Whether you are in Conventional Sales or Network Marketing, many of the principles covered here apply to both, and whether you call it Sales or Sharing, it comes down to the same thing – the effective way of communicating.
There are two aspects to Sales in Network Marketing – The Customer and the Affiliate. Without Customers you don’t have a business. In NWM we tend to recruit Affiliates and most of them who stays with the company continue as a Customer only. In this industry the statistics tells us that the average Affiliate recruits only 2.4 persons, which means a number of people who take their business more serious, recruits a higher number and and a large number of Affiliates do very little or nothing.
The obvious question is – what comes first, the Affiliate or the Customer? Well, that depends on how fast you want to grow. Who will have the most customers, the one who has one “store” or the one who has ten? The answer is obvious, but before he had nine more stores, he had to get customers for the first one, right? Or, could that be done at the same time?
The purpose for the following is to address the recruiting process (of “store” owners or “developers”) only, not how to personally get customers although some of the same procedures applies to both. Customer acquisition will be covered in a separate session (as well as the online aspect). Both however, are included in the process of building a Network with which you create an asset in the third “Cash Flow Quadrant” for Business (by Robert Kiyosaki).
The high pressure tactics of yesteryear is still being used by people who do not understand the psychology of selling and marketing and the philosophy that drives it. Unfortunately this is quite prevalent in Network Marketing also, because most of the people who believe that this is the answer to their financial woes have absolutely no business or selling experience and a lot of the training does not teach the right philosophy to succeed. Surely a 96% failure rate (including a 70% drop out) tells us something. However, a growing number of people in Sales and Marketing understand this and are using the right method as will be shown here.
The 80/20 rule applies here as it does in so many situations. But there is another 80/20 rule that applies to the 20% in the first one and that shows that out of a hundred, you’ll likely get approximately four leaders at the high end, more realistically one or two. Can this rule be challenged? I believe it can, IF – we apply the proper training. Leaders are not born, they are developed. One word of caution here though – don’t try to develop ducks into eagles :-). AND, Don’t try to create Followers – Develop Leaders!
Network Marketers are still pushing “their opportunity” on people with all kinds of enticing words, presentations and subtle promises of, fame and fortune being made if you just follow their “proven system”, which most people don’t and hence the results. A System is necessary, but it is not enough. People also have to have the right philosophy to build their business, otherwise it will not be sustainable. A strong recommendation here is to listen to Jim Rohn in “How to build your Network Marketing Business” found at www.jimrohn.com. It’s an excellent and very beneficial way to spend an hour. To really take advantage of time, turn your drive time into learning time.
Seldom do Network Marketers ask what you want, but they assume that what they want, you want also and they proceed accordingly.
However, there is a new breed of Networkers on the scene and they are the ones we can liken to a seasoned fisherman. He knows what kind of fish he wants, he goes to the fishing spot where he knows that kind of fish is and he attaches the kind of bait on the hook that he knows that fish likes. So, instead of him chasing after the fish, the fish comes to him. As a matter of fact, you are reading this article right now, because the headline and the first lines attracted you to read more. Simple but effective. Every seasoned sales person will try to find out as much as possible about the person whom they want to sell to, in order to tailor the presentation to their needs, wants and desires.
Bombarding every possible prospect you know with your “incredible opportunity”, with typically includes a “debt free company”, the “best compensation plan” and “incredible products”, initially does more to drive the “opportunity laden” prospect away rather that towards you. They have heard that line so many times before.
So here are a few points to consider whether you speak (tell a purposeful story) to one or a thousand. Here are some areas to focus on garnered from Peter Guber.
- Intention precedes attention – Be very clear on what your intention is to capture people’s attention. Is it to get or to give? Remember what Jesus said to his disciples: greatness comes through serving. John F. Kennedy said: “Do not ask what the country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country” (the people). Zig Ziglar’s famous quote fits right in: “If you help enough people to get what they want, you can have anything you want”. So, make no mistake – people will sense your intention, so it better be the right one. If you do it right, you will have their attention.
- Be prepared – who is the audience, what do they expect, what is in it for them? You must emotionally open their hearts and minds. Asking the right questions is very key here.
- Must have a goal – Value Proposition. Do not hide your goal – they feel it. There must be value for the audience. Reality that they can connect with. Paint a VISION they can transform into theirs and relate to. NOT the glossy lifestyle pictures, but what is closer to where they live and how it would effect them and those that they care about. Refer to the first point about helping others etc.
- Recognize if you can’t tell it (the Story), you can’t sell it! Do not perform a “data dump”, which is an easy trap to fall into. Typically way too much information is given and most of it is forgotten when people walk out the door. The important things you wanted to communicate is forgotten in the fog of endless information and clinical exposé. Is education important? Of course it is, but only as and when needed, which is NOT when you do a Business Briefing/Overview. It needs to be short and relevant to the listener.
