Elevator Pitch Competition
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
2:00-4:00 pm | Hangar, 2nd floor Student Union Building
1st place, $150 | 2nd place, $100 | 3rd place, $50
In Partnership with the College of Business & Social Sciences, Business Symposium
Want to put your elevator pitch to the test and enter the competition?
ULM students have the opportunity to present their elevator pitch in front of a panel
of judges and peers to compete for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place prizes for the job application
pitch and the business idea pitch. All majors and classification levles are encouraged
to apply. This is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Competitors will have
up to 90 seconds to present.
Registration is due Monday, September 30th by 8:00 am
1. Before you sign up, read below to learn more about this competition and what
is expected of you as a competitor. Only sign up if you are serious about competing!
Guidelines:
- Please note that you will not be allowed to use a PowerPoint presentation. No notecards
or other notes will be allowed either.
- You only have up to 90 seconds to deliver your pitch.
- You may bring samples of your product with you and/or a business card.
- Remember, this is an opportunity to get you ready for when the real opportunity happens.
2. After you sign up, you will receive an automated message with further details.
What is an elevator pitch?
It is a clear, brief message or "commercial" about you. It communicates who you are, what
you are looking for, and how you can benefit a company or organization. When explaining
who you are, make it relevant to the opportunity in which you are seeking. It is named
for the time it takes to ride an elevator from the top to the bottom of a building
with someone important from that company who could influence what you are asking to
receive.
How to prepare your elevator pitch:
Decide the purpose of your elevator pitch and what you are asking for from your audience.
You have two options:
- Option 1: Applying for a job. Find a job within your field of study that you would be interested in applying for
and relate the job description to your education/major, work experience (past and
present), involvements (organizations/programs), special projects, honors/awards,
and top skills/strengths. Your presentation will be as if you are convincing an employer
why he/she should hire you and why you are the best person for the job based on your
qualifications and accomplishments. It is important that you end your presentation
with an ask and follow up--tell them exactly what you are asking for and make sure
they know how to follow up with you and/or you follow up with them. You are encouraged
to bring a business card to hand to the judges.
Click here to watch a video example
- Option 2: Pitching a business idea. We live in a world where everyone now has the opportunity to become an entrepreneur
through many different platforms. Do you have the next big idea or invention that's
going to make you the next millionaire while also having a positive impact? We want
to hear it! In your presentation make sure to cover the functionalities of your product,
why it is needed, what makes it unique, and why it is deserving of someone's investment.
It is important that you end your presentation with an ask and follow up--tell them
exactly what you are asking for and make sure they know how to follow up with you
and/or you follow up with them. If you are competing in this category, you are allowed
to pitch a business you have already started if that's applicable to you. If you don't
already have a business, you can still absolutely pitch a hypothetical business. You
are encouraged to bring samples of your products to give to the judges so that they
can view and/or sample your product.
Click here to watch a video example
Career Development