focus as well.
Christian + advocate for children living in poverty w/ Compassion International. Follow me for daily Christian blogs and Compassion updates.
(Think I used em all)
@Compassion dave, Yes, you did. Well done.
I am a curator of spiritual content on the internet. I lead a global team of creatives to engage people interested in spirituality online.
@Vince, Yes, you do. And you do it well!! Thanks, Vince.
Randy
I have been refining my personal planning recently and woke up today with a clear message to refine my mission statement – within 10 minutes of logging on I read your latest post which was obviously meant.
My first draft of your brilliant advise to create a Twitpitch is:
“I am a therapist and mentor guiding people to their full potential and spiritual harmony in their personal and professional life.”
What I am missing here is the ‘who’ and your post and personal Twitpitch has given me the much needed kick to get absolutely clear on that. Thanks again Randy for a stimulating post.
@James Fields, Well done, James. We must meet one day!
Is your dog here? If so, Jack needs to meet Lyric (my dog).
@Jeff Goins, I don’t know if I understand, a little more for me please…
The day got away from me, but here it is in 129 characters.
I am Spiritual Director who listens and deciphers in order to help people recognize, untangle, and move forward in their journey.
@Bill Todd, I get it!! Well done.
I advise, encourage, challenge, and strategize with others to help them discover an impacting significant life.
@John Regan, Awesome. You have 29 characters remaining. That enables people to RT you easily.
I love the last two words.
I don’t even see myself as particularly creative or influential. But I think enough of you has rubbed off inadvertently on me that culture seems to get created around me. Neat things happen. I like it! I want more! :)
In short: yeah, that’s you.
@Jeff Holton, Thanks, Jeff!!! That means a lot!
I sold everything I owned, then moved 4000 km away to work amongst the homeless in Halifax. I’m the founder of Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission.
@Michelle Porter, Awesome, Michelle!!!
@Michelle Porter, Awesome, Michelle, and 140 characters exactly!!
Randy…my whole this is that i want it to be fun, too. so…
I’m a hat-wearing, coffee-sipping Northwest creative guy who helps companies, orgs, people find their way in the digital spaces.
@Jim Gray, And fun it is!! Love it!!
Okay, here is my first go…
I am a connector who loves linking people together with who or what they are looking for. Primarily their homes, but often other colleagues.
@Chrsi, great! Let’s refine over cocktails tonight, what do you say??
By the Christmas tree? It’s aa date!
Randy, yours sounds almost like a mission statement.
Many of us are probably more familiar with creating those for ourselves and our businesses. Mission statements are supposed to be short anyway, so does it then make sense to simply craft your mission statement so that it can live in 140 characters?
@Tim Eagerton, Great point. And yes, I believe it does make sense.
I feel blessed that my mission statement, what I do and who I am converge.
Thanks, Tim!
Hi Randy.
Mine is pretty much my twitter bio – I have a slightly extended version of the same thing on my Facebook page (which seems to have disappeared with the new layout come to think of it!).
“I’m the office masterchef & token gen-y’er. in my spare time at work I do PA/Admin/Finance-y stuff. Any other spare time: church/music/friends/coffee”
@Paula, Nice!! It seems as if it is six characters too long for a Tweet. But that is really great!
@Randy Elrod, aah :) I actually deleted a couple of words, but with those deleted words included it was exactly 140. I forgot to allow for my name!
ahhh…i’ve spend SO much time on the twitter bio content…and the spacing…
@Jim Gray, Ah. I understand!!
I help churches and ministries grow through online media including live, on demand and mobile streaming as well as social media interaction.
@Jeff Ivan, Awesome!!!! 140 characters exactly and I feel as if i know you!!
Good question. As I was writing it, I struggled with how to synergize my “job” with my vocation. Certainly, there’s some overlap, but that doesn’t describe ALL that I do. So, it’s my “professional” twitpitch.
I think that my personal one would be more like this:
“I am an explorer of ideas, words, and places. I innovate, write, and travel. When those three things intersect, I am most content.”
Thoughts?
@Jeff Goins, Awesome!!! I get both of those! I like the delineation.
As a freelance author and senior manager, I teach the VALID leadership concept to the Christian and general markets
@James L castellano, Nice.
Just a thought,
Do you think you should explain VALID in another way, or are you good with the inevitable question?
@Randy Elrod, I would like to answer the question if asked
I am an innovator of new ideas, a developer of strategies that help mobilize people to action, particularly in the mission field.
@Jeff Goins, Great! So since I know you better than most people here, I must ask…is this your personal Twitpitch or your corporate one?
This is a great insight, Randy. It’s not unlike the good ol’ values proposition in business, where we communicate the mission and expected outcomes (the business) rather than the activities (the busyness).
After reading this, I’ve tweaked my twitpitch to this: I help people and organizations get unstuck. And I work to deepen and diversify myself (and others) culturally and artistically.
This begs questions about what it means to get stuck/unstuck and to deepen/diversify. Which kick-starts a fun-filled conversation.
Thank you for this rock solid tip!
This is a fantastic insight, Randy. And it is closely tied with the good ol’ “values proposition” in business, in which we keep the focus on the mission and expected outcomes (the business) rather than the activities (the busyness). What I think you are essentially saying is, “tease the outcome folks can expect rather than list all the things you represent.”
I’ve tweaked my twitpitch after reading your post. Here is where I am today: I help people and organizations get unstuck. And I work to deepen and diversify myself (and others) culturally and artistically.