Only a total jerk will destroy the possibility for a long and lasting marriage by forcing himself and go all the way on a first date rather than waiting. There have been lots of jerks in that regard and the same approach in business is no better. It only shows an attitude of what’s in it for me, rather than what’s in it for my prospective Affiliate.
We’re not in the business of signing up prospects, but in Launching people into their own Business and that takes knowledge, understanding, skill, effort and time. The problem has been that people are focused on signing up a certain number of “bodies” (the instant gratification syndrome), not planning for future success which is built on relationship and trust.
Be a teller of purposeful stories rather than a story teller. There is a big difference!
So, how do we formulate a Business Presentation/Briefing to new prospects whether it is to one or a hundred? Whether it is offline or online?
Most companies produce promotional material that talks about them and their product right away after a spiel on the bad economy and that you need a plan “B”. Very seldom do they focus on the prospect and their hopes and desires, their heart and minds and where they are at. But that’s understandable. After all, they are the company and they promote who they are and what they have offer. But in the field it is different, we need to deal with the individual’s dreams hopes and desires, so let’s change the order a little.
First of all, in a Business Briefing, but in particular when you sit over coffee or lunch with somebody, do not start talking about “your opportunity” or the company or even the products right up front. These will be covered, but in the proper order. People are sick of hearing about opportunities, debt free companies, compensation plans, wonderful products and glossy pictures portraying lifestyles etc. And, don’t lay a “trap”. A certain other company got a bad name way back because of that. If you ask someone out for coffee and lunch make sure you focus what their dreams and desires are. Then you might introduce a bait that will make them curious, but don’t push it. That is very hard to control when you are excited about something, but a big salmon was never brought in quickly, otherwise the line would break. Get the drift? It also depends on who you talk with. More of that for another day.
What people want is a solution to their situation, but if we don’t know their situation, how can we provide a solution that is tailored for them? (Yes, you can actually tailor your business to fit their need). They want to connect to a “vehicle” or a “solution” that will bring them from where they are to where they want to be. We need to attract rather than push.
Our goal is to have people say; “This is for me”, “I believe I can do this!”
First of all we start out by asking questions that will connect with people’s hearts and minds. We anticipate certain scenarios and ask question that will paint pictures of possibilities and get their imagination going and they will start to answer some of these question in their minds and sometimes also audibly when you ask for responses, like “Raise you hand if you…….How many think you can…..What would you do if….”, How many would like to….., “Don’t raise your hands but who would…., What is your biggest dream? etc. Some will reply and that will engage others both in their mind and audibly. Our mission is to help open their imagination so they can see things they did not see before. In other words – bring Hope! Can you do this online? Absolutely. You just have to ask the same questions to engage people. Now, you won’t see their response, but if you produce something good, they may contact you.
Let’s go on….
For example…what is the difference between the wealthy and the ones that are struggling to pay their bills?
Actually it is shown clearly in this quote by Michael R. Ellison:
“Somewhere around you there is someone or something that can help you fulfill your Life Purpose”.
The difference is that the ones that are fulfilling their life purpose have their eyes and ears open to that someone or something that happens around them and have taken advantage of connecting with the right people, situations and opportunities. They have their minds alert to new ideas and solutions to challenges that are before them. Others go on their marry way and don’t even know what’s going on.
I’m reminded of the story by Robert Kiyosaki in his book Rich Dad Poor Dad: His poor Dad said “we can’t afford it”, but his Rich Dad said: “How can we afford it”. There is a huge difference in those statements. The first sentence is a final one that eliminates possibilities. The second one opens ones mind to possibilities. The difference between stating “I can’t” and asking “how can I” is displayed in the following…
There are basically three types of people;
- Those who make things happen (because they have their eyes and ears open),
- those who watch what those people are doing (they see and hear but do not understand nor do they take action to find out),
- and then there are those who neither see nor hear and wonder what happened.
If you ask clever questions, you will get them to envision answers in their mind and if you can show a possible solution to their hopes and desires, that they can really believe in (not a fanciful pie in the sky), you will have their ears when you provide the details also.
It is important that you learn the proper way of presenting your Business so that it will be the same message locally, Regionally, Nationally and Internationally, depending on the company of course. That way you can create an environment of reciprocal service among Affiliates across the globe, knowing that wherever you send your prospect, they will hear the same message and be cared for in the same way.
Also online – when you have a System that everybody connects with and use, everybody will say the same thing. Remember, you can never duplicate a person, but you can duplicate a System – anywhere.
To Your Success
Roy Ingbre