How to tell others what you do

Like many of you, when networking, Colm used to think it was entirely logical to introduce himself with his job title. He used this when he presented, when he was at networking events, and in meetings.

He’d begin with:

“Hi, I’m Colm and I’m a Strategic Technical Advisor.”

Cue polite smiles. Blank stares. Maybe a slow blink or two.

So Colm tries again:

“I do the planning to leverage the technical systems.”

Still no clue. Nice chap, sure. But what does he actually do?

When you introduce yourself—whether in a presentation or to a colleague—leaning solely on your job title is more likely to stall the conversation than spark it. It’s too vague to prompt anything beyond a polite nod or a puzzled, “Huh, okay.” That’s when they tune out as people can’t be bothered with the guesswork.

Take the title Chief Operating Officer: in one company, it might mean overseeing global partnerships; in another, their focus might be on internal processes optimisation. Same job title but completely different roles.

It’s not that you can’t state your job title at all. Only that relying solely on that will have the impact of a wet firework.

The way you introduce yourself professionally, otherwise called the ‘Elevator Pitch’, has the potential to be so powerful that it can open opportunities up for you within the first couple of minutes of a conversation. This is how a short, sharp structure can do exactly that.

Why Your Elevator Pitch Matters

Let’s say you meet Colm at an external event. He drops “leveraging technical systems” into the conversation and your brain quietly exits stage left. You start scanning the room for escape routes.

Now imagine you bump into Colm at work. You still don’t know what he does, which is unfortunate—because he’s the guy who helps clients tailor risk-mitigation software so they only get what they actually need. And guess what? You need him.

But because Colm’s intro was had more fog than function, he’s not part of your solution. Consquently, you both lose out.

As in Colm’s situation, if people don’t understand what you do, you risk missing out on:

• Collaboration opportunities

• Promotions

• Projects that light you up

A vital element of your communication skills centres on how you introduce yourself in a range of situations. Yet so many introductions are no more than a bland band of buzzwords.  They way you talk about what you do – your ‘Elevator Pitch’ needs to be phrased in a way that’s both clear and piques interest.

Reel Them In with The Hook

Instead of sounding like a talking business card once you’ve been asked what you do, give some ‘conversational bait’ to make others want to know more. This will be your ‘hook’.

Hooks are:

• Focused on the problem you solve
• Engaging
• Conversational

Hook Type 1: The Problem as a Question

Risk Manager: “You know how cyberattacks seem to be growing more frequent and sneaky?”

Entrepreneur of plant-based vapes: “You know how people start vaping and then can’t kick the nicotine addiction?”

These open the door to empathy and relevance. You’re inviting a reaction that will gain you feedback you need to gauge interest and personalisation while still keeping a conversational element.

Often, this might lead to the other person regaling you with a story you’ve triggered, making the launch into the Elevator Pitch feel like an inconspicuous glide.

Hook Type 2: Weirdness, Humour, Intrigue

Before I give my ‘Elevator Pitch’, I often lead with:

“People skills for geeks.”

Always raises a smile. Always starts a conversation.

Here are a few more examples:

• Product Manager:

“The art of turning chaos into reality.”

• Software Architect:

“I build castles in the cloud – metaphorically speaking, of course.”

• Engineer:

“Basically, I figure out how systems can fail fabulously to get them to succeed seamlessly.”

These hooks spark curiosity and make your workplace communication instantly more memorable.

The Power Of The Hook

When you throw out your hook, people will often start connecting with their own need for your service. For example, with the Engineer above, they may start describing how their own engineers are battling related issues.  This gives a chance to tweak your Elevator Pitch, below, so that it’s customised to that individual’s needs.

A better way to introduce yourself

If the other person signals that they want to know more, then you can use this structure, which is the Elevator Pitch.

I HELP [your audience]
DO [the thing you help them achieve]
SO THAT [the benefit or outcomes they get]

Let’s give Colm a makeover:

“I HELP external clients

CHOOSE the right combination of technical solutions

SO THAT they get the best options for their customer success management.”

Now we’re talking. His listeners might even lean in and ask, “How?”Boom—conversation started. Networking skills activated.

Here’s mine:

“I HELP specialists in tech

BECOME communication experts

SO THAT they can present with power, tell stories that stick, and manage up, down, and sideways.”

There’s no jargon or fluff. Go for clarity. Be concise. Then you can get on with building on the connection you’ve started.

Expanding Your Elevator Pitch

Once you’ve caught their interest, the next question will often be ‘How?’.

Don’t go into reams of detail. This chat is often a preliminary to a fuller conversation or proposal.  A short ‘Pain-Pivot-Prize’ story will be likely to incite enough curiosity to push the interaction on to the next stage.

Colm’s anecdote might centre on a client similar to the person with whom they’re taking, focusing on how they took a chaotic patch of CMS systems that didn’t talk to each other and consolidated them into a custom-build hub. The result is that customer tickets are dealt with quicker and Customer Success ratings have shot up. Here’s a quick framework you can use.

Longer Elevator Pitches

Think of Elevator Pitches as accordions. When I work with startup founders on their pitches, it’s common that a three-minute one is necessary.  Here’s the structure for that particular situation.

Common Intro Slip-ups

• Hiding behind your job title thinking it explains everything.
• Using vague verbs like “support” or “facilitate” (what does that even mean?)
• Forgetting the benefit—what’s in it for them? What outcomes do people gain working with you?

The Triple Pitch

Often you need one Elevator Pitch for yourself, one for your department – more common in Enterprise companies –  and one for your company if you’re networking on their behalf. This needs to be agreed internally to be on-brand and consistent. That’s the sort of thing I do with companies, in case you’re wondering…

Your Actions:

1. Next time, you need to introduce yourself, use the HOOK and I HELP / DO/ SO THAT structure.
2. Need this for your team or company? Share it, creating a coherent message among clients, prospects, investors and other stakeholders.
3. Practise in low risk situations. Check how your hook and pitch land. See what feels comfortable. Tweak what works then use it.

Need more support with your communication skills? Getting your Elevator Pitch right during Networking Skills Training is one of many elements I cover. Go here if you’re aiming to become less vanilla and more THRILLER with your Communication Skills. 

Get in touch with me here and book a free 15-minute Discovery Call.