Speech bubbles to show you how to talk about your business

I’m not sure why some fellow entrepreneurs talk about their brand in the vaguest and most boring way.

Perhaps it’s because we’re taught to be humble about our business dreams, especially as women. Perhaps it’s because these people aren’t actually crystal clear as to why what they do should matter to others.

In most cases, though, I think it’s because they believe their business is too complex to be boiled down to a sentence or two.

The result?

A bored listener and a missed opportunity.

‘Oh, it’s too complicated.’

No, it’s not!

Or, better: it shouldn’t be.

Of course, you can’t always explain all of your services or list every single product in a sentence nor get into the nitty-gritty of your business. Still, your listener should walk away with a good understanding of it after hearing your answer.

If they were to bump into someone else, they should be able to tell them exactly what you do.

Not that ‘it’s too complicated.’

How to talk about your business when someone asks you ‘what do you do’

Here are some tips that I hope you’ll find useful next time you’re in a lift with someone, at a networking event, or whenever you’re asked about your business.

Because here’s the thing: you never know what’s going to lead to a new opportunity.

Perhaps the person you’re talking to is actually in need of your offer or, even if they’re not, they know someone who is.

But how can they tell if you’re so vague and uninspired when talking about your business?

Here’s what to do instead.

1. Show people that you’re excited about it and eager to answer this question

Professioals talking about their business

Here are some answers that are guaranteed to put off your listener and a summary of what they actually sound like:

‘Oh, it’s too difficult to explain’ = you’re too thick to understand what I do / I’m not clear about it either
‘Well, where do I start?’ = you’re going to regret asking me this question because now you can tell that it’s going to be a longer and more convoluted answer than the plot of Tenet
‘I’m just another marketer’ / ‘We’re just another pizza joint’ = I have no clue as to what sets me apart from my competitors
‘I offer business solutions’ = I keep telling myself that my stuff is for everybody, but I haven’t got a clue as to why they should care

Instead, get ready to sound confident, concise, and enthusiastic with your answer.

2. Give them a clear overview that ticks these boxes

Whenever you talk about your business, you must be able to tell people:

Exactly what you do or what type of business you own (e.g. ‘I’m a website copywriter and blog writer’, ‘We sell houseplants’, or ‘We opened a pizza restaurant’)
Who these products or services are for (e.g. ‘for ambitious female entrepreneurs’, ‘for #PlantParent millennials’, or ‘for hip Londoners’)
How do they benefit them? Why should they care? Or, if relevant, how are you different from everyone else? (e.g. ‘helping them stand out and grow through the words on their website’, ‘to turn their home into an Instagrammable urban jungle’, or ‘pairing up street food and champagne’)

So here’s how our three examples could sound after we’ve polished them a bit:

I’m a copywriter turning ambitious female entrepreneurs into THE go-to solution in their dream audience’s eyes through website copywriting and blog writing services (spoiler alert: that’s me!)
We sell houseplants for #PlantParent millennials looking to turn their home into an Instagrammable urban jungle
We’re a pizza restaurant pairing up street food and champagne for hip Londoners who’re after a unique experience

At the same time, keep in mind that these can be more or less explicit depending on the context.

For example, if you sell ‘travel coffee gear’, you don’t necessarily need to add ‘for hikers and nomads at heart’, but you can make it obvious by saying:

‘We sell travel coffee gear so that nobody will ever have to settle for instant during hikes or road trips.’

3. Learn this answer by heart as a starting point...

Notes to brainstorm how to talk about your business

Once you’ve spent some time brainstorming and clarifying your offer, rehearse it.

That way, when someone does ask you that question in real life, you’ll know exactly what to say and won’t start mumbling or reverting back to ‘oh, it’s complicated.’

I also recommend adding it to your website copy and marketing materials wherever it feels relevant.

After all, someone landing on your website for the first time is no different from the person asking you ‘what do you do?’ at a networking event: that’s exactly what they want to know, too.

Better: why this should matter to them.

4. … but remember who you’re talking to

Professionals learning how to talk about their business

Now, I know that I’ve advised you to learn that sentence by heart, but be prepared to be flexible at the same time.

Why? Because some people already know loads about your industry and some others haven’t got a clue as to what it involves.

For example, I couldn’t tell my granny that I’m a website copywriter, because she’s never heard the word copywriter before and she’s never even seen a website (I swear).

So, I told her:

‘You know how, nowadays, most businesses have a website to showcase what they do? I write words for them, helping these companies promote their products or services more effectively.’

Obviously, this is a pretty extreme scenario.

If you’ve prepared a clear and jargon-free overview, it’ll still work in most cases. After all, if someone has questions, they can always ask you for more details after you’ve impressed them with your first sentence.

However, consider tweaking it slightly depending on who you’re speaking to.

I hope this will help you talk about your business in a more confident and clearer way.

So, if I were to bump into you in real life and ask you ‘what do you do?’, what would you tell me?