Your elevator pitch shouldn’t last more than 30 or 40 seconds, and it should include the name of your company, your core product or service, the audience that you believe would most be interested in your product or service, and most importantly, the reason your company exists.

I know that sounds strange, but if you can’t articulate exactly what problem your product or service solves for a customer, or what want or need it fulfills, your elevator pitch will fail. Customers want to know: What’s in it for me? And you have to be able to tell them exactly why your product or service will make their lives better or more convenient, and why it is different from what’s already out there.

Keep your words simple, clear and direct, and make sure that you include a powerful call to action at the end inviting customers to sample your product or to get more information via a newsletter or podcast.