MLM Prospecting Tips: Do You Know Your Prospect's Color?

Many Network Marketers do not have good MLM prospecting skills.  For one, most have a fear of the phone to begin with and later, we will talk about how to overcome that, but if/when they do get on the phone with someone,  they totally blow it!

There are some key things that you need to learn if you want your prospecting to go more smoothly and I am going to do a small series on MLM prospecting, beginning with today's topic, "What Color Is Your Prospect?".

Now in case you are thinking it, I'm NOT talking about what color they are in terms of race :) but rather what color they are in terms of their personality type!

Why Is Knowing Your Prospects Personality Type Important?

Knowing your prospect's personality type is important so you can know who you are talking to and how to adapt to and deal with them.  For example, you may be one personality type and your prospect another that is much more dominant than yours and if you first, cannot identify it and second, adapt to it then you may feel intimidated and lose the close.

Let's flip it around, if YOU are the "stronger", more dominant type and your prospect is the softer-spoken type, then you may come across too strong and harsh to your prospect if you do not learn to identify that personality type in them and then tone yours down a bit.

What ARE The Various Personality Colors?

Yellow

Your yellow personality types are usually somewhat quite, shy, timid and not very outgoing.  They are nurturing and often put others before themselves.   They also listen a lot.  They are not very direct, meaning, if you ask them a question they may tell you just enough but not volunteer anymore information than that.  But they are very open and agreeing, although they may need or desire to get approval before making certain decisions, especially major ones or ones involving money.

Yellow personality types are usually your nurses, school teachers, caregivers, homemakers, flight attendants, etc.

Blue

Blue personality types will probably be your most favorite person to talk to, depending on YOUR personality.  They are very fun-loving, often the life of the party.  They laugh a lot, tell jokes and they are very open and direct.  If you ask them a question, they will not only tell you what you wanted to know, but might even go even further into things you don't necessarily want to know.  In other words, they can be very talkative!

Green

Green personality types are very, VERY analytical!  They must know all the facts, all the details and will ask a gazillion questions before making a final decision on something.  Greens are usually indirect and closed.  They may not volunteer information as freely and openly as a 'blue' would so you may have to dig a little deeper with them when prospecting.

They usually suffer from a severe case of "paralysis of analysis"!

Greens are usually your Programmers, Accountants, Engineers, Scientists...basically, people who crunch numbers and work with figures and facts a lot.

Red

And finally we have our beloved 'reds'!  Depending on YOUR personality or your understanding of the various types and how to handle them, red personality types may be your least favorite to talk to BUT...they are definitely the ones you want to have on your team because they GET THINGS DONE!  Reds are your leaders and you will not have to worry about hand-holding them or them not grabbing the bull by the horns.

But red personality types can be bossy and controlling and they may try to take over the conversation. Therefore it is important that YOU hone up on your prospecting skills and posture so that you can take back control because once you lose it, it's gone!  Reds may also come across as arrogant and will tell you in a heartbeat how much they've "got it going on" and how much money they make.  They are open and will tell you anything you want to know and they are very direct as in blunt, right to the point, don't hold any punches.  So if you, yourself, are a 'yellow', then unless you have learned to deal with 'reds' your feelings may get hurt or they may make you feel intimidated, so you'll have to learn to "man up" and get your leadership posture on!

How To Use This Information To Your Benefit

Now that you have learned about the different personality types in the form of colors (some do it using seasons, animals, etc.) your job is to study them and begin learning how to identify them, first in yourself and then in others around you.  Start practicing identifying personality colors in your family, friends, co-workers etc.  As they're talking or as you think about past conversations with them, pick out what their dominant color is...it's actually kind of fun!

Also keep in mind that we all have ALL of those colors in us, but one is usually more dominant than the others.  For example, you may be a strong red, but still have a silly, fun (blue) side that comes out every so often and you may also be a parent so there is a nurturing (yellow) side to you, although you may not be much of a hugger nor a comforter if your little one is crying because they got a "boo-boo".

But all in all, knowing this information is going to help you immensely when it comes time to start talking to your MLM leads, so be sure to study it and apply it in everyday life situations!

In the next post..."4 Steps To Phone Prospecting Success"