What do I do...

A few months ago, I tried an 'experiment'. I asked my friends/family (via facebook):

Doing some research on how well I'm communicating my 'brand'. 1) What is your understanding of exactly what I do for a living? (the product, service or skillset that I deliver?) - comment here and it'll show me what I may need to do next

These are the answers I received:

i don't really understand what you do.... enlighten me pls :)

You buy stuff for the gov't right?

you show govt orgs how to buy stuff (the kinds of things they need to run their businesses) better and you teach online courses about this as well to other people who work in the realm of buying stuff for their companies. am i even close?!

Ya ya! What she said!!!

Its hard to clearly explain what a consultant does... isn't it? ;)


I've always found procurement/purchasing has had a difficult time 'selling itself' or making it common knowledge as to what we do. I started in accounting when I left university (1988), and my father still thinks I'm involved in accounting somehow. Even though HE is a retired sales man (in the 80s, alot of the buyers were accountants or owners of small businesses). I read sales books and see them refer to purchasing people as only being interested in the lowest price...

Anyone I talk to knows what an accountant or lawyer is, even the accreditation for accountants is nearly a household name. Is it possible our constant rebranding is affecting our ability to stand out as a household 'name'?