The hardest question in business

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Leanne Hoagland-Smith. | Provided photo~Sun-Times Media

Updated: December 5, 2011 8:44AM

The hardest question for any business owner to answer and along with the correct response to potentially deliver the greatest increase in sales is this one “What do you do?”

The reason why this is such a hard question is one confusion and time. Small business owners, sales professionals to business executives confuse the how of what they do with the “what” of what they do. Then time being limited, they fail to generate a compelling 5- to 7-second response to generate this response “Tell me more” or “Let’s schedule a time to talk.”

The how of the “what” any organization be it for profit or not for profit are the solutions being offered. These solutions are the products or services that range from retail specialty goods to business luncheons to physically manufactured products to professional services from accounting to executive consulting to marketing.

Now the “what,” aah, that is entirely different and escapes even the best of small business owners. The “what” centers around the value you as the solution provider bring to the buying decision table. In some instances this value can be results and it is rarely ever features or benefits. However in most instances, the value has already been predetermined by the buyer or by past clients.

For example, Tony Schifino, who owns AJ Specialties in Merrillville, sells unique specialty gifts and logo sportswear. His selling of these items is the how of what he does along with all those other specialty stores.

Now the “what” is Tony turns the average, common to boring shopping experience into an exceptional one. He not only engages with every customer, but his attention to detail from the packaging to the walking customers out to their cars makes stopping into his store an absolute delight. Then he shares on various social media platforms his thanks for your patronage. Once you have his exceptional customer shopping experience frequenting other establishments is an emotional letdown.

Another business that works in local to national market place is Legacy Environmental Services Inc., also from Merrillville. The “what” of this firm is about leading transformational community change. When businesses make more thoughtful decisions about the impact of their behaviors and consequently operations on the environment through the solutions provided by Legacy Environmental, communities experience transformational change.

By understanding the “what” of your business, provides clarity not only for you, but for your customers both internal and external.

When small businesses that function in both a local to a global market can succinctly state “what” they do, they will stand out in the crowd, be the “red jacket,” as I have come to say. Their response to the “what do you do?” question will have people engaging with them; wanting to learn more about them and reflects the two-fold purpose of marketing to attract attention and to build relationships. Additionally by understanding the “what” of what you do provides clarity not only for you, but for your customers both internal and external. Clarity reduces effort and increase results.

So if you are in real estate, you do not sell houses. What you may do is to make family memories.

If you are a restaurant, you do not sell food. What you may do is provide quality time for friends and families to share their daily events.

Or if you are in accounting, you do not prepare tax reports. What you may do is create peace of mind free time.

Discovering the “what” of what you do is an investment of time including trial and error. And, there is always the chance that someone else may hear your well researched response and copy it. This means you must always be forward thinking, ahead of the flow or in the words of Wayne Gretsky “skate to where the puck will be, not where it is.”

P.S, Shout Out: The Whistle Stop in Porter provides homemade soup and other delights in a turn of the century local pub. Over in Hammond, The Flat Rock Tap is another small pub with good food.