What Do You Do? What’s Your Answer?

When asked “What do you do?”– What do you say?

Does your answer inspire interest and added discussion?  Or is it a show stopper?  If you say something like: “I’m in finance”, you’re leaving potential money on the table.

Your answer can make the difference between opening doors to a world of opportunity or closing them.  Here are three simple guidelines for making your answer a door opener.

1. Your Answer Should Serve a Purpose

Your purpose for your answer should be to prompt the question “HOW do you do that?  So if your answer to their “what” question explains how, that engaging follow-up question will go unasked.

2. Articulate WHO and WHY

Your answer should paint a picture of who you serve and the benefits they gain from working with you. Simply describe your target market and why these folks use your products or services. You will more likely serve your purpose.

3. HOW You Say It Matters

Words are a small component of the message.  Your attitude speaks much louder than the words themselves. Does the tone of your answer convey:

• Confidence?
• Competence?
• Enthusiasm?

If your answer conveys disinterest, impatience, indifference, drudgery, arrogance or amateurism, the door of opportunity will silently slam shut.

It’s Not Just WHAT You Say

If your success depends on word of mouth marketing (WOMM), the quality of your answer can make the difference between opening doors or closing them. So invest some time to craft a response that generates that how do you do that? question. Then practice your delivery so your audience believes in you.  Then practice some more until you can put your delivery in cruise control.

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