So you’ve worked on your elevator speech and you have a powerful statement about what you do for your ideal client. What will you say if the response you receive is “Tell me more”?

Step 1: Respond with a question or statement that describes a problem that your listener can relate to.

For example, the elevator speech I offered yesterday was, “I give pregnant women guidance to help them have easier births.”

In response to “Tell me more”, I could say: “When you or a friend was pregnant, did you have a desire to feel more supported and confident about birth, but because of mixed messages received from friends and family, doctors and the media, there was only more confusion and anxiety about labor and birth?”

By offering a situation the other person can possibly relate to, they are better able to connect with what you are saying.

To develop your own response, do the following exercise:

1. Describe your client – pregnant woman
2. Explain the situation – desire to feel more supported and confident about birth
3. What is the barrier to the situation that your clients face? – mixed messages received from friends and family, doctors and the media
4. Identify the resulting problem that your clients experience? – feeling confused and anxious instead of supported and confident about birth

Step 2: If the person you’re speaking with continues to be interested, explain your solution to the problem, which is what you have to offer.

If the person you’re speaking to can relate to what you’re saying and wants to know more, you could talk about what you do and how you do it as a solution to the problem she or others have faced.

For example, I might say, “As a birth doula, I develop a relationship with my clients during pregnancy and provide information as well as physical and emotional support during labor to help them feel confident and safe, which enables them to have an empowered birth experience.”

Exercise – What is your solution? What can you offer that will solve your client’s problems?

Step 3 – If the person you’re talking to is still interested, offer more information about how you can help

If you’re talking to a potential client, your conversation will naturally continue and evolve from this point. If you are speaking with someone who could refer business to you, explain the best way they can refer a client to you. For example, I might say, “The best way to refer clients to me is to give them my website address or phone number.” I would then offer a few of my business cards to reference or pass on.

I hope these exercises in creating your elevator speech and follow up response were helpful. Continue to work and refine both of these marketing tools. Over time, you will become more comfortable talking about the issues you solve for your clients and how you can help them.

As always, please add a comment below or send me a tweet @savvydoula.com if you have any comments or questions. Have a great evening!

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

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1. Day 25 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz for ‘09 – Do You Have a Powerful Elevator Speech?
2. Day 18 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz – Pricing Strategies
3. Marketing Tip: Presentations and Public Speaking
4. Day 11 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz – How to Organize Client Files
5. Day 27 of the Reorganize Your Doula Biz for ‘09 – What Exactly Am I Marketing, Anyway?