The great thing about a 30 second commercial is that they are an easy to understand explanation of who you help. In a well written commercial you briefly highlight the demographics, situations, and approaches to use to find clients. This same approach works well in other settings.
Most people respond to the question “What do you do?” with a short 2 or 3 word job title. I’m the director of HR, or I’m a financial advisor. These responses don’t capitalize on the hard work you’ve done to build a great 30 second commercial. A better response will help you grow your business much more quickly.
A great response allows people to get a sense of your ideal clients. The side benefit of this is that it will automatically get them thinking about themselves as a potential client. Think about it. If I tell you who I help and what kind of problems they face, you will automatically start to listen for problems you have to see if I can help. You might also listen for problems that important people in your life have to see if you can help them by connecting them to me as a resource.
Here’s the key parts of a good commercial:
Demographic info (Business Owner)
Signs/Symptoms someone needs my expertise (“I thought I’d be making more money”)
A Way to bring me up in conversation (Ask them how)
Identity info (Name, Company, Tagline)
Example of a good commercial:
A great refferal for me is the business owner you know who says ‘I should be charging more’ or, ‘I thought I’d be making more money in my own business.’ These people could use the confidence that comes with having a business expert help them with their business. Ask them how they plan to sell their services at higher rates. Tell them that getting more clients is not as good as getting better clients – and you know someone who can help. I’m Brian Mattocks – Busines Coach & Consultant with RentASmartGuy.com I provide Business Confidence on Demand.
Key parts of a good response to “What do you do?”
Demographic (Business owner)
Signs/Symptoms someone needs my expertise (“I thought I’d be making more money”)
Explanation of what your profession (in this case a consultant) does (help them with business challenges.)
Tagline or Question
Example of a good answer to the question “What do you do?”:
I help business owners who are frustrated with how hard it is to make money. Some of my clients say things like “I should be charging more” or “I thought I’d be making more money in my own business. “ Most business owners are great at doing what they love, but on the business side of things they struggle a little bit, and I help them with those kinds of business challenges. I like to say that I provide business confidence on demand.
Ending with a question might also work for your business. If you are comfortable you might ask “Do you know anyone like that?” or “Have you heard someone say stuff like that recently?” This will keep the conversation flowing and let people interact with your introduction. Be careful not to ask them if they directly have this problem. This sounds pushy and sleazy if done in a way that makes someone feel uncomfortable.
This has gotten me business and referrals from complete strangers. This is also a great way to get your family and friends to start looking for your ideal clients in their everyday life.