“What do you do?”
It just might be the most asked business question you will ever hear. How well are you prepared to answer it?
Most small business marketers don’t think much about this as it relates to their marketing. But, there’s no doubt that it should be one of the primary marketing tools you put into your marketing toolbox.
The first words that come out of your mouth are the most important from a marketing perspective.
Are you prepared to answer “the question” and GRAB ATTENTION at the various business networking and social events you attend? When you go to a business networking event and everyone in the room gets a chance to give a 30 to 60 second introduction, you want to grab attention when it’s your turn.
Your 30-second introduction is your core marketing message.
Does your introduction pique interest from any potential prospects or referral sources in the room? If not, you need to understand the importance of your first words.
The standard responses to “the question” is to tell your listeners what you are, what you do, or who you work for. It’s what 90 percent or more of the small business marketers out there are doing. And it does nothing to grab attention or pique interest from prospects or potential referral sources.
You see it all the time at networking events. Business owners and independent professionals are consistently blowing opportunities with their inability to answer “the question.” Being prepared for these most common business scenarios can literally mean the difference between great marketing success and huge marketing frustration.
Shift your focus in delivering your message. If you want to answer “the question” intelligently and get more attention from your listening audience stop focusing on who you are, what you do, or who you work for. Instead, begin focusing on and articulating who you are out to help and what problems, issues and challenges you are out to help them solve.
Assume everyone you talk to is asking themselves the question, “What’s in it for me?” That’s the basis for a great attention getting introduction.
Pay attention to your first words. It’s the most important marketing message you will deliver.
Be on the lookout for our forthcoming program that we’ve been referring to as 30-Second Intro In-A-Box. Jerry Smith and I have been working hard to pull together this interactive online product. We’ll be looking for small business owners and independent professionals that want to test it for us. More details coming soon.
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5 Responses
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Marketing Action , Jerry Smith. Jerry Smith said: New blog post: Marketing Importance of Your First Words http://bit.ly/1nAuFr [...]
Posted on October 28th, 2009 at 11:32 am
First words are huge. In my early entrepreneurial days I blew my chance at networking meetings on more than one occasion. I would always stumble and trip my way through my introduction and I could never articulate my business value to people in a short period of time. Unless someone had 10 minutes to talk, I was lost.
I got some coaching and have a much cleaner, powerful and transparent greeting now and I have noticed a huge difference. People engage me more and ask more questions about my business. I think it really exudes a certain confidence that people inherently look for whether they know they are looking for it or not
Posted on October 28th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Quit Your Job (Justin),
Thanks for your comments. And congratulations on taking some action to create a more clear and powerful introduction.
It’s pretty common for small business owners and independent professionals to stumble and stammer through their introduction. Unfortunately, not enough of them do something about it like you did. It absolutely can make a huge difference for your business like you’ve experienced… People engaging in conversation and asking more questions about your business.
It’s possible for everyone when you develop a clear, concise, ATTENTION GRABBING introduction.
Keep us posted Justin. We’d love to hear more from you.
All my Best!
Kevin
Posted on October 28th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Thanks Kevin.
Yeah I think too many people shy away from the early discomfort of actually getting up and speaking in front of people. So rather than improving the skill, they avoid it all together. I try to make a point of moving into anything I fear so that I can overcome it. I became a professional speaker by doing just that.
Thanks again for your article!
Posted on October 29th, 2009 at 10:44 am
That’s AWESOME Justin!
My favorite quote/piece of advice in that regard.
“Courage isn’t the absence of FEAR. Courage is doing something about it in spite of the FEAR.”
It’s unfortunate, but most people know their 30-Second Introduction or response to “the Question” SUCKS. But, they keep going out there and giving the same crappy introduction over and over again hoping for different results somehow.
I want to help those small business owners and independent professionals who are tired of having a bad introduction. Let’s get people coached.
Thanks again Justin. I hope we’ll talk again soon.
All my Best!
Kevin
Posted on October 29th, 2009 at 10:58 am
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