Stop telling me what you do!

It's a trap. At some point, someone at a business meeting asks you what you do and you tell them. In fact, you are so focused on yourself and what you do, you expect that telling more people what you do will result in business.  Wrong.

Telling people what you do is a mistake.  Who you work with, is more important than what you do.

Even clients are not interested in what you do. They’re only interested in what they are left with, after you have done, what you do.

I see a lot of requests for referrals asking if I know anyone who needs a designer, or developer or copywriter.  I applaud the initiative of asking for a referral (few business owners ever do), but it’s harder for me to recommend you to someone when I only know what you do.

You see, I know lots of people who do what you do.  Telling me what you do doesn’t give me enough to work with.

Instead, tell me who you work with

– the types of results you get for them

– the problems you solve

– maybe a few characteristics about that person

Take a moment to make a list of the 'afters' and change your 'elevator pitch'. I promise you will increase the quantity (and quality) of referrals you get.