Networking Tips #28 It's Not Who You Are ...

I am an accountant... 

... it's what you do and who you do it for.

If you're lost for words when it comes to introducing yourself to people or standing up and delivering your 60 seconds, try this as part of your introduction, your one minute, your elevator pitch at network meetings or when asked "What do you do?"

Rather than say "I'm an Accountant" (people will have instantly associate you with their impression of an accountant) - say:
"I help people increase their bottom line by ..." or
"I enable people to keep more of their money ... "

Think about what you do and craft it into one carefully worded sentence.  You'll need to put some thought into this and practice it.  It's not something that tends to trip easily off the tongue.  What is the benefit that you bring to your clients?  What problem is it that you solve?  Try it out in a few different ways until you come up with something you feel comfortable with.

If you've captured the person's interest enough to find out more, the response you want is "How do you do that?"

Follow this up with "I work with people who ... " or "I'm looking for people who ..." - here you can get more specific about your ideal client.

(Photo credit: david anderson : da-photography)