At Contribute, we help individuals find their voice and add their value. We also help people articulate how they contribute to their organization’s success.
Answering “what do you do?” presents a perfect opportunity to showcase your contributions.
Too often, people miss this opportunity. Sometimes, they simply rattle off their title. The problem is that we don’t usually remember other people’s titles, and they don’t usually tell us much. So, unless you have a title like president, prime minister, chancellor, principal, or any title with a C in front of it, you may need to say something more.
Sometimes, people tell us what they do, which is more helpful, especially if you’re building rockets. However, the best response would include something about the way you contribute to your organization, community, or society.
To create or fine tune your “Contribute message”:
- Keep your answer short, simple, and straightforward
- Connect it to how others benefit from your work
- Get ready to prove it
For example, if someone asks what I do, I respond, “I help people communicate better and contribute greater value.”
If they seem interested, I might expand with specifics that they can relate to. To a banker, I might say, “For example, I help banking professionals like you write better credit memos so that your loans get approved quickly or connect better with your clients so you win more deals.”
Get ready to back up your message with proof of your impact. You can share a fact, tell a story, or draw an analogy to bring your message to life.
In my case, I collect recent client wins and consider my impact. First, these wins make me smile; second, I know I can use them later to help a client decide if they want to work with me. You might hear me share, “I caught up with a financial advisor recently. He says that 90% of the attendees at his educational workshops are converting to clients. He attributes his success to his new presentation skills. He really worked hard in our session. I’m delighted that his hard work is paying off and that our training made a difference.”
Take time to reflect on your “Contribute message”; then, at your next networking or social event, when someone asks, “What do you do?” you’ll have an answer that engages your listener and enhances your brand.
Contact us at Contributeco.com, if you’d like to talk about how we can help you communicate better and contribute greater value.