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As a sales professional or business owner, you*re always selling yourself or your product. Whether you*re attending a networking event or trade show, you only have a few seconds to introduce yourself and grab the prospect's attention. Do you remember how you introduced yourself to a prospect at the last networking event you attended? The prospect probably asked you, *What do you do?* You probably said something like this:

* I am a graphic designer and I design marketing materials.

* I am an account executive and I sell advertising space in magazines.

Now, these are typical responses that describe what you do. There's nothing unique about these statements that sets you apart from the competition. If you want your prospects to sit up and listen, create a message that grabs their attention in the first 60 seconds. Creating a compelling sales message that addresses your prospects* needs is both an opportunity to promote your services and a way to separate yourself from the rest. It will make the prospect want to know more about you.

Your selling statement must be vivid, specific, and easy to remember. Your main objective for your sales message is to get the prospect to say, *Wow, you*re exactly what I need! Can I have your card?* Better still, it will make them say, *I want to work with you! When can we talk?*

As you create your compelling sales message, consider two strong motivators that drive people to buy or take action. The motivators are *Pain* and *Gain.*

The first motivator is *Pain.* Pain is another way of avoiding or fixing a problem, concern, or predicament. When creating your compelling sales message, focus first on the pain you can alleviate because it appeals to the stronger of the two motivators.

EXAMPLES:

*I work with business owners who find it challenging to design their marketing materials.*

*I sell ad space to people who want to sell their product, but are afraid of putting their advertising dollars in the wrong publication.*

The use of verbs such as *challenged, frustrated, concerned, worried, stopped, and afraid* in the sales message addresses the prospect's pain. The prospect wants to be relieved of pain as quickly as possible.

The second motivator is *Gain.* People are motivated to buy or take action in order to improve a situation. Saving money, making money, saving time, becoming more efficient, improving service are just a few examples.

EXAMPLES:

*I help business owners create marketing materials that stand out in the marketplace, attracting new clients with ease.*

*I help people make advertising decisions that save them money and bring them many sales.*

Expressing in positive words the ways you help people and the results they gain from working with you will motivate potential clients to find out more about your service.

ASSIGNMENT:

Using the motivators *Pain* and *Gain,* create a powerful and compelling sales message. Practice saying it until you have memorized it. Then start saying it at your next networking event or trade show. Keep in mind, your sales message will change over time and will need to be tailored slightly to your audience.

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