Written by Elena Sharnoff, B Strategic Communications
The reason you started your business is because you’ve got lots of strengths. Except that when it comes to actually articulating your strengths, it starts to get hard. So much so that you put it off. Or you stumble your way through your business summary, and kick yourself afterwards.
Describing your business is hard because we feel uncomfortable blowing our own horns. And, there are so many awesome aspects that it’s hard to compress them into a short statement. And, because we feel that our business is so unique that how could we possibly express how unique it is?
Here are some easy tips to help you come up with a powerful message:
Make it fun, fast, and focused I recommend using a timer or a Pomodoro-like app to help you stay focused and reduce anxiety.
Three magic words
A great start is to sum up your strengths in three bold words. You’ve seen this trio in action in ads, LinkedIn profiles, and business descriptions–that’s because the right three words can be really compelling. Luckily, it really is fun to come up with some great words!
Try this exercise: write down as many words about your business as you can in 1-2 minutes. Then look through them and chose three!
Takeaway: You can always revisit this exercise at a later date, but all it took was a few minutes to zero in on some key descriptors of your business.
Mad Libs
Now that you’ve got some confidence with your trio of trusty words, try moving on to a sentence description. For fun, treat it like a Mad Libs party game!
Try this exercise: Fill in the blanks with as many appropriate words as possible in 2-3 minutes.
My business provides ___________ (services, products, cool things) to ___________ (clients). What makes what my business offers special is ___________.
Takeaway: once you’ve come up with some words for those blanks, you can start to play around with the entire sentence and make it your own.
Liberating your WHY
Finally, showcase your business why. Your why is what inspires you, what makes you excited about your business, and what makes you a great resource for others.
Try this exercise: Complete the sentence in 5-10 minutes: Here’s what inspires/excites me about my business: ___________.
Takeaway: You probably were able to come up with something pretty good here. Amazing what some focus, confidence, and playfulness can do!
Polish, Practice, and Publicize
Now that you’ve written lots strengths about your business, take some time to polish your message. Practice that business introduction so it feels comfortable to share it. And, select your favorite message and put it in prominent places: Your business card. Your website. Your social media About page. Your LinkedIn profile. Your Google My Business profile. Up, up, and away!
Elena Sharnoff, owner of B Strategic Communications, loves helping businesses and non-profits showcase stories and connect with audiences through well-crafted websites and strategic messaging. She offers 25+ years of expertise in strategic communications & marketing, branding & messaging, website design & functionality, multimedia content, and audience building. She draws on a combination of technical knowledge and communications expertise to create custom-made, highly functional websites and messaging designed for visibility and impact. Contact Elena for a free consult!
https://www.b-strategic-communications.com/
