S2 E4 - Ditch the Pitch: How to Craft the Perfect Introduction with Clay Hebert

The average person gets asked, “What do you do?” three times per day.

That’s over 1,000 times per year!

If the question is so common, it’s worth developing a good answer. Yet most people never do.

This is for two reasons.

First, most people are never taught how to introduce themselves. It’s hard to be good at something you never learn.

Second, if we do get taught, it’s often in the form of an elevator pitch. But everyone hates those—they feel clunky, awkward, and contrived.

Despite never learning how to introduce ourselves, a few pervasive myths hurt our introductions.

The 3 Myths of Introductions

Myth #1: Introductions Should Be 100% Complete

While we all feel pressure to include everything in an introduction, you shouldn’t.

It’s an introduction, not a biography.

If your introduction is “complete,” it won’t be interesting. It’s far better to reveal new layers over time, as you get to know someone.

Myth #2: Introductions Should Be About You

It’s natural to talk about yourself during an introduction.

We all know the basic details: I studied here, I work there, etc.
But the best introductions aren’t about yourself; they’re about the people you help.

Good intros frame how you add value to the world instead of which groups you belong to.

Myth #3: Introductions Should Be 100% Accurate

A third temptation is to include every detail of what you do in an introduction.

I mean, they did ask, didn’t they?

Instead of sharing a ton of details, keep your introduction short. This helps them latch onto the most important information, prepares them to ask questions, and launches a conversation.

Introduction Frameworks

With these myths out of the way, it’s time to create your own introduction.

There are two common strategies:

Strategy #1: Transformation Story

The first introduction goes like this:

I help + [the group you serve] + [what you help them achieve or become]

For example, Clay Hebert says, “I help entrepreneurs fund their dreams.”

And he does—he’s been the mastermind behind hundreds of successful Kickstarter campaigns.

So, what about you? Who do you serve? What do you help them achieve or become?

Draft a few options and see what feels natural, but don’t feel pressure to perfect one. We’ll talk about refining introductions in a moment.

Strategy #2: Introduction by Analogy

The second introduction follows a different formula: I’m [X] for [Y].

For example, a career coach might say, “I’m a personal trainer for your brain.”

Like the first strategy, this introduction isn’t complete. But it does prompt questions.

In fact, prompting questions is the hallmark of a good first line. It gets the conversation going and allows you to expand on your initial introduction. And if you answer these questions by telling client success stories, a good conversation can even bring in new business.

By the way, this works for companies, too.

Varun Puri, Co-Founder of Yoodli, once told me, “We’re Grammarly for speech.” After just one line, I bet you have a guess about what they do—and several questions about how they do it.

Refining Your Intro

Once you have the first iteration of your opening line, start practicing it. Pay special attention to how people respond. Are they confused? Distracted? Curious? Excited?

Use this feedback to tweak your introduction, perpetually improving it over time.

As you improve, remember there’s no such thing as a “perfect” introduction. No matter how good your opening line gets, you’ll still adjust it based on who you’re meeting.

Closing Thought

As Clay Hebert says, we know the question that’s going to be on the test for the rest of our lives.

People will always ask, “So, what do you do?”

Use these tools to craft introductions that spark good conversations and great relationships.

Download the Full Book! [PDF]


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