This weeks blog features guest blogger Gary Hartman. Gary is CEO and Head Coach at The Growth Coach in Boulder, Colorado and has more than a decade of coaching experience. Gary works with business owners, managers and sales professionals to help them grow their businesses so they earn more and work less.
To learn more about Gary, visit his website at http://westernbusinesscoaching.com/
What Do You Do For A Living?
It’s a question we get all the time – what we do is an important part of who we are. It can happen anywhere or at any time – at a business event, at the weekend barbeque, at the kids soccer game.
What they are really asking is What Does Your Company Do and it’s a chance to make a connection with a potential customer (or maybe they know of someone who would make a great client).
So how do you make the best of this opportunity?
Last week we discussed What Sets You Apart, what makes you different than your competition. Once you’ve got that figured out, you need to be able to effectively communicate that message when you get this open door. You need to phrase it in a way people will understand and remember. (In fact, this applies not only to prospects but also to employees, mentors, bankers, strategic partners, etc.)
This is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and here are four simple steps to help explain what you do:
First, THE SECRET – it’s all about the benefit to the listener. Explain what your business does for customers…what is the end result of your service or product? Does it save money, make their life easier or give them new opportunities?
Keep it short, do it in one sentence. The old benchmark of the “elevator speech” assumed a minute or two on an elevator ride. People don’t have that long of an attention span today – it’s said we have 7 seconds to engage or lose a person in conversation.
If you got their attention, they’ll want to know more. Now you can get more specific – what is the problem you solve, and how do you solve it?
Lastly, give them an example. It’s best if you can personalize it, make your story relate to the person you are speaking to.
In summary, don’t lead with your product or service. Make it short, sweet and concise and you will generate enough interest or curiosity to make them want to find out more.
Need help getting this perfected? We’re always available to talk.
