"Hi, my name is Sarah Smith," she said. "You know how some small business owners never seem to find the time to keep up with their QuickBooks data entry? Well, I'm a bookkeeper for small business owners and that's exactly what I do."

After her introduction I thought, "Wow! What a great way to get attention!" She said her name, brought up a common problem for the regular small business owner and provided the solution all in one tidy message.

At a networking meeting recently a small business owner asked me, "What kind of business do you have?" When I replied, "I'm a mobile administrative assistant" she got very excited and said, "Oh! So you come to me?" I liked and appreciated the fact that she instantly knew what I did without my having to give a long, drawn out explanation about my services.

Think for a minute about what both of these examples have in common.

Both of them are simple - and use simple language.

It really boils down to not overwhelming people with too many details. In general, people want to know what you can do FOR them without needing to know exactly HOW you'll do it.

Here are five ways to create an introduction or tag line to help you instantly connect with potential clients:

1. KISS - Keep it Simple, Silly. (Yes, I know the phrase really uses the word Stupid, but that seems mean and insulting). So, keep it simple, silly. During your introduction, don't overwhelm your clients with a huge list of services.

2. The Power of Three - a marketing pro recently mentioned the power of three. If you can simplify your main services into a statement of three, it seems to resonate with people. It feels familiar. You can say something like, "I work with solopreneurs, consultants, and small business owners." Or "I provide freelance administrative, project and organizing services to small businesses."

3. Solve Their Problem - figure out what someone does before you introduce yourself. Then use your introduction to solve a problem. For instance, in a conversation with a consultant, he mentions his frustration with making Excel spreadsheets look professional. You can easily say, "Well, I'm a mobile administrative assistant and I work with Excel all the time. I could you help you with that." You've instantly offered a solution to his problem.

4. Be Obvious - when people instantly "get what you do" it makes them feel more comfortable. See my example at the beginning, using the term "Mobile Administrative Assistant."

5. Sell by Example - During a networking conversation, you can give your main introduction (the simple one), but be sure to really listen to the person you're talking to. They might mention a need or problem that you can solve, but that isn't on your "mighty three" list. Let them know, by giving examples of other work you've done (if possible), that you have the ability to solve a lot of different problems for small business owners.

Using any or all of these strategies gives you the ability to really connect with people during your conversations with them. After all, providing support services to small business owners starts with them getting to know, like and trust you. By using simple language, specific examples, and a brief list of your services, you won't overwhelm or confuse them. They'll instantly "get" what you do and be able to make an informed decision right away as to whether or not they need your services.

And the great thing about small business people is that they talk. Next week, business person A might be attending another networking meeting and hear one of their colleagues mention a problem. If that problem fits squarely into your description they heard last week, there's a good chance (if you made a positive impression) that business person A will pass on your information to the person they're talking to. Ding! That's the power of a good (and memorable) introduction.

Your task now is to figure out how to effectively introduce yourself. Once you have the wording, practice saying it out loud. Say it in front of the mirror. Say it to your spouse and friends. Say until you can really "sell it" and believe it. Once you can say it with confidence, you're over the hard part.

The fun part is actually signing up a new client. And then another. Before you know it, you're really in business. And after all, that's the point, right?