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We help you and your teams become more persuasive, in just 60-90 minutes.
We offer virtual workshops for groups and individuals.
What Leaders Are Saying
From Fortune 500 executives, nonprofit leaders to politicians, see how our training transforms communication capabilities in just 60-90 minutes.
Marielena Hincapie, past Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center: As someone who more
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Here's How It Works:
You bring a teammate who needs to pitch, present, or persuade
You watch as Marc coaches them through our framework — zero prep needed
You both keep all the tips and decide if training is right for your team
You watch. Your teammate gets coached — zero prep, zero pressure.
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Stop These Costly Communication Failures
Funders Who Don't Follow Up
Your development team makes great connections at events, but nothing converts to actual meetings or funding commitments.
Partners Who Stay Uncommitted
You pitch potential collaborators who express interest but never move beyond exploratory conversations to actual partnerships.
Wasted High-Stakes Moments
You meet the right people but can't articulate your value in brief encounters when it matters most.
Concrete Training Outcomes
60-Second Message Mastery
Craft compelling pitches that fit any time constraint
Instant Confidence Boost
Eliminate anxiety in high-stakes conversations
Clear Value Articulation
Explain complex work in terms anyone understands
Boosted Fundraising
Turn conversations into actual commitments and investments
Strategic Partnerships
Convert initial interest into real collaboration
Better Ambassadors
Transform staff into compelling organizational advocates
Conference Effectiveness
Engage more meaningfully at industry events
Organizational Evidence Habit
New team-wide practice of curating persuasive evidence
90-Minute Transformation
Complete skill development in a single session
Meet Your Trainer
You watch. Your teammate gets coached — zero prep.
Marc Fest
Former VP of Communications, Knight Foundation & New World Symphony
Clients consistently praise Marc Fest's Elevator Speech Training with comments such as "total game-changing work" and "seriously one of the best trainings I have ever received" (browse the over 500 similar testimonials). Marc helps professionals excel in fundraising, partnership building, idea pitching, and other goals.
He is the founder of ElevatorSpeechTraining.com, MessageHouse.org, and Elvay. He is a former vice president of communications for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the New World Symphony. Marc is the author of "Elevator Speech Training" and "The Message House Method".
Why Leaders Love Working with Marc
Uniquely Insightful
Confidence Building
Makes It Fun & Easy
This Works for Everyone
Including People Who Think It Won't
The biggest transformations come from leaders who initially thought "this isn't for someone like me." Here's why our approach works regardless of your personality, field, or communication style.
Even Experienced Speakers Get Better
Works for Introverts
Works for Complex Fields
Ready to see how this can transform your team's impact?
Get Our Proven 4-Step Persuasion Framework
Download the same framework that over 2,000 nonprofit leaders use to create compelling elevator speeches. Includes examples and links to videos explaining each step.
Trusted by Leading Organizations
From major foundations to Fortune 500 companies, our training has been validated by organizations that demand excellence in communication.
Foundation-Tested Methodology
Our approach isn't theoretical—it's battle-tested through thousands of real coaching sessions and continuously refined based on client feedback.
Coaching Sessions
Framework developed and refined through extensive one-on-one training with diverse professionals
Minutes to Transform
Proven timeframe for achieving measurable communication improvement and confidence boost
Step Framework
Simple, memorable system that works for any time-constrained persuasion scenario
Immediate Application
Framework can be used the same day for real conversations, presentations, and funding requests
Take the Framework With You
Elevator Speech Training
Elevator Speech Training by Marc Fest distills insights from thousands of Elevator Speech Training sessions into a 60-minute read.
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Team Transformation
Give your entire team an immediate capability upgrade in persuasive communication. In 90 minutes of interactive breakout coaching, participants master our 4-step framework and walk out ready to turn brief encounters into breakthrough opportunities—whether with funders, partners, or stakeholders.
Personal Breakthrough
Master your unique "secret sauce" in a laser-focused private one-on-one session. Get personalized coaching to transform your most challenging communication moments—from boardroom presentations to donor or investor asks—into confident, compelling conversations that open doors and secure commitments.
Ready to Transform How You Persuade in Critical Moments?
Join 2,000+ leaders who've mastered the art of fact-based persuasion. Your mission deserves advocates who can articulate its importance with confidence and clarity—whether speaking to funders, policy makers, partners, or the public.