Let’s Play a Game — What’s Your Home Business?
“So what do you actually do for a living?”
This question came to me in an email from somebody I know. I clicked ‘reply’ and was all set to type out an answer when something very disturbing occurred to me. This person reads my blog.
Not just casual reading. Not just you-say-you-read-it-but-I-call-bullshit. The person who wrote this email has commented frequently and we’ve shared emails back and forth on several occasions. I would have thought they would have known.
I took a moment to get all up in arms about how they haven’t been paying attention. Then I got over it. If they don’t know what I do for a living, it’s not exactly their fault, is it?
How many of your readers don’t know about your home business?
I got to thinking… how many of your readers don’t know about your home business? How many knew one time 8 months ago when they read your About page but have promptly forgotten? How many of them have room on their credit cards? How many of them know people who could use your products or services? How many of them would fall over their own feet to recommend you but don’t have a damn clue what you really do?
Scary stuff, y’all.
So here’s the game. Take these questions, and your answers, to your own blog. Let the people know what you do when you’re not blogging. They might comment, they might buy, they might be bored into a trance-like state. Doesn’t matter. They’ll know.
The people want to know.
This does not only apply to home business blogs. Let’s face it, if you read Men with Pens and you don’t know what they do for a living you’re probably doing so with the monitor off.
This is for people who are just starting their home business or haven’t started it yet but need to build some anticipation or those who blog in a completely different area than their field of work. This is for people who just got some new readers from a nice link and the new readers don’t know them yet. This is for people who don’t yet have a home business but want to get to know their readers a little better.
It also could be for people who don’t have a damn clue what they’re going to write about tomorrow.
Here are the interview questions. There are no swear words in them so you’re free to cut and paste.
What’s your game? What do you do?
Why do you do it? Do you love it, or do you just have one of those creepy knacks?
Who are your customers? What kind of people would need or want what you offer?
What’s your marketing USP? Why should I buy from you instead of the other losers?
What’s next for you? What’s the big plan?
I’ll compile a list of everybody’s links so if you have readers who might want to get in, let ‘em know.
***
Overwhelmed? Freaking out? Borderline hysterical? Click here to get your own micro-business marketing plan. It’s not scary, I promise.
Will you answer these questions too?
I LOL’ed.
@ Vered — Yup. When I do the roundup. (This is a euphemism for “When I think of something intelligent to say.”)
:-) Just for you, MM.
On that, I was saying to Jamie the other day, “I think I like Michael Martine even more because he has the same initials as Michael.” When writing emails, our oldest is simply “MM”.
Good. Because I will confess that I love reading you, but am not 100% clear on whether you might be useful, to me or to someone I know, in real life.
Great idea, Naomi! I’d love to particpate. But um… when’s the deadline? I need time to “think of something intelligent to say,” too. LOL :D
I think I will do this even though I have no room for clients except the ones who want to write me $10K checks for eating french fries and posting on Twitter.
I’m all over this. I have to do it anyway. You know, for life and stuff.
I know what you do. It’s all good. No one else needs to know. It can be our little secret.
[...] what do we do? Naomi Dunford at Ittybiz throws up the idea and I love games where I am the centre of attention so here [...]
Mine’s up (yeah, I had nothing better to write about).
I’ll play too.
[...] Naomi at Ittybiz was asked a question about what exactly it is that she does. Heh. This question came to me in an email from somebody I know. I clicked ‘reply’ and was all set to type out an answer when something very disturbing occurred to me. This person reads my blog. [...]
I think that not only do some people read our blog with the monitor off, they do so with their eyes closed.
You would not *believe* the number of people who email me and ask, “Uh… Do you guys write content as well as do design?” or “Uh… can you do a nice banner for me or do you just set up WP blogs?”
*blink* Let’s see. About Us, check. Our Services, check. Our content, our design, our blog services, our consultation, check. Our ebook, check…
Lesson to all: When you think you are absolutely crystal clear about what you do, there are some people who will always prove you wrong.
