When someone asks you at Networking - What do you do? What do you say?

I help my clients to work out what their Marketing strategy should be, then I help them to spend less more effectively and get better results, which means that their companies grow.

With considerable difficulty.

I had a blinding revelation - organic SEO - no one knows what I am on about! So now I just give 2 testimonials and announce a special offer, it's tempting to give some stats...I can see the eyes glaze over...

I help companies to prevent accidents and ill-health, and to stay on the right side of the law.

I want you to stay legal and not be fined for not having a fire risk assessment, ask if you  have a continuity plan if your business premises go up in smoke, and ask if you have a recovery plan, somewhere to go if your business goes up in smoke, then usually finish on a funny, wakes them up again.

We reduce the risk of Slip Trip & Fall accidents.

Some interesting responses so far... thank you and keep them coming !!

I think the common ground in these responses is :-

Keep it simple, Keep it short, Make it memorable, Talk benefits not features.

And about 90% of 40 seconds I've heard don't follow this approach, which is probably why I've forgotten them.

I help people in a raft of different ways, put people in touch left right and centre who i think can help eachother. First, tell me what you do..

;-)

An elevator pitch is meant to be something that screens in people who are interested while screening out those who are not interested. Something that is tempting enough that the listener will ask for more if that is a topic they care about. You should get an "Oh, tell me more" or a similar response if the person has an interest. 

When a person stands up to deliver a 40 second pitch, it should be the exact same. I like to say people should say just enough to get a date and you want 3 dates each breakfast. Where the date will go is anybody's guess. You only want to get to the next step in the process. To open the coversation as opposed to book the sale.

We help clients understand and plan their finances better.

Thank you everyone for your contributions so far... interesting indeed to see how people have responded... from the 'actual response' to what people think the response should be i.e. how it is constructed and also extending this to how a 40 seconds might emerge from the initial 'what do you do' reply.

Keep them coming please... I an intrigued indeed by the responses....