What do you say when someone asks, "What do you do?" If you respond with "I’m a birth doula", how many people respond with a blank look on their face? How long does it take for you to then explain what it is you do, and yet, the person still doesn’t quite get it?

To make things easier, create a statement that, in about 15 words or less, describes WHAT YOU DO for women. For example, I could say to you:

"I give pregnant women guidance to help them have easier birth experiences."

In the amount of time it takes an elevator to travel one floor, I could tell you and you would more or less understand what I do. This is called an elevator speech.

What makes an elevator speech powerful?

1. It is specific, simple and brief.
2. It doesn’t contain complicated terminology, the process of how you work, or even your title.
3. It explains who you work with (pregnant women), what you do (give guidance to help them), and a benefit they receive from working with you (have easier birth experiences).
4. It more often than not encourages the person you’re speaking to respond with "Tell me more."

Time to Create Your Own Elevator Speech

To create your own elevator speech, do the following exercise:

1. Identify who your ideal customers are.
2. Name the major problem they have. Why do they need you?
3. Say what you do to help them and how?
4. What is the result they experience by working with you? What is the main benefit they see by hiring you?

For example:

1. My ideal customers are pregnant women.
2. Their major problem is that they want to feel supported during their birth experience, with physical, emotional, and informational support.
3. I help my ideal customers by giving them guidance to help their decision making process prenatally and during labor and birth.
4. As a result of working with me, they feel their labor and birth was easier to manage because of increased confidence and the ability to cope well throughout labor.

Finally, create your speech using this format:

I [what - helping verb] [who - ideal customers] [how - how you solve their problem] [result - the benefit they received from working with you]

I [what - give] [who - pregnant women] [how - guidance to help them] [result - have easier birth experiences.]

"I give pregnant women guidance to help them have easier birth experiences."

Practice Makes Perfect

Once you have an elevator speech written out, memorize it and start using it. If people express confusion more often than they’re asking for more information, revise your speech. As you gain more practice, your elevator speech will begin feeling more natural to you.

What Do I Say Next?

So you’ve said your elevator speech and are asked to speak more about what you do. Now what? We’ll take a look at what you can say after your elevator speech in the next blog post.

Have you created or refined your elevator speech? Share it with us in the comments section below or in the Savvy Doula Business Discussion Board on Facebook! Have a great day!

Tags: doula business tips, doula marketing tips, elevator speech, how to market your doula business

Other Savvy Posts You May Enjoy:

1. Day 26 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz for ‘09 – What Do You Say After Your Elevator Speech?
2. Day 27 of the Reorganize Your Doula Biz for ‘09 – What Exactly Am I Marketing, Anyway?
3. Client Attraction Tip #2 – Identify Your Ideal Client
4. Day 24 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz for ‘09 – 8 Tips For Choosing An Awesome Business Name
5. Day 22 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz for ‘09 – Marketing Basics for The Birth Professional