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[Joyce Penner Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 8]

Mario, put yourself in your prospects shoes, always. Test your own statements/questions on yourself and ask yourself how would you react if you knew nothing about network marketing and someone asked you those questions.

It's pretty easy to be skeptical if someone tells you you could be making $100 an hour (where did you get that number from?) for doing next to nothing (where did you get that idea from?). You'd laugh yourself out of the conversation plus you know that implies trading time for money and that is actually an out and out lie.

Test on yourself first and really dig deep to find out how you would react with each and every word you utter.
Joyce

[Marius Lombaard Company: Amway Contribution Level: 3]

richard makes a good point: your approach did lure out some predictable reactions.

however, objections inevitably arise even if you interact professionally or normal/organically with people, in which case you'll need to know how to effectively handle the objection. in the specific case you had, i would stick to the guideline i presented: leading the prospect to the answers i gave through questions.

i believe in working the numbers, or TTP and TTMP as richard says, but i cannot accept that position in isolation.

its true that some people will say no, regardless of how well you are dealing with their objections. but its also true that you inevitably have to deal with objections in order to persuade some people to follow you.

we have spammers working the numbers day and night - not that it's helping them. they aren't providing good answers to hard questions and objections.

the professional networker has to do both the numbers, as well as deal with objections/hard questions. not doing so will lose you many people who would be willing to work with you if you were able to deal effectively with the concerns they had.

i'm sure richard would agree, although i don't recall him stating it so clearly that both the numbers and objection handling is required

he did allude to it by elaborating on the fact that you should be talking to people as you normally would talk to friends, family and colleagues - but for many new mlm'ers this is an issue of acquired skill. talking naturally, for some reason, doesn't come naturally to mlm'ers.

its an acquired skill, as is objection handling, as is finding the people to be able to do the numbers.

regards,

marius

[Mario Sanders Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 6]

Well, Joyce, I don't know how I came up with that proposition.
Someone had asked me that same question. Would I stay on a job that I enjoyed doing even though I could be making a lot more money doing something else?
Why do people stay on a job even though they just won the lottery? I quess it is not about the money at all but the idea of working and helping others in an enjoyable way.
I think I tried to pose a question in relative to what people understands, low paying jobs to an unlimited pay scale.
I have a skill that I have been trained to do for several years. My skill is in very much demand. But I did not think that when I started working. It was a lowly job that nobody wanted and the least desired. But I stuck with it until I was very well trained in many fields.
Now I am trying to do something else with my time and experience. To learn a new skill that would be very much in demand.
I asked myself that same question over and over again. And then I posed that question to other people to get their reaction.
A teacher enjoys teaching a child the way he/she wants that child to learn that a million dollars would not solve.

[Mario Sanders Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 6]

It is also that my questions I have may not have been thoroughly thought out clearly. But like you said to keep talking to people and asking more questions to think about.
I do appreciate all contributions to this article as I learn to talk to the real people I come in contact with every day. These are the very ones who have been saying no to everything to help them. So I contact them to get their reaction on different subjects to find out what is that they want and how I can help them to attain some of them.
I am meeting a society of 'no' people. We are taking your money and giving you benefits. No! We are using your money to put into a 401K for you. No! We are cutting out overtime. No! You get paid to work holidays. No! We will give you a raise. Yes! They are not stupid because they say no to everything!
I am trying to address all those people one at a time, in and out of my department, in and out of my target market to find what people want and to find that one person who would say, 'yes'!

[Adam Taha Contribution Level: 8]

Well, Joyce, I don't know how I came up with that proposition.
Someone had asked me that same question. Would I stay on a job that I enjoyed doing even though I could be making a lot more money doing something else?
Why do people stay on a job even though they just won the lottery? I quess it is not about the money at all but the idea of working and helping others in an enjoyable way.
I think I tried to pose a question in relative to what people understands, low paying jobs to an unlimited pay scale.
I have a skill that I have been trained to do for several years. My skill is in very much demand. But I did not think that when I started working. It was a lowly job that nobody wanted and the least desired. But I stuck with it until I was very well trained in many fields.
Now I am trying to do something else with my time and experience. To learn a new skill that would be very much in demand.
I asked myself that same question over and over again. And then I posed that question to other people to get their reaction.
A teacher enjoys teaching a child the way he/she wants that child to learn that a million dollars would not solve.

I think Mario, you have to take into consideration of exactly what your values are first, think clearly on what it is in a person you look for, whether it's for opportunity or products.

To be clear of the results you desire.

Because these will give you the questions and the right ones to ask.

Plus, the enviroment to consider as well, in what lead to asking this person that question, which I still not sure, nor have yet to see the concrete answer to this. That is why I asked these questions before giving opinion.

