The top ten finalists of the Spring 2014 Elevator Pitch Contest were announced on April 1st and we can look forward to them competing live in front of their peers and a panel of judges at an event sponsored by the Center for Professional Selling on April 23 at 12:30pm in the Reynolds Building Atrium. The 35 semifinalists were asked to come to campus for a video recording of their 60 second elevator pitch.

All pitches used the same scenario of imagining themselves as a sales representative for Federated Insurance and finding themselves alone in the esteemed company of Mr. John Riggs, the CEO of J.A. Riggs Tractor Company, while riding in an elevator.

The top ten are a excellent cross-sample of the 糖心Vlog传媒LR College of Business student body: four Marketing majors, one each from Economics, Finance, Management, International Business, Management Information Systems, and an exchange student.

For more details on the contest itself, visit: /selling/2014/01/31/spring-2014-elevator-pitch-contest-announced/

Congratulations to the finalists of the Spring 2014 Elevator Pitch Competition 鈥� Stage Two (Video)

• Alexander Tinnesz
• Antonio Cabrera
• Breonna Coleman
• Crystal Freese
• Gus Leeper
• Heaven Ervin
• Jordon Lynch
• Quay Allen-Smith
• Robert Aikman
• Trey Gibeault

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All pitches used the same scenario of imagining themselves as a sales representative for Federated Insurance and finding themselves alone in the esteemed company of Mr. John Riggs, the CEO of J.A. Riggs Tractor Company, while riding in an elevator.

The 35 semifinalists will move on to the second round,  60 second video recording, with the top ten finalists competing live in front of their peers and a panel of judges on April23 in the Reynolds Building Atrium. For more details on the contest itself, visit: /selling/2014/01/31/spring-2014-elevator-pitch-contest-announced/

Congratulations to the semifinalists of the Spring 2014 Elevator Pitch Competition – Stage One (Audio)

• Alesander Tinesz
• Ashlee Robinson
• Austin Binz
• Austin Pfeiffer
• Brandon Maes
• Breonna Coleman
• Brett Morgan
• Charles Seymore
• Chelsea Cook
• Christina Shelnut
• Crystal Freese
• Diamond Lewis
• Dylan Ward
• Francisco Chong
• Gus Leeper
• Heaven Ervin
• James Dillport
• Jamie Middleton
• Jason Maxwell
• Jimmy Johnson
• John McAlister
• Jordon Lynch
• Kimberly To
• Kyle Armstrong
• Laurie Pierce
• Lindsey Nelson
• Luis Cabanellas
• Marleen De Zoete
• Matthew Smith
• Quay Allen-Smith
• Randall Greer
• Robert Aikman
• Ryan Hope
• Trey Gibeault
• Tyler Carpenter

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鈥淓levator Pitch鈥� is a popular name for a short, concise, persuasive presentation of information concerning one鈥檚 self, product or idea. Elevator Pitches are typically crafted to approximate the duration of a short elevator ride (obviously not based on the COB elevators!) with an important audience (banker/boss/recruiter/investor). A good elevator pitch can make the difference between getting a job, a promotion, funding鈥r a date.

There are several reasons why participating in the Elevator Pitch Contest is a good idea:

• First, we all need the practice鈥eing able to speak concisely and persuasively is a skill we all need more than ever!
• The prize money: $20 for the winners of round one, $75 for the winners of round two, and $1,200 to be apportioned to the top five winners of round three.
• Competing in Elevator Pitch Contest will look good on your resume鈥nd will look even better if you place.
• The College of Business wants to be known for engaged students and relevant activities鈥 successful competition is good for the College.

The Elevator Pitch Contest consists of three rounds of competition. The first round is a 60 second audio recording, sent via email to marketing-dept@ualr.edu no later than February 14, 2014.  Survivors of this round then have their Pitches videoed in the COB by the Sales Center during the week of March 10th. Finally, the top 10 finalists will present their pitches live in the College Atrium at 12:30 pm, April 23rd. There will be food (likely pizza) and door prizes. In addition to a professional panel of judges, the audience can vote via smart phone for their favorite contestants.

The scenario is this:

You are a sales representative for Federated Insurance, a business-to-business risk-management firm (and sponsor of the contest). You enter an elevator at the same time as Mr. John Riggs, the CEO of J.A. Riggs Tractor Company (the first and largest Caterpillar dealership in Arkansas, and NOT presently a customer of Federated). In the 60 second elevator ride to the next floor your challenge is to convince Mr. Riggs to schedule some time to meet with you in the next few days. You are to imagine that you have the attention of Mr. Riggs for 60 seconds while you give your pitch.

Your Elevator pitch is to be crafted from the below files and from any information you may find on the Federated website () and the Riggs-Cat website (). Time your pitches to be 50-70 seconds. Practice, practice, practice! Remember to record your pitch in a quiet environment. Email it to: marketing-dept@ualr.edu

Let鈥檚 get started!  Below you will find the additional files:

1. EP Contest Transcription of Online Post

2. Elevator Pitch – Flyer 1

3. Elevator Pitch – Flyer 2

4. Federated 1 – The Firm At A Glance

5. Federated 2 – A Mission We Were Formed To Fulfill

6. Federated 3 – Value-Added Marketing

Additional information on elevator pitches, including a couple of examples, can be found here:

• How to Create an Elevator Pitch by Jody Greene:
• Tips for the Perfect Elevator Pitch: Examples, Startup & Outline Format by Jason Wheeler:
• 6 Elevator Pitches for the 21st Century by THNKR:

That鈥檚 it鈥� Good Luck!
Steve Edison, PhD

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