How to Write an "I Help" Statement That Attracts Ideal Clients

"What do you do?" 

How do you answer this question at networking events?

Do you stumble through a generic explanation about "helping businesses" while watching their eyes glaze over. Meanwhile, the consultant next to you has prospects leaning in, asking for their card. The difference? They have a razor-sharp "I help" statement that makes people stop and listen.

Your "I help" statement is your positioning anchor in a crowded marketplace. Without it, you're just another "consultant" competing on price and availability. When you can clearly articulate exactly who you serve, what transformation you provide, and what outcome they can expect, you attract ideal clients while repelling poor fits and make all your marketing conversations infinitely easier.

The "I help" statement format:
👉 I help [who] [do what] so they can [outcome]. 👈

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Being too broad with the "who." Saying you help "small businesses" doesn't give prospects enough specificity to see themselves in your message. Fear of narrowing down stems from worry about missing opportunities, but vague targeting actually repels ideal clients who want specialists. 
2. Being too generic with the "do what." Saying you provide "business consulting" or "marketing services" doesn't differentiate you from thousands of other providers, making it impossible for prospects to understand your unique value. Potential clients need to immediately see that you can solve their specific problem, not wonder what you actually do. 
3. Being too vague with the "outcome." Promising outcomes like "increase efficiency" or "improve performance" doesn't create urgency or justify investment because prospects can't visualize the concrete impact on their business. Potential clients need to see specific, measurable results that directly address their pain points to understand the true value of working with you. 

Your "I help" statement must speak to a specific person with a specific problem and promise a concrete, measurable outcome.

Imagine that you are a self-employed consultant who is struggling with feast-or-famine cycles. You and I are at a networking event and you ask me what I do. 

If I told you that "I help consultants with business development so they can grow their practice", would you be at all inclined to ask me to tell you more?

What if I told you that "I help self-employed consultants who struggle with feast-or-famine cycles build predictable lead generation systems so they can generate 3-5 qualified leads per week and eliminate the stress of wondering where their next project will come from"? 

The second version would probably have you reaching for my business card, right?

That's the power of specificity.

Your "I help" statement isn't just a networking tool—it's the foundation of everything from your website copy to your LinkedIn profile to your sales conversations. When you get this right, marketing becomes easier because you're speaking directly to people who desperately need what you offer. Stop trying to appeal to everyone and start speaking to someone. Your ideal clients are waiting to hear that you understand their exact problem and have the precise solution they need.