The Keen Marketer

It’s great to have a downline and having a strategy to get prospects. But how much of it are you maximizing to keep your MLM team motivated.

There are 3 things you need to keep your people going:

1. Education: The new distributor should be directed to get familiar with tools the company provides. These can be CDs, DVDs, conference calls, webinars and events. Encourage them to do something related to learning, about the company, products, training, every day. Even top earners don’t stop learning. How do you think they got where they did in the first place?

2. Motivation: Your people need to be motivated to keep their energy up. This will be provided by the company in the form of special events they can attend or daily training calls or even events you set up for your team.

There are times they will feel discouraged.  Didn’t you?  So remember to encourage them during their challenges.  This will keep you and them motivated.  Another tool to stay on top is reading.  Network marketing is a business where you build yourself each day because you learn about yourself.  I don’t think there is another business out there that challenges our shortcomings more than network marketing.

And if you’re lucky enough to attend seminars that target self growth such as the Millionaire MInd Intensive, then you’re on the right track.

Just remember that motivation energizes knowledge.

3. But for knowledge to energize, you need to put it into Action. Action needs to happen right away as those that experience success right away have more success later on.  So you have a new recruit.  Fast track them through your systematized training and help them get results right away.

There’s nothing more exciting than making money right from the beginning to keep your people motivated.

You know, network marketing is not rocket science and that’s why it can be so effective in duplicating if the tools and system are in place right from the beginning.

There is a category of people out there that folks in network marketing and MLM seem to totally ignore.

These people have a lot to offer us as they are usually linked to many contacts around the country and also have existing clients.

They not only have experience in the marketplace but also have credibility and money to buy products.

So who are these people?  None other than small business owners.

Don’t think that because they are already involved in a business of their own that they wouldn’t be interested in something that could increase their bottom line.

They already know and understand what multiple streams of income means and quickly grab the concept of residual income as I’m sure many of them wished they could close up shop and live on what is coming in from their past efforts and that of others, not just from what they worked so hard to save up to retire on.

So how do you identify these small business owners?

Think about it.  Who do you buy your insurance from?  Who cuts your hair?  Where do you buy your books from?  Who pumps your gas?  Who manages your money?  Who owns your grocery store?  Who does your taxes?  Who writes your prescriptions?  And so on..

Everywhere you turn, there is a small business owner who have one thing in common and that is to multiply their profits.

Here are a few tips to keep your approach to buisness owners more manageable:

• try not to approach an owner with more than 20 employees
• ask for help from owners that you know.  Maybe your product could help improve employees lives.
• offer to do a seminar after hours

You might like to refer to this video I made a while back which can help you set up an interview with business owners whether you know them or not.

And if you feel like listening to an audio series by one of our top leaders you can download it here.

Here’s to great prospecting in 2009!

Qualifying your prospect in network marketing can be a time consuming operation if you let it.

Many people let the prospect direct the interview.  Not a good tactic.  Sure your prospect wants information but think of it this way.

They are at a job interview and you are the interviewer.  You have a position to fill and you are looking for the best applicant.

The best applicant for you will have to have certain qualities.  He/she must first have the desire to do this business.  It’s all very well to get someone who’s interested but will they be committed?

You need someone that will be coachable, even if they belonged to another network marketing company before.  The training you will be providing will be new in some ways to what they experienced.

You want someone that is sincere, honest and a leader or a would be leader just waiting for the right training to soar.

You must be able to dictate the terms of that application and yes you are willing to give that person the benefit of the doubt before you accept them as part of your team, but…

There is one question that can disqualify your prospect right from the get go.  This question will show you whether this prospect is just a casual looker versus one who is serious about starting a network marketing business.

This is a question I would never have thought of before had I not heard it from someone that I consider a mentor, even though he doesn’t know me personally, Mike Dillard.

And that question is, (drum roll please)  What are you currently reading?

That’s a silly question, you say?  Think about it.

Would you not rather have someone to work with that was interested in the actual business they are applying for?

There’s nothing wrong with reading fiction, but in order to grow and learn, a person must have interests in improving themselves or they will stay just the way they are, poor and unaware.

A little harsh you say?  Not really.  It’s the ones that go that extra mile that will succeed past what society would like us to docilely accept.  I guess I have always been a rebel at heart.

You don’t need someone who is just a casual looker waste your time.  So right off the bat ask that person what type of literature or videos or magazine they are readying or watching. Ask them if they have ever read books such as “The Millionaire Mind” by Harv Eker or taken self discovery courses with personalities such as Jack Canfield or David Wood or any of any type.

I know that I am constantly reading and attending seminars and intensives that will help me to grow first and my business second, because with growth comes increase and that translates into a bigger cheque at the end of the week.

That’s who I want to have as business partners.

It will happen at the very beginning of your network marketing carreer that you will have times when you just won’t know the answer to a question your prospect is posing.

Are you to panic and get bent out of shape?

Of course not!  Relax!

Ok, so you practiced all the different types of answers to objections you could get your hands on and you were ready, until that fatal question was asked and deflated your confidence balloon.

So what if you couldn’t answer the question?

Do you know everything there is to know about your opportunity?