What’s cool about this is that it begs questions about what it means to get stuck/unstuck and deepen/diversify. And off the conversation can go. So, thank you for this rock solid tip!
@Keith Jennings, Awesome, Keith. My first book proposal was “Stuck in A Moment, How To Get Out of It” We must meet sometime!!
My pitch is pretty much my twitter bio ~ “Son Seeker” who is a Thinker, Dreamer, Helper, Teacher, Laugher, Crier and Hopeless Romantic ….Still tweaking!!!
@Julie Kolb, I like it, there is an enticing energy to it!
@Audra Krell, Thanks Audra..Going to tweak and get back to this ;)
@Julie Kolb, Great, Julie!! By the way, you still have 37 characters if you want to flesh it out a bit.
How would you describe in a TwitPitch what you do for your company or what your company does?
@Randy Elrod, Great question..There is no “company” to me at the moment..4 years ago I left corporate America (a lucrative management position) to pursue my dreams…I now stay at home with my kiddos and I make and sell salad dressing (don’t laugh:) and I also sketch and sell those too…(I do work part-time at a family run farmers market to get out of the house and be with the community I live with)…Now, I also teach childrens Sunday School full-time at my church and also help with the youth ministry there..My ultimate plan is to go back to college for a Culinary degree and continue with making food my business..I now have the time to go where my heart leads..Missions trips are on that list too…Possibly going to Germany with my oldest daughter next year….SO..140 characters???…hmmmm…I am a recreate in progress ;)
@Julie Kolb, Awesome!!!!
Hows this:
I make my living running a multimillion dollar trucking company. I make my life by writing and teaching leadership in the Christian and general markets.
@James L castellano, Good start. I think its 12 characters too long. How can you make it more succinct?
I have a personal mission statement but not a twitpitch, yet. Iwill get to work on one
@James L castellano, Can’t wait!!
I write because I’m inspired by stories. I teach writing because I believe everyone has a story, and we are better when we share them.
What do you think? Too ambiguous?
@Felicity, I think that is a GREAT start. Why do YOU say ambiguous?
@Randy Elrod, it doesn’t really state where or what I write. Right now I mostly blog with an emphasis on spiritual formation through everyday life, but I have done some freelancing and I’m planning for more of that in the next year. I also teach at a Christian college but I’m sometimes hesitant to put that in a bio because it might make people think I’m only interested in writing for the Christian market.
@Felicity, Hmmm.. this may not be an improvement, but…
I write because I’m a storyteller.I teach writing because I believe everyone has a story,and the world is a better place when we share them
That is exactly 140 characters.
Next iteration…?
@Randy Elrod, Thanks so much! Very generous of you!
@Felicity, You’re welcome. I love brainstorming!!
I think your twitpitch is pretty spot on. The only thing that was confusing to me was what you mean by diffuse ideas, but I think that is actually effective because that would follow up with a question from myself of what you mean by that.
I am starting to work on mine. I am tired of saying to people when they ask “what do you do” with the response of “good question”
I am trying to capture the idea that I want to be a connector. I think that word is over used and often misinterpreted. But I truthfully want to be someone who connects others, provides resources, and helps others. I want to network, connect, and talk with as many people as I can. Just trying to figure out how to twitpitch that now.
Your advice will help a ton though.
@Kyle Reed, Yes, throw something out here and let’s give it a look.
@Randy Elrod, Yep, bring it Kyle!
@Kyle Reed, I agree with Randy, Kyle. Dude, you gotta start somewhere.
@Kyle Reed,
Okay here is what I have written down, at least this is my twitter bio:
“I help bands connect with their fans through social media. I like my coffee black and my dog Jack.”
@Kyle Reed, I like it! I suggest you take out “their”. You simply connect bands with fans. Love the coffee and dog part!
@Audra Krell, I agree with Audra. Awesome. Ahhhh, now I know what Jeff was talking about below…
@Randy Elrod, Funny. Not sure why it placed my comment where it went. Yes, I was suggesting that Kyle’s dog meet my dog, but I don’t mean to be exclusive. I would love for anyone (human or canine) to meet my dog. He’s awesome.
So, I guess I got tossed off the elevator with one extra character! :) It’s tougher than you think right?
@Kathy, yes, it is. But what a great exercise!!
I am the Founder/Speaker for A Gentle Answer Ministries. Our mission is to encourage and to apply the truths of the bible to our daily lives, along the way we have some fun.
@Kathy, Ahhhh….
I’m a freelance writer who helps families live on purpose. I write so that no one feels abandoned.
@Audra Krell,
i like it. makes me curious to find out more
@Kyle Reed, Bring it, Kyle. Where is yours?
@Audra Krell, Audra, That is awesome!!
I work with speakers, performing artist, and comedians as an agent. I also am a seminar speaker myself.
How did I do?
@Pat Avery, Great, Pat! How do you feel it sums up your business?
103/104 characters.
Should the word “artist” be plural?
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Chris Elrod, Sian Lindemann, Randy Elrod, Ian Finch, Randy Elrod and others. Randy Elrod said: New thoughts: How Is Your TwitPitch? — How To Craft An "Elevator Speech" in 140 Characters — https://www.randyelrod.com/QH […]
Working on it right now.
@Bill Todd, Awesome, again, please come back and put the initial draft on a comment here. Thanks, Bill.
Wow… when you told me about this post i thought it would be a cool read but now i have to work on my twitpitch!!! awesome post randy.
@Spence Smith, Ha, thanks. Be sure to come back and post it here on the comments, so that we can have samples of everyone.