1. The Paradigm Shift
What would you rather have: 1,000 front-line distributors who never do anything with the business or 10 distributors who build large organizations without your day-to-day involvement? Easy question, huh?
The first step to having an MLM organization that's a lean, mean, money-making machine that works with or without you is to adopt the attitude of focusing on “selective sponsoring” instead of “wishful sponsoring.” Make up your mind that you will not attempt to recruit large numbers of people again. Your attitude should be that every single distributor you recruit must be the kind of person who will earn $100,000 the very first year in the business, with or without your support, or you don’t want them.
2. Approach Leaders, Not Losers
The very people that most network marketers are reluctant to approach are the ones you must target. You want business people who are already somewhat successful. You want people who are highly organized; self starters; self motivated; people who are determined to change their financial situation and willing to back that determination up with massive action.
You do not want people that you have to constantly motivate. You cannot afford to baby-sit unmotivated, unorganized, irrational, unqualified, lazy people that expect you or the company’s system to do everything for them.
(If you are now beginning to make excuses in your mind why you cannot find and approach these types of high-level prospects, you might as well forget success right now before you get started and waste your time.)
3. Third Party Approach
When you do target an ideal prospect, try this script to reduce or eliminate pressure on your prospect when calling for the appointment:
“I’ve started a home-based business that I’m excited about and I’m looking for a few key people that have leadership abilities. I know this is something you would not be personally interested in, but I was wondering if you would do me a favor by looking at my business and tell me who I should be calling?”
4. Probe for Pain
Tell this person that you are looking for people who are concerned about not having enough money for retirement; layoffs; downsizing; not enough free time with family or job dissatisfaction. If your prospect has any of these concerns, he or she will ask you if you would consider THEM for the opportunity. This will set the stage for you to begin the interview/qualify process.
5. Create a Benefit State-of-Mind
After your initial “shock and surprise” that they themselves would be interested, ask questions like, “Why would you be interested in this; what appeals to you about this business; what has attracted you to know more; how would this program benefit you?”
The more reasons they tell you why they need something like this, the better your chances of enrolling them as a top-notch leader. But…it’s too soon to let them know they have qualified to be part of your business. You need to make them jump through some hoops that will absolutely prove to you that they are serious.
What would you rather have: 1,000 front-line distributors who never do anything with the business or 10 distributors who build large organizations without your day-to-day involvement? Easy question, huh?
The first step to having an MLM organization that's a lean, mean, money-making machine that works with or without you is to adopt the attitude of focusing on “selective sponsoring” instead of “wishful sponsoring.” Make up your mind that you will not attempt to recruit large numbers of people again. Your attitude should be that every single distributor you recruit must be the kind of person who will earn $100,000 the very first year in the business, with or without your support, or you don’t want them.
2. Approach Leaders, Not Losers
The very people that most network marketers are reluctant to approach are the ones you must target. You want business people who are already somewhat successful. You want people who are highly organized; self starters; self motivated; people who are determined to change their financial situation and willing to back that determination up with massive action.
You do not want people that you have to constantly motivate. You cannot afford to baby-sit unmotivated, unorganized, irrational, unqualified, lazy people that expect you or the company’s system to do everything for them.
(If you are now beginning to make excuses in your mind why you cannot find and approach these types of high-level prospects, you might as well forget success right now before you get started and waste your time.)
3. Third Party Approach
When you do target an ideal prospect, try this script to reduce or eliminate pressure on your prospect when calling for the appointment:
“I’ve started a home-based business that I’m excited about and I’m looking for a few key people that have leadership abilities. I know this is something you would not be personally interested in, but I was wondering if you would do me a favor by looking at my business and tell me who I should be calling?”
4. Probe for Pain
Tell this person that you are looking for people who are concerned about not having enough money for retirement; layoffs; downsizing; not enough free time with family or job dissatisfaction. If your prospect has any of these concerns, he or she will ask you if you would consider THEM for the opportunity. This will set the stage for you to begin the interview/qualify process.
5. Create a Benefit State-of-Mind
After your initial “shock and surprise” that they themselves would be interested, ask questions like, “Why would you be interested in this; what appeals to you about this business; what has attracted you to know more; how would this program benefit you?”
The more reasons they tell you why they need something like this, the better your chances of enrolling them as a top-notch leader. But…it’s too soon to let them know they have qualified to be part of your business. You need to make them jump through some hoops that will absolutely prove to you that they are serious.
6. Get Them Using Products
Since 90% of the people that get into network marketing do so because they’ve had a positive experience with their company’s products or services, your prospects must be believers in them too. Sell them some products as a requirement to schedule a second interview. Do not convey to your prospects that they have a good chance to be accepted into your business. The psychology of “Selective Sponsoring” is to keep them off-balance until you are convinced they have met all of your requirements.
7. The Meeting Requirements
During your second interview, quiz them on the benefits of the products and services you sold them. Make sure they are sold on them before continuing. Assuming they like them, explain (not sell) your company’s business plan. Tell them that they have to attend a small meeting with you to meet other distributors in your company. Require that they attend a regional or national conference that will give them the big picture. Be sure that you take them to these meetings personally, but at their own expense.
8. Action Commitment
The final requirement for them to qualify to be a part of your organization is for them to embrace your start-up system. (What, you don't have a system? Shame on you.)
Sit down with them and, using a checklist, get them to agree on what you want them to do to get started on the right track. You may want to include: setting goals, making up a warm list, purchasing your company’s top level start-up package, setting two or three appointments their first week, making three-way calls with you, etc.
9. Point Them in the Right Direction
Be there for them the first thirty days in the business. Go with them on their first few appointments. (I cannot stress enough the importance of you supporting them in the beginning by helping them with their first few presentations.) Agree to make three-way calls with them. Show them your company’s procedure system. Encourage them to get the training they may need. And then, let them go.
10. Disqualification
During the entire process of this system, if your prospect balks at any of the steps (including going to a national convention at his or her own expense), you must immediately disqualify them as a candidate for your organization.
Understand that most people that want to join your business will not qualify. That’s okay because you don’t want everyone anyway. This system focuses on spending your time and energy in the recruiting process instead of the developing process of building a business. If you successfully implement this system and stay with it, one day you may have people literally standing in line to join your network marketing business. Doesn’t that sound like fun?
Hilton Johnson is the founder of MLMU, a virtual sales training and coaching organization for "Network Marketers Who Hate Selling"(tm). Their simple but groundbreaking coaching and sales skills have set the standard for how today's network marketer can approach, present and develop relationships with prospects without ever coming across as pushy or aggressive.
For FREE coaching, training, marketing tools and other resources, go to http://www.mlmu.com.
Comment Preview