Elevator Pitch for Service Online

by Annette Smith

11 comments

1 Omar Ramroop { 12.02.09 at 2:14 pm }

Hi Annette,

I enjoyed reading your elevator pitch. The notion of just-in-time training and helping professionals stay up to date in their field sold it for me.

Taking a deeper look into your full pitch, the presentation and focus is great. It was excellent to see that you directly addressed the target markets early on in the presentation. It helps to frame the venture for outsiders. Another strength of your pitch is the already established business model, operations, and management team. This really helps in obtaining investment capital as investors feel more confident investing in an already successful model.

There is not much for me to say with regards to the negatives. Your pitch is well-rounded, detailed, and provides many different dimensions to the venture. Before formally investing in your venture (or any other for that matter), I would have to perform more research into the field to see how successful the venture will be and my value proposition. Be that is it may, under the current circumstances, I would support and provide investment capital into your venture. Once again, the detailed analysis makes it hard not to 😉

Amazing work, and let me know if you ever decide to launch!

– Omar

2 Annette Smith { 12.02.09 at 3:03 pm }

Thanks Omar!

I am hoping that we will be able to launch the project as scheduled for the next academic year. Let’s hope it is as successful as I planned it to be. The tough part is finding instructors who are as convinced about online education as we are.

Annette

3 Greg Lewis { 12.02.09 at 8:36 pm }

Excellent idea and the market is certainly there given remote locations and rising fuel costs and time to travel. I liked that you were overt about asking for “investors” and the “territory” as it were. Direct and effective I thought. A question: Does health care worker mean someone involved in the actual administering of care/medicine? If so, I wonder about not actually doing things with hands, eyes, etc if courses are done online. If they don’t have to do this sort of thing, I really think that this proposal has a lot of value and makes sense. More to come I think.

4 Cindy Leach { 12.03.09 at 6:53 pm }

Very comprehensive pitch Annette, it was extremely professional and successful. You identified the gap your product fills. You identified a very large potential customer base. As a person working in healthcare education myself I like the fact that your product marries the application with practice and I am sure this would be appealing to customers as well. You also did a good job of identifying a number of very real problems that using your online courses and certificates solves. The product is very affordable and joint ownership (50%) is appealing. 10 Years of success in the industry with identifying a very qualified team definitely helps with the validity of this venture. I also like the fact that you identified that your courses are recognized by so many clinical groups, which also highlighted the excellent variety of courses already offered. You showed that your company has solid goals with a clear strategy for the next 5 years and excellent financial projections. As an EVA you would have answered all of my questions and with a nice option of the exit strategy I would definitely be willing to invest.

5 Brian Powell { 12.04.09 at 12:33 pm }

Hi Annette,

Your elevator pitch’s simplicity set me up to be impressed by your very detailed venture. All the parts are there from market focus, target buyers, global markets, status of the markets at least in north america, team, competition, and risk mitigation. What stood out to me was that the quality of detail of market size and definition, team expertise, an risk mitigation sound very commensurate with the investment requested. I was particularly impressed with the details of investment options. Now I know that it is a real company so you might have had some of that information on hand, but I also know that it is sometimes work to gather that information and package it as you have – especially costs, profits and investment options. Considering this project is for real, I think you did your homework well.

6 Annette Smith { 12.05.09 at 3:32 pm }

Thanks everyone. This was a great exercise given that I have to pitch the idea of launching this to my boss.

The human service workers includes everyone from RNs and social workers to personal care workers. Most of the material would be covering things like applying theory or research to practice like managing cases or using psychotherapies.

Have a great holiday! Hope to see you in future courses.
Annette

7 Len Pelletier { 12.05.09 at 3:35 pm }

Hello Annette, this is my formal evaluation of your pitch as an EVA:

I have to say Annette, your long pitch is extremely detailed and convicing! You had the advantage of having a well defined business model, clearly though-out revenue plan, and pre-existing management structure, and you communicated these details very well, lending great confidence in your team and product.

Your exploration of target markets (including international markets) and potential customers left no doubts in my mind that the potential for your company is worth taking a risk on.

The only thing that I can criticize is the elevator pitch was not terribly engaging. It would be a shame if potential investors turned away at the very beginning because of this, but with the strength of your product, you could spell it out on a piece of toast and probably still find people willing to put money into it!

Fantastic job, Annette.

8 Ernest Pao { 12.05.09 at 5:06 pm }

Hi Annette…good job on your elevator pitch. It was effective in answering the question “What is your product about?” and suggested how it could help the target audience. Your use of simple graphics in a strategically placed, organized manner helped to make your pitch even more effective. After reading it, I certainly wanted to find out more. Great job!

Your full pitch was very well done. I must say, your voice sounds very professional and not boring…helped to keep me engaged in your presentation. You have done a great job laying out the background related information, your business plan, financial implications, customer base, and competition. You’ve clearly discussed how your product can benefit your target audience and outline how it can compete in the market. Your financials that you have provided are convincing and would help to solidify your pitch as one worthy of investing in. As an EVA, I would most certainly invest in your venture.

Congratulations! Great job!

Ernie

9 Barbara Mair { 12.05.09 at 8:49 pm }

I think your elevator pitch is quite compelling. First you set us thinking about something we had never thought about, then you present your company with its strengths: small, fast and well connected. You present your services as innovative and cost efficient. I feel that the product is not specific enough. What kind of training is it? Can you really be all things to all social or healthcare workers? You are asking for money to expand globally and also offerings. I would be more specific in the offerings growth, you don’t want to lose focus. Good luck

10 Annette Smith { 12.06.09 at 10:08 am }

Hi Barbara,

I guess I should have defined continuing education a bit more, although I thought that mentioning the topics for the 4 programs we have planned would sort of help. We provide training related to topics and methodologies that are needed by social workers and human service workers. We don’t provide medical training, but we do teach case management and leadership for health care workers.

Most of our instructors teach practical applications of research and theory. One of the most in-demand programs is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which is used in everything from mental health to addictions and also management.

We don’t try to be all things to all people, but we do try to respond to the demands of the community. So if students want to be taught Mindfulness Meditation for psychotherapy then we find an instructor who will teach it and set up the program.

The online programs are trying to respond to the needs of our community, and the requests we get from places like Alberta and New Brunswick. I think the only way to grow a business like this is to listen and then react quickly to the demand.

Thanks for your comments, they help me clarify my thoughts on the pitch.

Annette

11 Annette Smith { 12.06.09 at 10:09 am }

Hi Len,

I will keep the toast comment in mind when I pitch this to my boss later this month….lol

I appreciate your comments.

Thanks,
Annette

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