Being articulate sometimes means less is more. When someone asks what you do, they don’t want a dissertation on your specialty. They want a sentence or a paragraph at most! The first 30 seconds of your response will either create curiosity or shut it down. This post is designed to help you clearly express your identity in 17 syllables!
It’s easy to become tongue-tied if you haven’t done the work to drill down and refine how you define the value you bring to others. (Truth is, sometimes we all become tongue-tied anyway. It’s so frustrating to miss opportunities by not being prepared.)
Clear branding is important regardless of your profession; doctor lawyer, Indian chief, consultant, business professional, educator or pastor. I typically work with my clients on clarity of vision and mission before we start work on their HUB (Hot Undeniable Benefit) statement. Some people call this an “elevator speech” or a USP (Unique Selling Proposition). It doesn’t really matter what you call it, as long as when you get in front of a potential client, you can express clearly and concisely what you can do for them.
So here’s an exercise to help you on your way to clear branding.
Most school children are asked to dabble in Haiku – a Japanese poetic form that’s based on the number of syllables per line, 5,7,5 respectively. Maybe you weren’t brilliant at Haiku then, but this exercise promises a much richer reward than a gold star – it can lead to more clients.
To create a clear elevator speech, I’m challenging you to answer three questions, which must be answered with the specified number of words
- Who do I help? (Answer in Five Words)
- What do I do for them? (Answer in Seven Words)
- Why do they need me? (Answer in Five Words)
An example response to these questions from a business lawyer could be:
I help small business owners
incorporate their businesses and protect their assets
so they can sleep better.
Here’s mine:
I help entrepreneurs and leaders
innovate, communicate and activate vision and strategies
so profitability and satisfaction soar.
Your turn! I hope you’ll take a moment to leave yours in the comment section.
Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation. Dig in.
I help families and business owners by teaching them about wealth transfers because everyone could use a 34.5% raise..
Way to go Ed! You will likely tweak this – know that it normal. : )
Hi Beverly
I loved your article. Thank you for sharing. After reading
This is mine
I help individuals and professionals
Incorporate money risk principles and good habits
living a journey to wealth
Thanks
Bonnie
Hi Bev
This is fun…here is another
I help individuals and professionals
Incorporate risk principles and good trading habits
To be comfortable with money
What do you think?
Bonnie
Great job, Bonnie! Since so many promise wealth, the wording “be comfortable with money” resonates with me.
Also “incorporate risk principles and good trading habits” is more specific.
Beverly
Thank you so much for sharing the exercise and helping me gain clarity
and have a brand in 17 syllables today 🙂 🙂
Bonnie
I assist women by equipping them with the tools needed to begin living in their giftedness.
Thanks for contributing buy letting us know your identity via this exercise, Pamela! Let’s talk more about this!
Really cool post, Beverly!
Nice to meet you (thanks to my fellow carnival blogger, Sharon Hurley Hall). 🙂
I reach out to solomompreneurs
to help them market their biz start-ups
on a shoestring budget
Keep crankin’ out the good stuff!
I assist entrepreneurs and students
brand business and themselves for online engagement
promoting, building audiences and sharing content
Melanie, that’s clear, crisp and compelling! You are prepared. Thanks for joining in.
I get it, Dorien! I love the term “online engagment”. That’s so much deeper than marketing.
(More effective too!) Thanks for joining in – a pleasure to meet you.