My Pro-Log

Whether you work in a retail store pushing carts or you own your own company, you will be asked the question, “What do you do?” At that point you’ve just been given the power to make a meaningful contact or a lost opportunity. With the meaningful contact could come a future job, client, friend or opportunity, but the lost opportunity is exactly that. It’s an opportunity to engage and make a great first impression that you will never get back.

The difference between the two?
Your answer!

Your answer to this question has the power to take an opportunity and turn it into something great. If you’re prepared with the best answer…one that catches the attention of the listeners, engages them, creates a sense of curiosity and finishes with lighter conversation…you will be amazed at what opportunities come your way.

Here are a few tips to prepare you to give the best answer to the question, “What do you do?”

Catch the Attention of the Listener(s)
Your job tittle and company are not interesting, so find something else that is interesting. I purposefully leave out the name of my company until the end of my conversation, because no one really wants to know what company I work for, they want to know more about what I do everyday.

My example:
“I work with a company that protects employees, just like yourself, from catastrophic events that are potentially financially destroying.”

Engage The Listeners
The reason why someone asked you what you do for a living is because they wanted to start a conversation, so include them in your answer; bring them back into the conversation every other sentence. Create a conversation that they are involved in. If you do this correctly you are bringing them along with you instead of talking into the air.

My example:
“You know what they are right? [brief pause] Cancer, accidents, and intensive care situations like heart attacks, strokes, and premature births.”

Create Curiosity
At the end you probably do want to let the listeners know what company you work for, but if you’ve prepared your answer this well so far, then the listeners are already curious as to what company you work for. Since my company is well known I have some fun with creating even more curiosity.

My example:
“You already know what company I work for don’t you. It’s huge, the largest in the world of it’s kind. Our clients are Wal-Mart, UPS, and the US Government”

Finish with Lighter Conversation
The last part of your best answer should launch the conversation in a lighter direction. After your done ask a question about the persons experience or opinion as it relates to your company/job. This will let the conversation go much longer and it allows the person to speak in terms of you and your profession.

My example:
“I work for Aflac! You know, the company with the crazy duck commercials. Which one is your favorite?”

What do you do? That is the question. When someone asks you this question, they are, most likely, looking for a piece of information to build a conversation on. Go ahead and be prepared to give them the conversation they want. I promise, you will be amazed at the opportunities that build from being prepared with the best answer.