Many people have difficulty answering the question: 'What do you do?' It's easy to fall into the trap of being too modest, saying too much or delivering what sounds like a sales pitch.

The best responses - known as elevator pitches or statements, audio bites, sound bites or benefit statements - are:

• short - no longer than 30 seconds
• sincere - which is why word perfect scripts often don't work
• specific - without generic or buzz words, such as 'communications' and 'empower'
• engaging - the listener wants to know more
• interesting - stories work well as a follow up.

Some common formulas you can use are:

1. Labels
In social networking situations, the question ‘What do you do?’ is often just a courtesy so people introduce themselves with a label—‘I’m an accountant’, or I’m a management consultant’.

Sometimes a label is not helpful as listeners may assume wrongly they understand what accountants or management consultants do.

2. You know how…
You start with ‘You know how …’ then follow up with ‘What I do is’. For example:

‘You know how you sometimes struggle at work because your internet connection drops out and you have to restart your computer all the time? Well, we fix those problems for businesses.’

3. Talk in terms of solutions
We’ve all been in conversations where people launch into boring, detailed explanations of what they do.
Alan Weiss, author of Million Dollar Consultant, gives an example of such a response:

‘I'm a consultant who focuses on the interactions of teams, especially cross-functionally, raises sensitivity to synergies possible in greater collaboration, and implements processes to enhance team connectedness. I use instruments such as...’

He suggests a better technique is to think in terms of solutions using the following structure.

‘I help/work with/assist……………………………(name of your target market)…………………………………(name your solution).’

So the previous answer could’ve been ‘I help clients improve individual and organisational performance’.

4. Relate your answer to ‘problems’
In InfoGuru Marketing Manual, Robert Middleton recommends a similar approach, but with more emphasis on ‘problems’.

He uses the formula:

‘I help/work with/assist…………………………………(name of the target market you work with) who are struggling/having problems with etc……………………………..(name their problem).’

He gives the following example:

‘I help professional service businesses who are struggling to attract clients.’

5. Create visual pictures
When you talk, consultant, writer and speaker Michael Lovas says that people don’t listen to your words, instead they look for images in your words. So create a visual picture that’s real for your audience. He gives the following example:

‘Jane, what if you had an emergency and needed someone to take care of your children and your home. That's me. I help families protect the things that are dearest to them.’

6. Ask for referrals in a group introduction
When you have 30-60 seconds to introduce yourself to a group, you can use this time to ask for referrals. In Masters of Networking, Steve Lawson illustrates what a wasted opportunity self effacing introductions are.

‘I watched a travel agent stand in front of twenty-five business associates and say, “I guess you all know what a travel agent does, so if you are going on holiday call me.” I could almost hear her audience thinking, Nope, can’t take a vacation this week. How much more powerful and effective it would have been if the travel agent had said, “Last week our agency bought a large block of Caribbean cruise tickets at a ridiculously low price. If you’re talking to friends, clients or business associates, and they complain of being overworked and tired, tell them you know of a travel agency that has some unbelievable three, four or five-day cruises at amazingly low prices! Listen for two key phrases this week: ‘I’m tired,’ and ‘I’m overworked’. When you hear those phrases, think of me.” By saying this she would have both educated her associates and got them looking for a specific kind of referral for her.’ (P199)

Follow up

If your listener asks you questions about your elevator pitch you can:

• Ask  what industry they’re in and explain how your products or services could benefit them and their business.
• Follow up with a story. ‘We recently worked with a client who…’ Then tell your prospect what the situation was before you worked with the client, what you did for them, without going into too much detail, and what happened as a result of your work.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like to read: Being effective on the phone

For more information, contact Mary on 61 2 9365 7711 or mary@themfactor.com.au