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What do you do? This is the question that inevitably comes up anytime you come in contact with a prospect or meet someone at a networking event. If you do not have a clear answer to this question, you may have just lost a sale or potential client for your services. Everything you do in your business, your career, and your life begins with articulation. Whether sending a direct mail piece, writing copy for your social networking site, or meeting someone for the first time at a networking event, you must clearly articulate what you do and who you do it for. Without clearly and succinctly answering these two questions, you run the risk of marketing your services or your business to the wrong people. You also run the risk of confusing the marketplace that you are attempting to address.
Wouldn’t it be great if the next time you meet someone at a networking group, you could clearly articulate what you do, who you do it for, and the potential benefits of working with you in a clear and concise way? Would this increase your edge in attracting new clients?
Let’s start with the first question: "What do you do?" To answer this question you need to know your clients’ frustrations or “hot buttons”. What problems do you help your clients solve? In my business, I help small business owners get better results from their marketing with less cost. This is the “hot button” for prospects and clients that I want to attract. It’s very simple. If they are not struggling with their marketing, then they are not my ideal client. Know your market and who you are trying to attract.
The second question is: "Who do you work with?" and more importantly "Who do you want to work with?" Sometimes creating an ideal client profile will help you answer this question. You can easily create an ideal client profile by learning a few things about your potential clients. You can more effectively serve your market by learning their approximate income level, where they live, where they socialize, what they do for fun, and the problems they are trying to solve. You will do your best work if you are working with clients who are in line with your business model. It is very tempting to try to market to anyone who breathes, but the reality is that you cannot market to everyone. You must focus on one particular market segment and be able to identify who you work with.
Taking the time to learn how to clearly articulate the answer to the question, “What do you do?” is probably one of the most important tasks you can do in your business. This is not something that you can do in 15 minutes. Spend a few days brainstorming ideas. Figure out exactly what you do in your business, who you do it for, and the benefits your clients or customers receive from doing business with you. It will be well worth the time that you invest.
To
Your Success,
Mike Coleman
P. O. Box 291642
Nashville, TN 37229
615-308-8078
www.mikecoleman.net
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