And that can be a problem because to learn how to prospect, one must evaluate how they do it, because it's a learning process but one must know what it is they are learning. What needs to fixed, and how.

There's a process involved in prospecting and it's the same with sales process, which starts off with..

1. Mindset. Your mindset first.
2. The mindset of the prospect you wish to attract.

Unfortunately, most have the mindset to sponsor, recruit and not first understand

1. What's the prospect mindset e.g. has the prospect got a need because you got a solution that solves a problem.
2. Have the prospect the desire to solve that problem?
3. Have they the comittment to solve it. Meaning, they comitted to take action.
4. Have they the money.

So by knowing this process Mario, you then design the process when prospecting, offline and even online, and evaluate as you do, to tweak and refine.

And if the person misses the first stage and not first acquiring the information, through conversation, and asking question, then they are wasting their own time.

They are not going to attract sales or signing up a new team member who is going to do something.

Worse - if they cannot even do this, how they going to even help their team members?

And even if the person signs up, they may not do a thing, so there needs to be process of income generating sales process, to first educate, help the person to understand what it takes. And provide relevant paid content, ebooks, training etc.

The education to also reveal it will take work, it will take sweat, it will take learning, it will take committment, sacrifice of time, investment in money etc.

But the person does not need to know all this before the first initial stages are done.

In other words, does the prospect qualify for your time, is there a need, or is it just 'heresay.'

Just because someone in a job and the job is linear income, does not validate anything regarding "qualifying" prospects.

Many people, thousands, millons have jobs, or problems and they won't do sod all about increasing income etc. And that's ok. It really is because you find out what you need to know before wasting too much time and move on to other people faster.

Just because someone complains, moans, or says, they are not happy with their job or financial situation; does not mean the prospect has a desire to do something about it. That's ok too because you found out what you need to know way before, and done so professionally.

And just because someone says, they want to do something about it, does not mean they are comitted to do so. That's ok too.

But we save time, a lot of time, by understanding the mindset we need to have in place and be committed to qualify prospects fast. Does not mean to be rude because one can leave on a good note, that may even make one wonder, and to ask for further information.

Which your sales funnel comes into place.

So, to prospect in a guessing mode, without having ones own process and to do it because "well that's how I was approached or asked"...

Isn't really in my humble opinion good enough. One will waste a lot of time.

If a business owner want results, grow the team, increase sales then they have to treat it as a business.

Because that's what we are in. A business which we don't own anyway because it's owned by the company, if one is a Network Marketer in MLM.

I'm not in business to "save the world and help people."

Plenty of people who got a lot of time in their hands, who will help someone for free. If I want to help people, I'd join a charity organisation, or pick one out of thousands of organisation in my city and be done with.

The first person who said to me, "I want to help people," I thought, "Well good for you but you ain't going to help for real. Goodbye." That was an upline from another organisation who didn't ask the right questions, know my needs and talked about jobs, and all sorts.

All of which for me, felt dodgy because he didn't know how to prospect and qualify, and build rapport fast to get the answers he needs.

1. Am I looking.
2. Do I have a need etc.

I'm in business where I got a solution to a problem, and people pay for it if a person wants that particular problem solved.

And I'll know by very simply in a conversation when getting to know someone I'd ask..

"So what do you do?"
"I do xyz." Replies the prospect.

And prospects usually, always, asks, "Oh what do you do?"

That's when to mention the solution and problem it solved and if that prospect has a need to solve the problem, you'll know.

Their eyes will light up, they'll ask more questions and it needs us to have integrity to say it as it is and no gimmicks.

And if the prospect doesn't, then they do not have that need nor desire of solving it even if they do.

We hear this all time, "Oh it's about relationship" but those who chant this are mostly not making a dime anyway.

It's about qualifying the prospect.

Relationship with one who is comitted and has taken action. Not relationship with every tom, dick and harry as what I see online being promoted.

So we then must then know exactly how to approach in prospecting, why we are doing it, what are we looking for, the mindset we need to have in place, and the mindset the prospect, customer, new team meber needs to have.

Or no go, forget it. And "go here and you'll find free information to find out more. Plus a free ebook there to learn about solving the problem."

Because the bottom line most don't like to talk about, is this..

How much sales your generating?
How much business volume is occuring in the business and overal team?

The rest is BS.

And if the sales are not happening, if the sponsoring isn't happening and where the people being sponsored are ALSO not making money, by selling products etc...

Then that says something.

We spend time away from our family, spouse, children who want to see grow. So I don't dilly dally about with my time when I know the prospect has shown no inclincation of need, comittment.

