Small Business Elevator Pitch

Representatives from the NASA of Small Business Programs and the NASA Small Business Specialists attend and hold events regularly to interact with small businesses directly. This is an invaluable avenue for small businesses to pitch their companies and find out about potential opportunities. Whether it is NASA, another federal agency or private industries, never approach with the mindset of what can you do for me. I recommend that all representatives of small business have an “elevator pitch” prepared to describe their company’s product or service, and what it can offer a potential client, in a clear and concise way.

It doesn’t matter if it’s in a literal elevator or at a crowded conference booth, the clearer you can be about your business, the better counseling our small business team can provide. The elevator pitch is a simple idea. You should be able to accurately and clearly describe what your company does and what value it provides in less than two minutes – about the time it takes for a long elevator ride.

For example, in your pitch, mention where your company is located. If you’re an IT company, specify what field of IT or what specialty your company has. Have you previously done work with NASA, and if so, where and doing what? Make sure you give enough information without going overboard and overstating what it is you do. It is important to keep it fluid and able to be adjusted to the intended audience - you may have a different service to offer NASA than DoD. Remember, at may of these events, representatives at booths talk to potentially hundreds of businesses, you want to stand out quickly and concisely.

A significant amount of information is available online regarding this topic. Take your time and practice your pitch before your next event. It may mean a new contract for you and your team.