What Do You Do — Your 20-Second Infomercial

The most commonly asked question at networking events is, “What do you do?” How you respond can be the beginning of a great business relationship. You must be prepared to answer this question in a clear, concise, enthusiastic, and memorable way––all in twenty seconds or less! This statement is called your 20-second infomercial or “hook” or “grabber.” Here are some questions to help you determine whether your personal introduction is effectively communicating who you are:

• Does my opening statement make the other person say, "Tell me more?" Your statement needs to leave your contact eager to find out more about who you are. Offer a brief and exciting description of how you serve or help people.
• Am I specific or unique enough? Make yourself stand out. Be sure to paint a word picture in the other person’s mind that is easy to visualize.
• Do I enjoy what I do and does it show? Come across as enthusiastic and upbeat. When you’re excited about your work or professional interests, you naturally come across as an energetic and passionate person.
• What benefits and solutions to problems do I provide? Offer yourself as a problem solver. Always think of how you convey what you do as a benefit to the other person or a solution to a problem.
• What makes me and my services unique? Distinguish yourself from the competition. Your grabber has to convey your exclusivity and the service you provide. Your personal introduction statement has to be particularly appealing when meeting someone for the first time. When preparing it, think about how you want to be remembered, what will make you stand out, show your uniqueness.

Think of several different introductions, based on each audience, group, market you serve—the list goes on. Keep coming up with different and unique and innovative ways to describe “who you are.”