Do you sometimes struggle to describe what you do for your ideal clients in your networking introduction? We can have so many strings to our bow that it becomes hard to describe succinctly. Yet no one wants to listen to your version of War and Peace.
We have to stop describing what we do. That’s not what people buy. They buy the results of what we do. So your prospects want to know what problems you solve or what job you do for them.
How do your clients see their reason to buy?
Marketers often talk about highlighting the problem you solve and agitating it enough for your ideal clients to feel the pain so badly that they want to fix it. But prospects don’t always define their need as a problem. Sometimes they just see it as another job to be done.
I don’t see cleaning my house as a problem, but it is a job to be done. Booking a train ticket isn’t a problem, but it is a job to be done.
Now the marketer may say my problem is a lack of time. I would agree. But I might see the solution to that problem as stopping scrolling on social media or cutting down time watching TV rather than buying a service.
Match your language to your ideal client
The trick is to work out how your ideal clients see their need for your services and to use that language in your promotions. And that is what we’re asking you to do in our introduction rounds in August 2026.
A virtual assistant might generate more interest by saying… I help you keep your books up to date so you comply with the latest requirements from HMRC. Or I book your travel and accommodation, so you get the best deals and arrive where you need to be without stress. Describing these jobs may have more impact than saying ‘There’s more on your to do list than you have time for, that’s stressful and demotivating. I can give you that time back by removing some of those tasks that overwhelm you.’ Describing specific jobs can make it easier to say yes than a vague ‘I can give you some time back.’
A web developer might talk about ensuring that your website gets found… solving a problem… or they might talk about optimizing the pages of your website to help search engines find it… job done. In effect this is the same task but presented in the way the client is looking for. Some clients see it as a problem they don’t know how to fix, others know what to do but it’s another job on their to-do list. How does your ideal client see it?
Your networking introduction can be the perfect way to test out how your potential buyer or referrer sees their reason for buying. I’ll look forward to hearing your descriptions and observing how people respond.
You may find these articles helpful…
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/getting-really-clear-what-you-do-glenda-shawley-jh22e/
https://fabulousnetworking.co.uk/what-do-you-want-to-be-known-for/
