Also known as your elevator pitch. I read in Michael Port’s book titled, Book Yourself Solid, that the reason most entrepreneurs fail is that they cannot explain what they do to potential clients. Your job title isn’t what you do either. Telling people I’m a user experience designer results in “huh?! what is that?” even using the more widely used term “information architect” or “ interaction designer” means nothing to people outside the industry.

So how do you talk about what you do without confusing people?

There is a simple formula to start with “I help…” and what ever it is you do for your target market. Another way according to IIise Benun, author of Self Promotion Online, is to come up with a 10 word blurb in various ways. First by asking the questions “What do you do”, then “For whom” and finally “What do they get”. You then write the blurb from the problem-solving perspective.

Your “who and do what” is an important part of your marketing strategy. If you can’t explain what you do to someone they won’t see any value in your services.

Spending time crafting different ways of explaining what you do to others is important. It helps you focus on who you really want to work with and what your target audience needs to hear in order to trust you.