| Dear Coach: What do you think of this "ad" for my company? I have a small company and we provide on-call HR. Basically, we do all the things a full-time HR person would do, without the full-time cost. Here's what we're using for our 30-second elevator speech, which I think you call an "ad." What do you think? "We help companies stay in compliance with human resource issues." Coach says: Thanks for writing. Sounds like a great service! About your "ad." Hmm. Well, first of all, using the word "help" makes you sound less professional. If you look up the word "help" in a dictionary, you'll note that none of the definitions mention compensation. Rather, "helping" is all about giving freely. Now, I bet your services are worth paying for, right? Using the word "help" demotes the value of your services, just a teeny bit. The statement also sounds just like every other "elevator speech." It's boring, darlink. On the other hand, your explanation of the services you provide is excellent! So change the words to be more active and see how it feels: "We do all the things a full-time HR person does, without the full-time cost." |