However. Do not lose sleep. If 90% of people GET what you do, those 10% of people can be gently informed without anyone panicking and overhauling their blog design and content.
Oh, and if you do decide to do that because only 10% of people know what you do and 90% don’t? Hire us. We know how to get your message across :)
I’ll do this thingy – thanks, Naomi!
“What’s in a name? That which we call a meme
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
I feel myself being sucked in…
I’ll write it this afternoon while daughter is at doctor appointment.
BTW, Naomi, I got that same question two days ago from a loyal reader. I’m thinking maybe the same loyal reader. [If you're reading, Hi!] I did not have that how-come-she-doesn’t-know-reaction, I just figured she wanted to be accurate. Leave it to you to put a whole different spin on it and make me feel insecure.
Nah, too cocky for that…
;)
Regards,
Kelly
Great questions and perfect timing for me as I enter a phase of refocus. This forces me to get the updated message out there! Will have answers up by Friday. Thanks for making me think a little bit!
A good reminder to find a way on most pages of a site or a blog to “tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em;
then tell ‘em;
then tell ‘em what you told ‘em.”
Naomi’s blog is so edutaining, in so many areas, I can understand how someone may not totally grasp all that ItyBiz iz.
As many visitors are skimming, just looking for keywords they think they’re looking for, keeping info short, punchy, and in versions fit for all types of potential clients works well. And some visitors may have read and understood what you do, but want to hear it in a more personal delivery to determine how it might best work for their needs. Not everyone knows what they need; they’re hoping to discover that you do know what they need and will deliver it.
If I had only enjoyed the blog for these last few weeks without diving into the archives and topic posts, I might think Naomi was a “reality therapist” (getting my head straight most mornings), or a “sit down comic” (riffing on the unique life of blogger-with-toddler), or a “critic at large” (pointing out to do as she says, not as she does.)
Just because Naomi offers XYZ services doesn’t mean I can’t get ABC benefits from her (her blog, her consulting, and her tutorial posts.) A perfect answer from Naomi to “what do you do?” could just as well be “I screw heads on straight, in which direction do you want to look?”
Keep up the good work.
What?!!! We have to use words?!!! Isn’t drawing them a picture enough??? Damn Itty Biz. Are you a pushy broad, like those Men With Mens? Always giving us a shove. Hmm, now how am I going to fit this in? There will be a Moleskine involved. Count on it. ;-)
Jan
The commenters here have some good blogs!
I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.
And I really like you.
So I’m not going to tell you.
:P
PS – in all seriousness, some information to follow – stay tuned…
(and I’ll probably be calling you soon, finally – I’ll need your expertise)
I’m all in.
:)
& kid will apparently survive latest bout of something nasty. Mother has had it, however.
I call it the 30 second pitch. As written word you need to get your message accross in one paragraph — what you do and what makes you special. The pitch should be the first thing on your home page.
Hmmmmmmm,
Think think think….
scratching head…..
I haven’t thought of anything yet.
That’s why I am just writing away, every day and not selling anything.
Lalalala….
This is a good focus…These questions are going in my journal.
Thanks
[...] I was planning to write about this superlicious book that I’m reading right now until I read IttyBiz’s post. [...]
[...] to be less her nemesis and more her bitch, if you know what I mean, and I think we all do. She put a thing up on her blog yesterday that challenged all of us who blog to answer a couple of simple questions about what it [...]
Hi Naomi
Thanks for the questions. Reading your post this morning gave me my blog topic for the day. It also helped me reflect on what we do and why we do the things we do in our small business. It was a catalyst which helped me blog about what I do, breaking it down into real work. It helped me see the value of what I do daily. And more than that, it helped me write the kind of copy I want to see in our newly revamped website. Thanks for the marvellous idea!
Whew. OK, I’m in.
HAHAHA!!
@ Kelly – I NEVER CALLED IT A MEME.
@ Postcard-what? – AWESOME.
Did mine last night. I should create a whole bunch of interesting questions like this and use them to build blog posts around, it’s fun to write a post by answering a question.
