Who Are You?

2.  Who

In continuing with my first two articles this is the second question you should address when pitching, selling, informing or just presenting.   However, similar to the first Why question, this one is not a question to the audience, but a question you should answer.  Tell me, who are you? The answer is not just your name.  

The full question is: Who are you to me, to us, to your audience, to the industry you are representing?  Give a good answer to this question because, although they won’t ask it, your audience is thinking it.  The purpose of this answer is twofold; to demonstrate authority and to provide relatability.  

First, show yourself as someone in a position of authority.  Now, I don't mean that you have to be the Founding President of the International Code Council, but for us, your audience, to continue to believe and trust what you say, you have to put some professional weight behind what you are pushing. “I have been a trusted partner in this industry for 20 years.” or “My first 10 years was laboring on the service side.”

Whatever it is, you have experience; define it in simple, yet effective terms.  Don’t be self-deprecating, even in a joking way.  Don’t say “I’ve been a punching bag for the last decade.”  You want to show yourself as someone that has the capability, the competency and the qualifications that instills confidence from your clients that you, above anyone else, can provide timely solutions to their problems.     

Now, you are putting yourself up on a pedestal, but not out of reach, because the next thing you want to do is provide relatability. You want to be the friendly, helpful neighbor; the retired home builder with a full shed of tools and a head full of knowledge.  People want to relate to you, it's in our nature.  Make the connection.

Establishing common ground is not hard and it doesn’t take a lot of time, but it helps build the relationship before getting to the What of the presentation.  Granted, this is easier when you are one on one and not standing in front of 20 hardened professionals, but it can be done.  Show some humanity, some humility, and maybe even a hint of vulnerability.  

Everyone makes mistakes, so have you. Pick a time when it was funny and had little impact in the big picture. Think about and create a quick 3 sentence story that your audience can associate with and relate to.  â€œAfter 15 years of service you’d think I had seen it all; that is until this one project when...”  Telling a humorous anecdote will further lower the audience’s artificial defenses and bring the room’s pressure down to manageable proportions.   

Tell me, Why are you here, and Who are you? ‘Cause I really want to know.

I know my first article talked about asking more questions, and we will get to those next.  But you should start with, but not linger on these answers.  Remember you should have no more than 20 minutes of prepared material.  The answers to why and who should should only take 2 of these minutes.

This article was prepared solely by Alex Mathers P.E. in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the view of exp Inc.