‘Hello, good to meet you….what do you do?

This is a huge question isn’t it? Especially if asked by somebody who you really want to talk to, somebody who somewhere down the line may want to buy from / deal with you, or may refer / recommend others to engage with you. Your answer is important because we all know how much competition there is for somebody’s attention nowadays.

So how do you answer it? (Elevator pitch fans – here is your moment)

It is so easy to tell them what you do (and/or what your business does)… I am a graphic designer, or a tax accountant or a recruitment agent,  or to reel off your job title (I am Director of Corporate Law services). Yet those who have attended Personal Impact, Business Development or Selling programmes (or read associated books) will tell you that this response is often limiting.

There may be a few people who fully understand just how, when and why a tax accountant could help a business or an individual – but the vast majority are probably thinking ‘oh it’s tax….don’t need that as I’m ok with my self assessment, or I know what I pay in Corporation tax, I’m fine. And Director of Corporate Law services? That sounds complicated and expensive.

What you are telling them isn’t giving them a compelling reason to want to buy what you do and what your business does. So if we were Recruitment Agents then we understand just what we do to generate value but they may just hear a title.  We need to explain what we do from the other person’s perspective.

‘Hello – what do you do?’

“We help businesess (like yours) maximise current and future performance, improve their leadership, management, customer service and innovative thinking”

‘Sounds interesting. Tell me more’

‘We find highly talented and motivated people in the marketplace and match them to the people needs of my client organisations, through developing a deep understanding of both our clients, and the individuals, ambitions, strategy, values, behaviours and ethos. The sign above our door says Recruitment Agents’.

More compelling, more interesting and easier to identify the value? We think so!

If you would like to discuss how you could create more clarity around your value proposition, or help your client and market facing people to better articulate just how they ‘help’ customers, please contact Kate Hennig at kate@thegrogroup.com, we’d love to buy you a coffee and chat further!