Each of us is a walking-talking advertisement of our public profiles and should be ever ready with a flood light to shine on our talents as and when the opportunity presents itself.

Think of yourself as one of those cars you see entirely decorated with the message of the product it is pitching. Make certain you have everything that decorated car has.  Here are some helpful analogies:

Car: Always clean and well maintained.
You: Pay attention to clothing, grooming and hygiene. 
Car: Their message is loud and clear but succinct.
You: Know your 30-second pitch.  
Car: Their contact information is on their (mobile) billboard
You: Have business/personal cards on you at all times.
Car: They never speed so you can capture what they are selling.
You: Make your pitch strikingly clear but short, leaving time for details to be absorbed.

As we grow in our professions and add more members to our professional network, here is a 3-tiered, ‘ready when you are’ template to ensure you are on your mark at all times, never to be caught off guard when asked the question: “So, what do you do?”

(1) What do you do? Hint: use your 30-second pitch and add one non-work-related trivia about yourself at the end of the pitch.
(2) Think of someone you know that has offered or is already a professional reference and memorize the top 3 reasons, you believe they are comfortable recommending you.
­(3) How are you different from your competition?

BONUS: if you are seeking referrals (B2B, job search related, other), make sure you give the person three (max) very brief but specific descriptions of your ideal referrals (business or people’s names are the most effective).