Chapter Presentation: Everything Starts with a Conversation

Forget features, advantages and benefits, the time-limited offer, the trial close and any other old school sales technique. If you really want to close more sales, learn how to start more conversations with people around their needs and interests. In this presentation or workshop, you'll discover how easy it is to do exactly that – genuinely and naturally – whether you're sitting on the beach in Belize or across the boardroom table.

Meet the Pros Session: Ditch Your Pitch!

How to create a powerful positioning statement that actually gets people interested! Any textbook will tell you what a positioning statement is and why you need it. In this Essential Message presentation, I’ll show you how to create the most compelling Positioning Statement for you – and then I’ll show you how to turn it into a powerful sales tool so that you turn more people into prospects, and more prospects into sales.

Michel Neray has over 25 years of experience as an award-winning copywriter, an Internet pioneer, a tradeshow pitchman and a senior sales and marketing executive – and has been conducting workshops since 1981. He has worked with major corporations including Honda, Volvo, Upjohn, Alias- Wavefront, Nikon, The Royal Bank, The Quaker Oats Company, Marathon Brokerage, Guardian Mutual Funds, Mackenzie Financial and many others. Michel's client list also includes the not-forprofit sector, having worked with NGOs such as World Wildlife Fund, Friends of The Earth and The Abraham Fund. An online pioneer, Mr. Neray was one of the first marketing professionals to embrace the Internet by building websites as early as 1993. In 1994, Michel co-authored a book entitled “The Great Crossover: Personal Confidence in the Age of the Microchip”. Michel founded Portfolios.com in 1995, the world’s first online source directory for creative professionals. Since creating The Essential Message® in 2003, Michel has helped thousands of independent professionals and entrepreneurs as well as growing corporations find a better way to differentiate, position and brand themselves. In 2005, his chapter, "Everything Starts With A Conversation" was selected as the lead for the book, "Sales Gurus Speak Out". His library of published Essential Message eLearning products includes unique tools and worksheets related to sales, marketing and branding, from creating your positioning statement to naming products and services to filling your marketing funnel. Michel's articles have appeared in dozens of publications, and he has spoken at numerous conferences. He has a science undergraduate degree from the University of Waterloo, and an MBA from McGill University. He's married with three children and two dogs. When not working, Michel can often be found in the dojo training for his third degree Black Belt in Karate, paddling whitewater in the wilds of Northern Ontario, or tearing up the back roads on his motorcycle. On occasion, he sleeps.

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