How to Explain What Your Business Does in 20 Seconds
“So, what do you do?”
It sounds like a simple question, but when you run a business, explaining what you do clearly can be surprisingly difficult. You might offer several services, work with different clients or simply know your business so well that it’s hard to condense it into a sentence.
But here’s why it matters: if people don’t understand what you do, they can’t come to you, let alone refer you.
Whether you’re at a networking event, meeting another business owner or introducing yourself to a potential client, a clear business introduction helps people understand, remember and recommend you.
Don’t explain everything!
Your 20-second introduction isn’t supposed to explain your entire business. Its job is simply to help someone quickly understand who you help and what you help them with.
Compare these two introductions:
“I’m an accountant. I help businesses with bookkeeping, accounts, tax returns and financial advice.”
Versus:
“I help small business owners take the stress out of their finances, keeping their accounts and taxes organised and helping them understand their numbers so they can make better business decisions.”
Both tell you what the accountant does, but the second helps you understand who they help, the problem they solve and the value they bring. This makes it much easier to remember them when someone in your network needs that support — and that’s important for referrals.
Try this simple business introduction formula
A useful place to start is with three things:
Who you help + the problem you solve + the outcome you help create.
For example:
“I work with small business owners who feel overwhelmed by their finances, helping them organise their accounts and understand their numbers so they can run their business with more confidence.”
Or:
“I’m a brand photographer working with female founders who want professional images that feel like them and help them show up confidently online.”
You don’t need to include every service, qualification or detail in that first introduction; those can come later as the conversation develops. The aim is simply to make what you do clear enough to start the right conversation.
Take the referral test
A simple way to find out whether your introduction is working is to say it to someone who doesn’t know your business particularly well and ask them: “Who would you refer to me?”
If they can immediately picture the type of person who might need your service, you’re probably communicating clearly. If they’re unsure, your message may still be too broad.
A strong introduction doesn’t just tell people what you do; it teaches them when to think of you. You might not be in the room when someone asks, “Does anyone know somebody who can help me with…?”, but someone in your network might be. The clearer they are about your business, the easier it is for your name to come to mind.
As Muslim women, we know that our rizq ultimately comes from Allah, but we also take the means: we show up, build relationships and make it clear how we can serve others. Sometimes opportunities come directly to us, and sometimes they come through a conversation, introduction or connection we never expected.
Your 20-second challenge
Before your next networking event or business meeting, think about these three questions:
Who do I most want to work with?
What problem are they experiencing when they need me?
What changes for them after working with me?
Use your answers to create one or two sentences and practise saying them aloud. It doesn’t need to sound like a rehearsed elevator pitch; in fact, it’s better if it doesn’t. It simply needs to sound like you while being clear and memorable.
Building relationships that lead to referrals
This is one of the principles we put into practice within the Muslim Women’s Business Network (MWBN). Through regular meetings, member introductions, business spotlights, accountability and Give & Receive sessions, our members have the opportunity to properly understand one another’s businesses.
Meaningful business referrals rarely come from exchanging a business card once. They come from clarity, trust and relationships built over time.
So, could someone in your network confidently explain what you do in 20 seconds? If not, that might be a very good place to start.
Looking for meaningful business networking for Muslim women?
MWBN brings Muslim women in business together to build genuine professional relationships, grow their networks, create accountability and generate opportunities for one another.
Discover MWBN membership and apply to join our Manchester network.
