In order to get ahead in business, we have to tell people what we do and want we want. Successful people do not sit around and wait to be asked these questions. That's why pitches are important. Simply put, pitches are brief verbal summaries, plans, or ideas.

One of the most common uses of the term pitch is the elevator pitch. This is a concise verbal summary of what someone does for a living. Business professionals use the elevator pitch to explain what their company does—"We design and deliver management training programs." Consultants might use a similar tactic in their elevator pitch—"I provide consulting services in the area of mergers and acquisitions."

The idea being, the elevator pitch provides some initial first impression of the product or service the company produces. A good elevator pitch gives potential customers a vision of what they would get if they bought your product or service, or even what they could expect if they hired you as a consultant.

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