Picture this: You’re driving to the office, thinking about the latest virus spreading through the facility and the touchpoints that need to be tackled before the end of the day. You run through the product/equipment inventory available, and what team member you’ll pull from other tasks to get the work done — knowing resources are thin.  

You pull into a parking spot, get out and realize you’re walking in alongside your boss. Now is your opportunity to ask for help. What’s your elevator pitch? 

I recently visited with a group of facility cleaning experts at a Healthy Green Schools & Colleges event in Chicago and the reoccurring topics of tight budgets and strained staffing kept coming up. One manager asked, “If you had your boss's ear, what would you say to them?” Many in the room froze, unsure of what their elevator pitch would include. 

A pitch should be tailored to the situation, but there are key tips to follow:  

  • Keep it short and to the point — under 60 seconds. This is a request of opportunity, so time is of the essence. 

  • Include who you are and what you do at the facility, even if the target is someone who should know you. "Jim, as you know, I've worked at the facility for X years. I'm not going to waste your time..." 

  • Keep on topic and focus on the essentials of what you want to achieve. You have one minute, so get to the point. 

  • Stay positive and focus on how this request can improve the facility. Sharing the solution to a problem/end goal helps people quickly visualize the benefits of the request. They are less likely to think about the initial cost or tasks/time it'll take to get there. 

  • Be clear, concise, and direct with the message. Stick to the facts/needs of the facility and include why this request is necessary. 

For a facility cleaning manager in the situation above, an elevator pitch might sound something like this: “My name is Jane/John Smith and I’ve been the facility cleaning manager overseeing the health and wellness of these facility occupants for 15 years. We successfully weathered the COVID storm thanks to STEM grants, but those finances have run out and our goals for effective infection prevention processes have not changed. To continue meeting our occupant attendance rates, within the next six months, we will need to invest in new equipment and technology to monitor our successes. When can we discuss re-evaluating the budget to offset these expenses?” 

This creates a roadmap that positively outlines successes accomplished by the team, where you’re at now, and where you’d like to go, as well as what you need to get there. Once a pitch has been created, memorize it, practice it, and be ready to verbalize it when the opportunity presents itself. Be ready. You’ll never get what you don’t ask for. 




POSTED ON: 8/6/2024