Even the top earners will tell you that they are learning something new every day.

You will only feel that you are in a corner if you let it.  That is reacting in opposition to responding.  When we react to things, our emotions take over, our vulnerability will show and our prospect will pick up on it.

Thinking too much about what you should say will make you tongue-tied.  There really is not only one right answer.  Were you really listening to your prospect and what he was saying?

Asking yourself that question will steer you back on track.  After all, it really is all about your prospect and not about you.

If you can’t answer a question, simply respond to your prospect that you will look into it further and get back to them because you want to provide them with as complete an answer as possible.

This makes for a stress free, simple and natural process to move on to the next step of your information giving process.  After all it’s only conversation and nobody’s life depends on it.

Be good to yourself, you deserve it.

Whatever network marketing opportunity you have, the fuel of your business whether clients or partners, hinges on the leads you can attract.

There are some basic success secrets that will insure your success:

• You have to know what type of lead you are looking for and make sure your lead knows what type you are looking for.  You do that by qualifying your lead on 5 different traits.  The first one is friendliness.  If your lead has  a sour puss of a personality.  They surely would not attract others to them.  The second has to do with their desire to do the business.  There is nothing wrong with being ambitious.  That is what is driving you to succeed and that is also what should drive them too.  Being a positive person is also a prerequisite.  The glass should be half full! The fourth and fifth go hand in hand.  The person should be a leader as well as a good communicator.  Although these traits can be developed in depth, the person should at least be able to express themselves clearly and have leadership qualities.
• Setting boundaries during your call is a must.  The person should not feel coerced into the interview and should always feel like they can stop it at anytime.  It’s to your advantage to let them know right from the start that if this is not for them that they can end the call without you feeling put out.  After all, you are in information giver.  It is either received or not. It’s not about you.
• I’ve talked about “asking questions” a lot.  This is crucial.  It’s all about your lead, not about you.  One sentence that disarms is “Tell me about yourself?” Your prospect has to feel that you are not out to just prospect them but also to get to know them as a person, their wants and their needs.
• I’ve also mentioned connecting with your prospect before and making them comfortable.  How do you expect to have someone receptive to what you have to say if you are not attentive enough to hear them first?
• Let your prospect know that you only need 1 minute of their time.  Too often, they are kept for longer periods that can run way past their tolerance level.  This will make them impatient and you are going to be let down with a negative reaction to your request.  It’s easy to say “I really need only a minute of your time, as I’m not sure if this is something that will work for you or not” .  If they are being quiet and you are looking for a response, you can also add ” is this making any sense to you?”

Achieving success when contacting a lead is not difficult when you know what to look for and ask for.  That where a good training system and trainer can make all the difference in the world.  Make sure you are part of a winning team.

Are you a reactor rather than a responder?

By that I mean that most people react to what is being said rather than responding to comments.  One demonstrates an emotional response, the other demonstrates control.

Let me show you what I mean.

“I understand…Have you ever considered this?“  When someone is not on the same page as you are, regardless of what your product or opportunity is, just to say you understand can carry a lot of weight.  Do not argue with them but show them that you can see their side of things and move on with “have you considered this..?”

“Really?  Tell me what happened..”  People want to share what happens to them in their lives.  This is where you exercise your abilities to listen to your prospect, to hear what is really being said.  It could be that your prospect may have had a bad experience with network marketing.  It’s by being attentive and responsive to your prospect’s needs that you can show them you understand.  You can then follow with “I’m so glad you shared that with me. I certainly wouldn’t want to be a part of anything like that either. That’s why I’m so glad I found my company. Did you know…?”

“I know how you feel..” I had a bad experience in the past with network marketing so I can honestly say that I know how you feel.  So identifying with your prospect’s feelings and explaining to them that this industry does work especially with the products and company you have now.  Maybe it’s not for them,  but then it might be for them.  How can they make a decision if you don’t tell them about it?

Is your prospect an arguer?  If so they are looking for validation.  You don’t want to argue, so you tell them that “I agree with you”.

When you agree you actually deflate the situation and help the person feel understood.  Should they think that weight loss products don’t work, say ” well, you know, it’s been my experience too until I was introduced to this one who has a proven track record of success.  I can only tell you what I know and what I have experienced and these products work like nothing I’ve seen before. So many people are now leading a better life.”

“What if this worked for you, how do you think you would see things then?“  This can extend to what if the business worked too?  How would that change your prospect’s lifestyle?  We know it works or else we wouldn’t be in it in the first place.

Your prospect may have dreams.  Get them to tell you what they are by asking “tell me about your plans to live the life you really want.” Hearing other people’s success plans can be inspiring and if they don’t have one then here is your chance to give them some options to consider and ignite in them that little spark that can propel them on to success.

People want to feel they are receiving value and building people’s confidence is a part of the role you are playing during your interchange.  Reassure them that ” You can do anything you want”.

“I believe in you even if you don’t.  That’s why I’m here, so you can adopt my belief for now until we build yours up as we are going to build together your future and the incredible lifestyle you want.”

The above response really boil down to the three E’s:

1. Encourage
2. Empower
3. Embrace

So go for it and turn those negative people into positive thinkers.  They won’t even know what hit them.