It doesn't mean I'm nasty, arrogant but time is valuable. Nor do I fear not picking up phone. Richard Branson done very well by hiring people to do that.

That's where one needs to ask serious questions and look at and see what needs to change.

Is it the prospecting process? Is there a need for filter process?

Is there a gap somewhere that it needs one to be lead to the online information? Is there a missing link from the moment the prospects get the information or before that ever happens?

Am I asking the right questions?

Am I talking to people who are not even committed?

Is it me, my mindset? Do I fear money, wealth and making it?

Bottom line = profits, sales.

Is that happening and consistently and increasing in the months?

If not, then change what needs to change.

Always look at your sales chart, product sales, see there because no matter how many talk about "relationship" and "social media" and how this and that...

The $$$$ results or lack of....do not lie.

Adam Taha

[Brother Kaleem Company: Magnetic Sponsoring Contribution Level: 3]

Hey Mario,

I think we've had this conversation before.

Most people will say "no" to anything that's good for them... unless it's THEIR idea.

"Eat your peas. They're good for you." NO.

"Would you like a donut?" Yes. THANK YOU!

See the difference?

It has to be something they WANT. Even better if it's something they MUST have. (Addicted to donuts.)

If there's an addiction, they want it even if they know they shouldn't.

What can you do to create a positive addiction to your product? Your company? Your business opportunity?

Why are YOU addicted?

(Am I helping here?)

[Andrea Thornton Company: Global Domains International, Inc Contribution Level: 2]

OK, I am just going to throw this out there.

Mario,

As a female, when I read the first post, it honestly sounded like you were trying to recruit her into erm...the "oldest profession". Obviously you would never do that, but think from an average woman's perspective.

What can you do for $100.00 an hour that isn't a job, isn't clearly defined, and the person presenting this opportunity seems hesitant about even asking?

A taxi driver once tried to make me a deal...with almost exactly same words as in your post. (Minus the adding people to a company) My reaction was much more explosive than your prospect's was.

My advice to you is never EVER begin a conversation with a woman by asking her if she would like to make a large amount of "easy" money. EVER.

While your intentions are pure, and I am positive you had no idea what she (or any other woman) might infer from what you were saying, you have to understand that ohhhh 100% of women on the planet and probably 100% of men too, have been approached at least once with an unsavory opportunity, (possibly even the same one) so be very specific when one asks you "what would I have to do?"

Andrea

[Mario Sanders Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 6]

Thanks, Adam.
I guess I don't know much about real prospecting as I thought. It seems best at this point to shut up and wait for someone to approach me and ask me questions that they have of interest and I answer them to help them.
Certainly I have tried everything else.
Adria.
You blew me away there. I would never think of such an angle to pose to anybody. But you are right. People do think of different things that are on their minds when an odd question is brought up.
A lady was told that her rear end was sticking out too far. She became offended. He was only referring to her car was not pulled into the parking space well and the vehicle was still in the lane of traffic.
I wanted to start a conversation, make a friendly relationship but not to the point of getting the wrong impression from anyone.
That is one skill I would have to practice at on learning how to prospect without offending anyone. I can see that the very ones who are always complaining about their jobs would not want to do anything about it.
We still have a lot to learn!

[Richard Bravo Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 9]

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Mario dont take the feedback that way.
Remember, when we put ourselves out there like this you have to be prepared to receive the critique.
I'm sure no one meant anything harsh towards you as a person or intended to talk down to you or be negative.

In fact I've learned a lot by this thread.
I see a clear picture of how a segment of the population views a certain language or approach that is identified with this industry. More importantly, I'm seeing that we have all had obvious negative encounters in this business and this topic opened the wound so to speak.

So for me, as a spectator, this is priceless data I get for free to use in my own marketing and how I approach people.

I would suggest doing the same.
Take it for it is ... opinions and feedback on a question you threw out to the community.
Nothing more, nothing less.

Use it to propel your business to the next level and to help you refine your own path.
Giving up isn't going to help anyone... most of all you.

Stay strong man and keep moving forward!

~RB
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[Mario Sanders Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 6]

No offense taken and thanks for the comment, Richard.
I like greeting and talking to people. If I keep talking to people it will become habit on how to correctly approach a situation better with well thought out words of wisdom and inspiration for them to think about. I just don't give up that easily.
I come to the BN and pose questions so we could all learn and get inspiration from this forum. All contributions are very helpful and will be much appreicated.
As I said earlier, I like meeting and talking to people. I don't necessarily have to sell anything or promote anything, just greetings. When I go online, I think I would have a better understanding of whom I am addressing my messages to. I know I will only reach them if they are looking for something that could touch them to act.