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[Jim Devitt Contribution Level: 1]

We've all heard it before, and there is certainly a lot of truth to this statement. According to the "Executive Buying and Selling Study" conducted by the Real Learning Company, a Scottsdale, Arizona based consulting firm, you've got five (5) minutes to establish credibility when talking with your prospect.

Have we ever stopped to hear what we are saying in the first 5 minutes? It doesn't matter what your opportunity is, the 5 minutes are the same for everyone. The next time you're making a call to a prospect, tape record yourself, when you play it back you may really surprise yourself.

Right off the bat, we tend to tell them what we think they need, but really, do we know what they need without asking the question? You want to establish control of the conversation by asking questions. Start the conversation off with a question either about their current work situation or their current life situation (baby on way, college on the horizon). Everyone wants to talk about themselves and the best way to get them on your side and interested in what you have to say is to let them talk about themselves for awhile. Just make sure you are listening and not trying to practice your next lines in your head.

When you do speak, make sure you bring something of value to the table based on their previous response. Most people will talk too much about features and benefits instead of bringing value to the table. Instead of talking about how many layers deep you get paid, talk about creating a future of residual income and relate that back to a personal goal of theirs (sending kids to college?).

Just remember, the more your prospect talks within the first 5 minutes, the better chance you have of bringing them on board. Your prospects are looking for value... Value through their eyes, not your own eyes. So open up your ears and close your mouth, and watch your business grow!