The last time someone asked you: “What do you do?” How did you answer? If you got an answer such as “Oh.” In all likelihood, they did not resonate with you and that individual has officially tuned out. The reasons are many such as: no need, no interest or even, no money. However, it could also be that you verbally ‘vomited’ all over them and now they are just looking for an escape route to get away from you.
If you could indulge me for a few seconds; please take a look at the title of this weeks’ blog. That response is what one of my clients says to any person who asks him the question: “What do you do for a living?” Does that response not give you pause and make you wonder: “What the heck does that mean? What kind of fun are we talking about here? Okay, I need to know more about this.” These are the responses that you should be striving for in order to ensure that any potential client who instead of looking for an escape route, now wants to continue the conversation. After all, without conversation, there is no sale.
My client, a member of The Action Suite has developed a great Power Statement. There is a very defined process in developing your own unique Power Statement. By following these steps, you will be on the path to developing your own Power Statement. It starts with:
1. Curiosity: Develop a way to say what you do without saying what you do which in turn, will develop curiosity in the prospective client. An example is that another client of mine developed this Power Statement: “I kill for a living.” He is a pest exterminator. Another one: “I take concepts to reality.” He is a landscaper and home handyman.
2. Honesty: The Power Statement is to develop curiosity, not to deceive. An example could be using my own, which starts with: “I provide profits and productivity.” If I was a plumber that would be a false statement as being a plumber would not provide either.
3. Brevity: It has to very brief. How brief? Ten words or less. Studies have shown that you have approximately seven seconds to make a first impression. In that first seven second, in over 80% of cases, your prospective client has already made a decision whether or not they will become one of your clients. Does this give you a clue as to why verbal ‘vomiting’ is not successful?
4. Offer: You are probably thinking: “I can’t tell them about my product and/or service in ten words or less.” That is not only correct, but it is the reason why a Power Statement works so well. Once you have built the curiosity by being brief and you are honest, they are going to ask you to expand on it and only then do you inform them of what the Power Statement is all about which is your product/service. Again, there is another process to doing this effectively and efficiently, but that is for another time and blog.
5. Practice: Your power statement has to roll off your tongue as easily as you take a breath. There can be no stumbling, stuttering or unease.
These are the five steps for developing your own Power Statement. Some take minutes to produce, while others, can take hours or even days. By the way, my client sells playground equipment.