As a business person you get asked this a lot… by people you meet, at events and especially at networking and business functions. How do you answer this question? And do you know how powerful your answer can be if you thought about it and worked on it?
Generally, the standard answer is; I’m a dentist, an accountant, lawyer, plumber… I make kites. At this point there is an uncomfortable silence in the conversation. What can you say to that? There is nowhere to go. You immediately feel guilty because you have not been to the dentist and you are sure that he is going to ask…
How you respond to this question will be the difference between creating a great impression and just making up the numbers… The answer you give creates a perception of you and your business. It is known as your verbal logo. It is your opportunity to create a great first impression, you only get one chance.
Being able to speak passionately, from your heart, will make it a lot easier for you to craft and develop your verbal logo. If you prepare and practice your answer it will sound more conversational. You do not want it to sound contrived or forced. If you are smooth and comfortable with your delivery you will create a good impression at these events and occasions.
A well constructed verbal logo is a powerful tool. It is your opportunity to create the right perception of your brand. How you are perceived is how that person will describe your brand to someone else. Perception is everything!
Take the example of a small, independent kite manufacturer. What do you think his answer might be when asked what he does…? If you said; “I make the worlds best environmentally friendly, hand made kites.” you would not even be close.
Instead, he conjures up the most wonderful image in our minds, and leaves us with an awesome perception of what he does.
His answer… “I make quality time with dad.” What a fantastic answer, it is a conversation starter and we now know exactly what he stands for. The natural reply is; “how do you do that?”…
We now have a fabulous insight into why he makes kites, and what is important to him, what his clients’ value, and why they buy his kites!
We give our client self confidence and a beautiful smile” – Who wants to go to this dentist?
Tips to remember when crafting your verbal logo:
· Your verbal logo is very powerful and it forms how your brand is perceived.
· Think about why you do what you do, and what is important to you.
· Speak from the heart; If you speak about what you are passionate about, you won’t sound like you are selling.
· Know why your clients buy your brand. It is not the product but the result of what your product does for them.
· Practice your verbal logo so you are smooth and confident with your delivery.
Why do your clients buy your product? When you know this, then this will be the answer to your question when you are asked…
I agree that communicating values is very important and a bare factual answer will fail to engage people.
ReplyDeleteI would tweak your examples a little, they sound a tad saccharin.
Rather than simply "I make quality time with dad" it could be "I make hand made kites, it's great to bring families together, the kites are really a ticket to fathers spending quality time with their children."
It is amazing how much advertising and marketing is about communicating values rather than communicating information/facts.
Cheers
Sam
Nice article! And, the key to speaking such a positive, uplifting and entertaining message is in thinking about it, then rehearsing it. It will give your confidence a lift at the same time. A bit like an "elevator speech" it can be in 3 segments depending upon the amount of time you have to speak your message. Three segments to the triangle. 1st segment for me, as a Speaking Coach, might be: "I add value and entertainment for every person who is attending a conference today somewhere in the world". 2nd segment: I help Speakers become even better at speaking. 3rd segment: As a Speaking Coach, I help my clients find their unique voice".
ReplyDeleteHi Sam,
ReplyDeleteThankyou for your comment. The idea is to start a conversation, and peak their interest. If you answer the question with the reason why your client buys your product that is far more engaging than what you do.
Sofia, Thankyou for your insightful thoughts. You got it !
Cheers!
Lawrence