So, Do You Have a Political Elevator Pitch Ready to Use?
You should. It's not uncommon for any of us to be in a situation where we need to express a political opinion on no notice at all. Typically, you can say the basics about how you feel about some issue or another in about 30 seconds. But, doing that on the spur of the moment isn't always easy.
So, like a person who is trying to introduce him or herself and explain what it is he or she does, it's worth working on such a statement in advance and even rehearsing it so it's always ready on the tip of the tongue. It's a skill that a lot of people work on regularly as part of their work life.
Try writing something down. About three sentences or so is all you have time for without straining the patience of a stranger. Those three sentences should have the following characteristis:
Sentence 1: Introduce yourself and say something about yourself that is pertinent to the situation. "Hi, I'm Bill Johnson, and I've been a Democratic precinct chair for three years.
Sentence 2: This should be the core of your statement. If the subject is politics, state your position on the specific issue briefly, concisely and simply. "I think Donald Trump's press statement in Helsinki was very unprofessional and left the impression that he was cowed by Putin."
Sentence 3: Make your proposal or call to action. "Personally, I'm planning to go all-out in getting Democratic voters to the polls in 2018, so we regain control of Congress."
if you can clearly state your position, you will sound knowledgeable, informed, and able to reach sound conclusions. It's worth having such statements available for a range of current issues, so you can say something quickly on the spot in almost any situation.
It's an old trick, having an elevator pitch you can make at any time. Here's one I used to use when I was freelancing and writing about computer stuff for computer magazines. It got me plenty of work when I ran into editors at trade shows and other venues:
"Hi. I'm Mineral Man. I've been writing for "magazine a" and "magazine b" about word processing software. I have some ideas for "yourmagazine" I'd like to share with you if you have a few minutes later. I'm always on-time, at length, and my work typically needs minimal editing."
I got the meetings. I got the assignments. It worked.
Elevator pitches. They're useful.
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