What Do You Do?
Journal Your Elevator Pitch
How will you respond when someone asks, "What do you do?" or "Tell me about your business"?
Answer: Your elevator pitch. A short, clear statement that explains what your business does and why it is unique.
Many entrepreneurs find it awkward or difficult to promote themselves and their business, when asked. And answering with an attention-grabbing elevator pitch might just land you a business contract you never expected.
Getting to the finished pitch is easier if you use your journal. When you answer the questions below, write them in your journal so you can refer back to them. As you progress in your business, go back to those pages and see what needs to be redone. Your Elevator Pitch is not a static statement, it should grow with you.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression!
The idea is that you can deliver your pitch/message quickly and convincingly during the time it takes for an elevator ride. About 10 to 30 seconds is all you will typically have to paint a vivid picture in the listener’s mind, showing how customer’s problems are solved or how they are well served.
What does it take to create a pitch?
To start – answer these questions:
1. "What does the business do?"
2. Use the words work with, want, or offer.
3. State how your business solves a problem or offers a solution.
4. Describe what makes your business unique.
5. Tell a quick story.
Grow Your Pitch
Most people fail to explain how their product or service can make a difference in other’s lives. They just give their title and say their job category, rather than saying what they do and how that will serve to better their customer’s lives or solve a problem.
Here are some other questions to ask yourself:
- What have you achieved for your customers?
- What are your goals?
- What problems can you solve?
- What is most important to you?
- Take the answers to all those questions and write 2-3 sentences that answer the question – What Do You Do? Remember, this is not who you are, whether you’re married, have kids, or your faith. It’s about what you and your business do every day to solve problems.
Stuck? Need help?
- Try using this one-sentence approach to start then elaborating using your answers from the questions above.
- One Sentence Pitch –
- My Company _______________________________(insert name)
- Is developing _______________________________(a defined offer)
- To help ____________________________________(a defined audience)
- (Solve a problem) _________________________________________________
- With ____________________________________(Your secret sauce).
- Get started and be ready for that surprise question – “What Do You Do?”
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