By Chad Hall

Recently I was talking with a new coach about elevator speeches. We agreed that a good elevator speech is tough to come up with and can sometimes seem unworthy the effort.

This new coach asked a great question: “What good is an elevator speech?” As we talked we came up with three levels of impact, each level higher and more powerful.

First, your elevator speech can impress would-be clients. Sharing a compelling and accurate summation of what a potential client can expect from coaching can help the person better understand you, your coaching, and what there is to gain from your coaching. Indeed, this is the sole reason why many a coach crafts her elevator speech. But the elevator doesn’t stop there.

Second, your elevator speech informs each coaching session. It doesn’t just convince clients to enroll in coaching, it also helps them (and you) know what to expect from each coaching session. An elevator speech should guide both client and coach to make the most of each session by serving as a vision for what can be accomplished.

The third and highest level of impact is that your elevator speech should inspire you. That’s right, it should set before you what it means to be a coach and why you coach in the first place. The first and most important audience for your elevator speech is yourself. If it doesn’t resonate at a deep place with who you see yourself to be, how you wish to show up in the world, and the craft of coaching that you are compelled to practice, then it’s useless (or worse, it’s a lie told in order to solicit business).

A great elevator speech aligns all three levels and speaks strongly at each level. So rather than invest your time coming up with a sales pitch, come up with an elevator soul confession – a simple way of describing who you are at your core, how you wish to show up with others, and what impact you long to make on the world.

Anybody want to share their elevator speech?