In the Wellspoken app
Elevator pitch practice
Build a 30 second introduction with a three part template, then practice saying it out loud. In the Wellspoken app you can record your pitch and get a score for how you delivered it.
Try it free in the appFree to download. The free plan includes three practices a week.
How to practice your pitch in the app
Open Daily 60 and write your own topic
Choose Write your own and type something like my introduction.
Line up your three parts
Use the optional 60 second countdown and the notes field to set out your present, your past and your future.
Record your 60 second version
Record on video or audio only, for up to two minutes, and get a Wellspoken Index for the recording.
Drill the structure
Framework Practice includes Past-Present-Future, a structure for introductions. You retell a scattered story starting with the present: where you are now, how you got here, and where you are headed.
What you get back
Your Wellspoken Index
A score for your delivery across six areas: Structure, Conciseness, Confidence, Pronunciation, Filler Rate and Pace.
Best on a full minute
The Index reads most reliably on about a minute of speech. Record your 60 second version for the score, and use the 30 second version to practice timing.
A 30 second elevator pitch template
Thirty seconds of speech is about 65 to 75 words at 130 to 150 words per minute, so every sentence has a job. Three parts cover it.
- Present. Who you are and what you do now, in one sentence.
- Past. One piece of background or one result that makes the first sentence believable.
- Future. What you are working toward, or what you would like from the person in front of you.
A 30 second example
The template filled in, at 59 words, about 25 seconds:
I lead a small digital marketing team, and most of my work is turning messy campaign data into plans a client can act on. I came to it from biology, so I am comfortable with numbers and with explaining them simply. I am looking for a director role where I can build a team around that kind of work.
It keeps to what the listener can use right now. The full history can come when they ask.
A 60 second example
The same pitch with one result and a little more background, for when someone asks you to say more. It runs 140 words, about a minute:
I lead a small digital marketing team at a software company, and most of my work is turning messy campaign data into plans a client can act on. Last year that meant rebuilding how we report results, so each client now gets one page with three decisions on it. I came to marketing from biology. I studied it for four years and spent a summer in a research lab, which is where I learned to be careful with numbers and to explain them to people outside the field. A customer at the coffee shop where I worked offered me my first agency job, and I found that I enjoyed the problem solving. Now I am looking for a director role where I can build a team around clear reporting, and I would like to hear how your team handles it.
How to practice it
Write it, then say it, then rewrite it. Your mouth will tell you which sentences to shorten.
Time yourself. If the short version runs past 35 seconds, cut a sentence and keep your pace.
Practice the first sentence until it is automatic.
Prepare two endings: one for someone who could hire you and one for someone you have just met. The first two parts stay the same.
Questions
How long should an elevator pitch be?
About 30 seconds, which is roughly 65 to 75 words at 130 to 150 words per minute. Keep a 60 second version ready for when someone asks you to say more.
What should an elevator pitch include?
Three things: what you do now, one piece of background or one result that backs it up, and what you are looking for.
Is an elevator pitch the same as answering tell me about yourself?
They share a structure. An interview answer to tell me about yourself runs longer, about 60 to 90 seconds, and connects your background to the role. The 30 second pitch is the compact version for introductions and networking.
Is pitch practice in the app free?
Yes. Wellspoken is free to download, and the free plan includes three practices a week.
Related
- Mock interview practiceDeliver your introduction to an AI recruiter on a practice call.
- How to answer tell me about yourselfThe longer interview version of your pitch.
- Impromptu speech topicsForty prompts for speaking on the spot.
- All free speaking tools