You’ve got 60 seconds. What do you say?

If the best you can muster is hvacr contractor, then you’ve just blown a golden opportunity to find your next client. After all, everyone in the world is either a potential client for you or in a position to refer a potential client to you.

So does that mean you have to be in ‘sales mode’ all the time? No, especially if you think that being in sales mode means being pushy and aggressive.

But the reality is, if you can’t articulate in a compelling manner who you are, what you’re especially good at, and why anyone would want to do business with you, then the problem is worse than just blowing an opportunity to get a new client when you go for coffee.

Entrepreneurs and, indeed, most salespeople are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to describing their businesses or introducing themselves at a networking event.

To start with, there’s no way you can sum up everything you do in a neat little phrase. And to make things worse, once people know what you do, they lump you in with a half million other people who, on the face of it anyway, appear to do the same thing.

If you can relate to these challenges, then you should recognize them as symptoms of a fundamental and hugely critical sales and marketing problem. Chances are, the same uninspiring ‘nonsales’ arguments permeate your entire business — on your Web site, in your brochure, and in your advertising.

To prove it to yourself, take a look at your Web site as well as those of some of your competitors. Do you see anything that engages your audience and speaks to their interests or problems?

If you’re like most businesses, the answer is probably no.

The biggest reason why people have so much trouble with positioning and articulating a compelling message about their business is that they are working from somebody else’s rule book.

No doubt you’ve heard very specific instructions on the correct way to create a positioning line, or the correct way to write an elevator speech or infomercial.

And, of course, everyone knows that you have to focus on high level benefits and avoid negative statements, right?

Well, aside from very few universal principles of communication, it may be all wrong (for you).

What might have worked for someoneelse has no guarantee of working for you. And, if you use the same rules as everyone else, then you end up sounding like everyone else.

Instead of trying to apply someone else’s rule book, wouldn’t it be much more valuable for you to figure out the set of rules that work for you?

How? Once you throw away the rule book, here are three things you can do to help you find your way.

If you think that networking events are for collecting business cards and finding new business, you’ve just found another reason to throw away the rule book.

The most valuable thing you can take away from a networking event is not a bunch of business cards, but rather all the research you could be accumulating on your Essential Message.

Think of a networking event as a giant focus group that you could use to discover what resonates most with people about your business and what the true value is about what you offer.

As you work the room, emphasize different aspects of your business. Ask a lot of questions about the kind of service the person you are speaking to would like to receive. And most importantly, pay special attention to the reactions you get.

If you listen carefully, you might be surprised by what people find most interesting and appealing about your business.

Clients aren’t usually shy about telling you why they like doing business with you and what attracted them to you in the first place.

If you’re shy about asking them, get over it — or hire someone else to do it for you. Tell your client that you need their help to understand your business better. Be clear that the purpose of getting together isn’t about asking for new business or referrals, although new business and referrals often result from these kinds of meetings.

And be prepared to probe. When they tell you that they like the quality of your work, ask them what they mean by “quality.” Keep asking why? How come? And what do you mean? Through the answers to these questions, you’ll get the specifics that weren’t obvious to either you or your client before. That’s when you know you’ve surfaced the hidden value you provide.

Remember, what may seem as no big deal to you may, in fact, be extremely valuable to your clients.

A big part of getting your Essential Message is allowing more of you to show up in everything you do. That simply won’t happen if you’re too serious or overly concerned with appearing professional.

However, no matter what you do to improve your sales and marketing message, it’s important to keep working on it. Unless you have your Essential Message right, it doesn’t matter how many salespeople you hire, how many ads you run or brochures you send out, or how many people view your Web site. You won’t get the results you need to move your business forward.

The bad news is that it’s not as simple as copying someone else’s formula.

The good news is that it works.

Michel Neray is the creator of The Essential Message®. The Essential Message is like a value proposition on steroids, helping turn more people into prospects, and more prospects into sales.  Since 2003, Michel has helped thousands of independent professionals and growing corporations find a better way to differentiate, position and brand themselves. For information about Michel's workshops, keynote speeches or eWorkbooks, or to sign up for his free newsletter, please go to www.EssentialMessage.com.