Recently, I presented my Hidden Job Market workshop to a new audience of business professionals in Atlanta, Georgia. I incorporated a concept I use in my Personal Branding Workshops – called “Verbal Business Cards.” Interestingly, this topic garnered the most questions and the most follow up emails. I’d like to share this concept with you.
Most people are familiar with a standard, business card & use it regularly in their job search and at networking events. However, if you haven’t heard of a verbal business card, you have missed out on 50% of your networking effectiveness. You need to create a verbal sound-bite!
A Verbal Business Card helps employers and contacts understand the type of opportunity you want and the benefits you can provide. This type of business card conveys your value and promotes your USP – Unique Selling Proposition.
In today’s economy in particular, you will need to differentiate yourself from the competition, by being: *more prepared, *more polished and *more succinct.
Ask yourself these questions:
What is your goal in speaking with this person?
What does this person or employer need?
What problems do they have, which you can solve? (remember to listen)
How can you offer solutions to their problems?
What makes you unique?
You must demonstrate your ROI, the return on investment if an employer was to hire you. In business, the ROI relates to how quickly a business expense can generate revenue.
*If you were hired, how quickly could you generate revenue for the employer?
*How quickly could you add to the bottom line by understanding the company’s main motivators?
Your Verbal Business Card, must link your past experience, to the main employer motivators.
Employer Motivators
•Make money
•Save money
•Save time
•Make work easier
•Solve a specific problem
•Make the company more competitive
•Build teams or enhance relationships with customers
•Expand business
•Attract new customersRetain existing customers
You need to emphasize your benefits, instead of features of your qualifications.
My features include: (save your features for your resume)
· Master’s educated, Global MBA Career Advisor…. Yawn
· 15 years experience as an International Career Management Consultant … double yawn.
· Co-chair of the National Career Management Conference of Canada…triple yawn
My benefits : (save your benefits for your Verbal Business Card)
· Equip job seekers with insider strategies to shorten their overall job search timeline
· Help people who feel stuck in their careers uncover new career options & find work-life balance
· Help people eliminate the guesswork & frustration from career transition.
With hundreds of people, vying for a limited pool of jobs, you need to emphasize your ROI your USP and the BENEFITS you can provide a prospective employer.
What are you better at, than others who have similar credentials?
What is your DIFFERENTIATOR?
In order to set yourself apart from the pack, you need to answer these questions and answer them well. Then, you will be on your way, to creating a Verbal Business Card.
Author:
© 2009 - All Rights Reserved - Sharon Cohen MA,CPRP, Global MBA Career Advisor at Robinson College of Business in Georgia State University. Career Management Consultant in Private Practice. LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonbcohenma.
Her Verbal Business Card
· Equipping job seekers with insider strategies to shorten their overall job search timeline.
· Helping clients who feel stuck in their careers uncover new career options
· Helping clients eliminate the guesswork & frustration from career transition.
Atlanta Speed Networking & presentation "The Verbal Business Card." Thursday, June 11th. Open to the public.
http://netcommunity.gsu.edu/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=292&srcid=251
