His cute answer is safer than mine, which is "I rob banks."
You need to internalize something about marketing. When Patrick says, "I helped 2 million kids learn how to read", he has framed the conversation in terms of the value proposition he wants to talk about.
Statistically speaking, "nobody" cares about websites and iPhone applications. Moreover, virtually nobody --- even practitioners --- can tell the difference between someone who is good at building a website and someone who is working from a copy of "learn PHP in 3 hours". Saying what you "do" is a remarkably bad strategy.
If the thought of explaining the broad value you choose to provide to people produces cold sweats, my recommendation is "practice more".
Oh I'm not saying that those answers don't have their place. When you're at a bar or some industry event or chatting with someone in a compatible professional environment, sure.
I guess I was thinking more in line with the last person who asked me this a few days ago: the 52 year old no-nonsense guy carrying a 10 year old nokia who just painted my bedroom. "I helped 2 million kids learn how to read" would have gotten me an eyeroll and a handful more drips left behind. "I build websites" got us on a conversation on how he wants to start a youtube show with his hunting exploits.
Framing the conversation is important, but knowing your audience is just as much so :)
You need to internalize something about marketing. When Patrick says, "I helped 2 million kids learn how to read", he has framed the conversation in terms of the value proposition he wants to talk about.
Statistically speaking, "nobody" cares about websites and iPhone applications. Moreover, virtually nobody --- even practitioners --- can tell the difference between someone who is good at building a website and someone who is working from a copy of "learn PHP in 3 hours". Saying what you "do" is a remarkably bad strategy.
If the thought of explaining the broad value you choose to provide to people produces cold sweats, my recommendation is "practice more".