“I’m your financial weatherman. I look ahead at the clouds on the horizon, and keep your 401(k) from becoming a 201(k).”
That’s how a financial advisor (Bob Williams) recently introduced himself at a local networking event, and it was masterful. Why? Because he used a relevant analogy, a touch of humor, and….most importantly….I remembered it.
This professional is “referral-ready” – he came up with a brief message that accurately describes what he does, differentiates himself, and allows me to be able to refer others to him because I “get” his place in the market. Also – whenever I watch a news broadcast that includes a weather forecaster, guess who I might also think of? That’s right – the memorable financial weatherman.
He’s got a great memory dart (which is WAY better than having an elevator speech!) which lifts away any clouds of confusion about what he does.
Another gentleman (Tim Stowell) I met this week had a really helpful long-form (single-sheet) summary to help those in his network understand exactly where his sweet spot was. Here’s the outline of what he included:
What I Do
Why Do People Hire Us?
Area of Expertise
How _____ is Different from Competitors
Problems We Solve
How You Can Recognize a Great Prospect for Us
Telltale Signs That a Company Needs our Service
Isn’t that great? A short sentence or a few bullet points under each of these, and I know exactly where his marketplace “fit” is.
I’d suggest that every business professional have these two things – the referral-ready memory dart that allows others to immediately understand us, and the one-pager that spells out our sweet spot. Creating these summaries is not only crucial for communicating with others that might refer us; first and foremost, the exercise is to help us become clear on exactly what we do and who we’re seeking to do business with.
Also on the blog:
Pinpointing your marketplace “sweet spot”
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