Consultants Connection: What to Say When Asked "What Do You Do?" - Article

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The following article appeared in the August 2010 issue of "Consultants Connection," a publication of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)

What to Say When Asked "What Do You Do?"

by Ed Barks

It can be maddening when you ask a colleague what he or she does, only to be met with the non-response, “I’m a consultant.” This article offers some advice for explaining what you do in ways that can help attract clients.

We’ve all been there—the conference or reception where gripping and grinning with prospective clients and fellow consultants is a way of life. One of the inevitable first questions we hear is “What do you do?”

We have all suffered the trite response, “I’m a consultant.” That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t offer your conversation partner anything useful.

A succinct statement is vital for consultants who hope to expand their businesses. After all, any business professional realizes (or should realize) that these conversations are subtle and artful requests for help. You are not helping others to help you when you merely tell them you are a consultant. Similarly, you are in no position to help them when they dole out such a scanty description of their business.

A precise and concise opening statement reveals a multitude of possibilities for assistance we stand to provide and to receive:

A timely piece of advice
Introduction to a potential client or thought leader
Recommendation of a good book
Referral to a service provider such as an accountant or IT expert
Suggestion of a summer program for her teenager

Have a Ready Response
Doesn’t it make sense to explain who you are and what you do in your opening line? There’s no need for anything complex. If you and your new contact decide you have mutual interests to discuss, more details will flow naturally during the course of your conversation and in your follow up meetings.

While “I’m a consultant” is overly terse, the other extreme is equally painful. Just think of the times you have been subjected to a five-minute diatribe describing everything your new acquaintance has done in excruciating historical detail. Recall how you frantically scanned the room for an escape route.

It is also important to avoid the temptation to be boastful. Make your bona fides easy to grasp without coming across as arrogant. Egotism is equally as negative as a long-winded introduction.

An Approach that Suits You
There are plenty of techniques, and this article is not intended to be the font of all wisdom. I freely admit that I have as many questions as answers despite massaging my opening statement during 13 years in business.

Whatever approach you utilize, refuse to let anyone lock you into their flavor of the month approach. When you hear a self-proclaimed networking guru trying to squeeze you into the same box as everyone else (admit it, we’ve all sat through talks with such individuals), I strongly suggest that you scramble for the exits.

For better or worse, there is no magic bullet. Rather, it is an ongoing process of seeking advice and clarity from others, and of adjusting words and phrases based on reactions and on the evolving nature of one’s consulting practice.

To cite a personal example, I work with association and corporate clients in my practice as a communications training consultant. As a result, my phrasing differs slightly depending on the individual I am facing at a given moment.

The point is you need to arrive at a solution that suits four requirements:

You. Some of us display the energy level of the natural born salesperson. Others have a more professorial air. Play to your personal strengths or risk coming across as a phony.
Your business. The type of business matters. Marketing consultants, for instance, are viewed as natural go-getters. At the same time, it can be unseemly for some types of lawyers to blatantly pitch new business in an initial discussion.
Your approach to business development. Some consultants troll with a wide net. Others target very narrowly. Your target market dictates how you present yourself at the start.
Your audience. Consider your networking venue. A group of association CEOs who may be prospective clients needs a slightly different take than a gaggle of fellow consultants capable of providing referrals.

Many Ways to Formulate
Here are some common sense possibilities for formulating your statement:

Explain what types of organizations you prefer as clients. Are you locked solely into the association market, or do you include corporate and non-profit clients?
Describe the level of individuals you typically work with. Do your services pertain to C-level executives? Managers? Communicators? New hires?
Describe your typical point of entry into an organization.
Tell the 10-second version of stories about previous successes.
Point out (gently, please) any competitive advantages you hold.

Note that none of these tactics are mutually exclusive. You may opt to add a tablespoon of number one with a dash of number two and a pinch of number three.

Make it a point to revisit your statement regularly. I review mine on at least a quarterly basis, more often upon encountering a situation that leads me to stop and consider my approach.

What Do You Do?
As consultants, we have no one else to rely upon for the success of our careers. It is incumbent upon us to enhance our consulting practices by telling others what we do.

For the sake of attracting clients, know which course to chart the next time someone asks you, “What do you do?”

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Ed Barks works with corporate and association executives who deal with reporters and members of Congress, and with public affairs experts who want a seat at the decision-making table. He is also the author of The Truth About Public Speaking: The Three Keys to Great Presentations and a member of ASAE & The Center's Consultants Section Council. Learn more at www.barkscomm.com . Contact Ed at (540) 955-0600 or via e-mail.

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