The “meme” thing annoys me, because it’s not a meme–in fact, the whole idea of doing these games on blogs is itself a meme. But I can’t come up with a better term for them so I give up.
Righto. I accept the challenge! I don’t have an About page (yes, I know…I’m getting off Blogger and onto my own domain very, very soon), so this should be pretty illuminating:
http://technosyncrocity.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-do-i-do.html
@James –
*Writing*? I thought you guys KILLED people by shooting them. From the hip. Sheesh, I need a new monitor.
@Naomi –
Please let me know when you have a cut/paste version full of choice expletives. I mean, c’mon, be professional – that’s what I come here for!
Thanks, Naomi. This ‘game’ helped me get myself clear on who my customers are and exactly what I’m doing for them. Here’s my link:
http://www.artbyanima.com/blog/2008/04/my-small-business-is-painting-women.html
[...] wants to play a game. I’m in. Here’s how it starts: “So what do you actually do for a [...]
What a simple way to go at such a hard subject. In its simplicity it’s also scary stuff. Applicable to personal brand and larger enterprises. Great post.
What do I do? I write. I publish under a half a dozen names in both fiction and non-fiction, as well as running Fearless Ink, the business writing arm of the freelance writing business. I’ve worked backstage in theatre, film, and television for over twenty years, and, until I switched to full-time writing last year, for the last ten, ran dual careers.
I LOVE what I do. Writing is breathing to me. It allows me to follow anything that interests me and communicate that passion to others.
My clients are wide-ranging and varied, in all walks of life. If a client is passionate about a path, I’m passionate about getting the word out.
Why me? Because I’m an excellent writer, a reliable vendor, and can get the job done. Fearless Ink’s motto is: Excellent writing meets smart business for outstanding results.
What’s the plan? To follow my bliss. To continue finding those people who are passionate about what they do and get out the word about them in the business, and to write about whatever I wish in the fiction and article arenas of my writing. In other words, to live the life I want and tell stories about it.
Hey, N, I just called you an expert on “hookers and blow” marketing in comments over at my place, I think you should use it for another stupid tag line. Just saying.
I don’t know what I do and never have known.
Sometimes I answer that with “I do as little as possible for as much money as I can get” and really, that’s closer to the truth than anything else would be.
I wrote about this once
( http://aplawrence.com/Opinion/what-do-you-do.html)
and was surprised at how many other folks said they have no idea what they do either (and do fine without knowing).
I wanna play. Twice. But I can’t till the weekend.
The questions are pasted on every monitor, mirror and fridge I use. They were on the windshield but it got dangerous fast.
I. Will. Do. This.
@ Mark — You’re cool. Lotsa time.
[...] Yesterday. Didn’t I cuss when I was describing what I did for a living yesterday? For that thing Naomi has us all doing? I did cuss, didn’t I. [...]
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I did it! I did it! Thank you for the inspiration. Mine published this morning. :)
I’ve got to say, this took me longer than I expected… but what a great exercise, thanks!
OK, Naomi, you probably won’t like my answers or my opinion, but I posted this: http://aplawrence.com/Misc/whats-your-game.html
[...] Last week, Naomi over at Itty Biz posed a thoughtful question to her readers: Let’s Play a Game – What’s Your Small Business? [...]
Woohoo! And now my post is up! :)
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HEY! I just found out about this, so I’m going to do it on my blog too. Great idea!
I’ll be on this in a flash v v soon :)
Finally, mine is done. Took a little longer than expected!
[...] Under advice from marketing genius IttyBiz I’ve answered a few questions that my readers will be wondering. What’s your game? What do [...]
This was a great marketing/branding exercise. I posted the questions and answered them on my blog, and I gave you a link from the Virtual Assistant Forums so hopefully other VA’s will do the same with their blogs. Here are my answers:
http://mymarketingdesign.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/what-makes-your-small-business-unique/
Your blog is so entertaining that I don’t even realize I’m learning something at the same time. Sneaky! Thanks a bunch.
Yvone
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