Most fund raisers and other nonprofit executives have an elevator pitch—a short speech about their organization that they give whenever they meet people on an elevator, at a social event, or at a conference.
But every pitch can be improved. To offer inspiration, The Chronicle has invited some charity veterans to share their pitches on video.
In our latest installment, Joanna L. Corbin, director of marketing at Mercy Haven, a New York social-service group, shares her speech to prospective donors.
To see more videos, view our archive.
0 Responses to The Art of the Elevator Pitch: Joanna L. Corbin
benefactus - July 27, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Joanna’s expression is warm and welcoming. To add to this, she may focus her “pitch” by 1. simplifying the language and 2. sharing a specific example of a homeless person or family who was helped and what impact this had on thier lives. So often, we use “grant language” or our internal language to communicate with donors. Donors are not nonprofit professionals and do not speak our language. But, everyone loves a good story with a happy ending! Ranlyn Hill, President, Benevolent Vision http://www.benevolentvision.com
grenadier - July 27, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Why is Joanne ending her sentences after the interviewer’s question with a question mark, in which her voice rises as if she’s questioning what it is her organization does in her answers? This weakens the presentation; almost as if she’s asking their permission to tell them what she and her organization does. Needs a lot of work.