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OPINION
Great content builds trust by showcasing expertise, culture, and value, creating lasting impressions long before opportunities arise. Content is the new elevator pitch
W hat would you say if you had 30 seconds to sell your services? The idea behind your classic elevator pitch is to provide a concise, persuasive speech that quickly captures your audience’s attention and sparks interest, but in today’s digital-first world, your potential client has already looked into you. They’ve clicked your website, scrolled your LinkedIn post and maybe even read your most recent blog post before you ever get a chance to shake their hand. Which means your content is your elevator pitch.
Hannah Miller
We’re quickly becoming a zero-click society, and many aren’t even googling – rather, asking AI is their first stop. More than ever, professional services firms need to think about their content – social media, thought leadership, case studies, or even proposals – as their first impression. And just like an elevator pitch, it should be clear, compelling and consistent. THE 95:5 RULE. Recent marketing studies have concluded that only 5% of potential B2B buyers/clients are in the market for your goods and services right now (or at any given time, really). This means 95% of your prospects don’t need your services yet, and unfortunately, you cannot persuade a buyer to go “in-market” – especially in AEC.
So, what do we do? Give up? No. We bide our time and wait for the perfect opportunities, using the months or even years to showcase our thought leadership and subject matter expertise so that when the time is right, they know we’re the firm for the job. Great content builds trust. When a potential client sees your firm sharing insights into challenges they’re facing or spotlighting recent wins, you’re establishing expertise without selling. It starts a conversation. The same goes for talent. Future employees want to know what your culture looks like. Every post, article, and project update contributes to the story people
See HANNAH MILLER, page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 13, 2025, ISSUE 1605
ELEVATE THE INDUSTRY®
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