Knowing How to Answer: What Do You Do?

The following little imaginary interaction is something I would normally keep to myself. Just a thought exercise. Wouldn’t want people thinking I have a multiple personality disorder or anything…

But the truth is that many of our clients face this same process themselves and for some, coming up with the answer isn’t easy. That’s the nature of new things. If you sell on Etsy, it’s hard to say “I sell ___ on Etsy.” because so many people don’t know what Etsy is.

If you’re a professional blogger, it’s even harder because of the minority of people who know what a blog is, the vast majority of them think of it strictly as a hobby. So, to them, you might as well be saying “I’m a professional scrapbooker”.

Yet the need is there, especially if your business is a full-time income, to be able to quickly explain what you do. Below, I’ve copied and pasted a little written exercise I did this morning. I think it’s a good exercise for all business-owners to work through every once in awhile:

What Do You Do?

(italics are my imaginary business guru – that’s him above – he’s mean and whacks me with a stick when I mess up)

Explain what you do for a living in thirty seconds…go:

I own a company called Crazy Tree Media. We build eCommerce websites and business blogs. We also publish a few websites of our own where we sell advertising and products. (what about the felt and Etsy shops)

Okay, that was not so good… try again:

I’m in the media business… er. I’m in media…. er. Online Media.

{Whack!}… This is pathetic… you have to be able to succinctly state your work. Even if it is far-reaching or widespread… again!

What do you do?

My wife and I own a few websites that sell online. We also build eCommerce websites and business blogs for others.

Again!

What do you do?

We’re professional bloggers. (I almost ended that with a question mark!)(insert quizzical look from other person here) Do you know what a blog is? We write online, it’s much like a magazine, like a trade publication…

Stop! Again!

What do you do?

(I used to be able to just say “I’m a remodeling contractor.” and that was it. Next question was usually ‘What type of remodeling?’ or “Really, we’ve been wanting to add-on”…)

{Double whack}…. Stop rambling! Again!

What do you do?

We build marketing machines online.

(quizzical look)

We help people build businesses by teaching them how to use their websites, blogs, and social media effectively.

Good.

A New Outlook

As a result of this exercise, I now have this new statement: We build business marketing machines online. And that really sums it up. That’s what we do.

okay then…