What do you do?”
"How are you different?"
2 simple questions.
If you’re an entrepreneur you hear them every day.
They may be simple, but they're also critical.
How you answer them can be the difference between growing your business, or slowing it down.
Give a complicated and confusing answer, and you’ll get blank stares or polite nods.
Give a concise, confident response, and you can unlock huge opportunities.
Simple, clear communication is a competitive advantage for every entrepreneur.
You’re answering these 2 questions every day.
Imagine nailing your response in 60 seconds or less.
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What do you do?
This is the cornerstone question.
Every entrepreneur needs to be able to explain what they do and why their listener should care in 1 simple sentence.
If you can’t explain what you do, your listener won’t be able to either.
And if your response is long and complicated, it won't just be hard to explain, it will be even harder to remember.
You don't need a clever explanation.
Just a clear one.
Try this exercise to focus your message.
Write what you do in 20 words or less.
Then 10 words or less.
Then 6 words or less.
This forces you to identify the essence of your business.
Follow this format:
[Statement of need or opportunity] + [ Statement of differentiator or benefit]
For example, I’m a communication consultant and here’s how I explain what I do.
- 17 words: I help people and businesses communicate clearly and effectively in as little as 20 words or less
- 9 words: Communicate practical, actionable insight in 20 words or less
- 6 words: Communicate compelling concepts without unnecessary details
- 6 words: Clear, concise communication in 20 words
- 5 words: Communicate clearly in 20 words
Now I have a message that's easy for anyone to understand, and simple enough for them to share.
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How are you different?
Can you explain why you're unique?
It’s one thing to be able to explain what you do.
But that’s not enough.
You also need to give people a reason to choose you.
That’s your unique differentiator, AKA your competitive advantage.
Identify your unique differentiator by thinking about why you're better, faster, cheaper, etc, than your competition.
After you identify your differentiator, then work on explaining it concisely.
Here’s how to explain your competitive advantage in 60 seconds or less
As an example, I’ll use my corporate communication workshop.
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State the differentiator in 1 to 2 sentences
An easy way to communicate your differentiator is to compare it to the norm, or to your competition
[The norm is this….] + [And I do something different]
I don’t just teach people what to say, I show them how to get an attention-deficit audience to sit up, listen and engage.
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Explain why your listener should care in 2-3 sentences
Identify and empathize with their pain points or gain points, and then talk about the consequences
How many times have you sat in a meeting and thought, “Please… get on with it?”
How many times have you’ve cringed listening to someone drone on and on, and watched their audience’s eyes glaze over?
The problem isn’t just your content; the problem is your audience doesn't have the time to listen anymore.
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Summarize how your differentiator solves your listener’s pain point or gain point
Entice them with a solution they’ve been looking for
Try this formula:
[Something they want] + [Something they want to eliminate]
I can show you how to communicate compelling concepts without unnecessary details.
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Ready to pull it all together?
Here’s what it looks like when you pull it all together.
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Sarah: Hey Rebecca. Nice to meet you. Tell me, what do you do?
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Rebecca: Hi Sarah. Great to meet you too. I’m a communication consultant. I help people communicate clearly and effectively in as little as 20 words, or less.
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Sarah: That’s interesting. How are you different than XYZ program?
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Rebecca: Traditional communication training programs just focus on what to say, but they don’t address today’s reality that attention spans are shrinking.
I don’t just teach people what to say, I show them how to get an attention-deficit audience to sit up, listen and engage.
Think about it. How many times have you sat in a meeting and thought, “Please… get on with it?” Or how many times have you’ve cringed listening to someone drone on and on, and watched their audience’s eyes glaze over?
The problem isn’t just your content; the problem is your audience doesn't have the time to listen anymore.
I can show you how to communicate compelling concepts without unnecessary details.
Every day you have opportunities to grow your business
You can grow it just by answering questions you hear all the time.
Think of your response as a sound bite.
Give them a teaser, not the entire content. And as a bonus, you’ll evoke curiosity and your audience to say, ”That’s interesting, tell me more…”
Now they’re inviting you to be more specific!
You just nailed your answers, and transformed your opportunities.
FEATURED DOWNLOAD
Never be at a loss for words - here's a resource to plan your answers. Click the picture to download my planning template.
Photo / Tech.co Tech cocktails KC mixer 10.17.13