When I first started a business in the virtual assistance industry last year, I had no idea how much I would have to come out of my comfort zone to establish clients. I used to wish that I had more of the "gift of gab", but I have come to appreciate my disposition and recognize ways in which I may improve interaction with prospective clients.

I attended a powernetworking conference a few months back and the biggest lesson that I learned has served me well. Your 15 seconds of fame, your introduction when you meet prospective clients which will answer the following five points:

• Who am I?
• Where am I from?
• What do I do?
• How do I add value?
• What is a quantitative number to prove the value that I add to my clients?

My 15 seconds sounds like this:

My name is Gwendolyn Wright, I am from St. Helena Island, South Carolina. I help small and micro business owners and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. By partnering with my firm, I empower my clients to maximize their time and resources. I have been in business for 1 year, and I have help several clients to save thousands of dollars.

It really has served me well...

What's yours?