urMLMGardenGuide, newsletter issue 102
Naturally, I’ll start with some inspiration…
“When you look at a peony, you first see the whole flower, its color and shape. As you keep looking, you see the petals and veins and stamens and pistils. When you look more closely still, you see the segments and shading in the petals, until you begin to feel the vastness of those details. To see the vastness by looking at one thing in its details is to see its sacred connection to space and to all other things.”
- Jeremy Haywood, A Guide to the Sacred World of Shamabhala Warriorship
Success is in the Details
A main reason MLM gets a bad rap is because of pushy people.
I can remember one night I received a phone call from a friend of mine who I had worked with more than 7 years prior. I was cleaning up the dinner dishes when the phone rang and I looked at the caller id. I thought to myself, “Wow, I haven’t talked to Casey in a long time. What a surprise.” After I said a cheery hello and a “how nice to hear from you” I quickly realized that Casey wasn’t calling to catch up with my life, he wanted me to be a part of his – his new MLM business that is.
The phone call gets strange – no, bizarre – when I realize there is another person on the call with the two of us. It was a classic, MLM 3-way prospecting call. Oh Boy! I have to say I was taken back, a bit offended and instantly felt intruded upon. But being the nice, polite, people-pleaser that I am, I listened to Casey’s sponsor talk about how well I would do at this business and how much money could be made. Oh Double Boy!
Now, here is the kicker…when I asked the name of the company neither Casey or Sponsor Stranger would answer me. My politeness was vanishing by the second. I tried again. This time asking the nature of the business. Again both said they could not tell me. At this point I’m simply irritated. I ask pointedly, “You call me at my home, ask me to join your business, tell me how successful I will be – even though you don’t know me – but refuse to tell me the name or nature of the business? Are you kidding? Why would I even consider it if I don’t know what I am considering?” Casey’s up-line urged me to attend an opportunity meeting the next night to learn the specifics.
I hung up.
When you begin your network marketing business, chance are you will start with your warm market and that is OK as long as you don’t piss off your friends and family. Some pissing-off factors are but not limited to, begging your aunt to host a party at every family gathering, showing up unannounced at your father’s office and handing order forms to all of his employees, slipping sample packs into your cousin’s wedding programs and the biggest of them all – Offending your family’s and friends’ referrals because you acted like a pushy Patsy.
Your warm market (friends & family) are there for 3 reasons:
1. They are guinea pigs. You need to practice your presentations in front of someone, sooooooo who better than your mom and your sister? You KNOW they will give you some honest feedback even if you don’t ask for it.
2. You want your friends and family to try your products so they can give you personal testimonials. Do not pressure them to buy from you. If you pressure them, they will assume you will pressure their referrals too. DO NOT depend on friends and family to float your business. If you know that little secret upfront there is less chance you will get discouraged when your grandmother insists on buying competitor’s products instead of yours.
3. After your warm market has heard your presentation and they have tried AND LIKED your products then you ask them to give you 5 referrals to call. Tell them what you are going to say to their friends and explain what you are going to do. It is important that you personally make the phone calls; do not depend on your Cousin Lulu to call her friends first. She will be making a pity-call and she will WARN them of your impending call. Cousin Lulu may have the best intentions but you need to take control of your message. Your referrals need to establish a professional relationship with you from the beginning with no bias from cousin Lulu.
Let’s go beyond that 100 name list…
Do not call your referrals with a surprise 3-way call with your up line.
Here is a better example:
“Hi Susan, this is Sarah Wood calling do you have a quick second?
I understand you are a good friend of my Aunt Carolyn’s.
I’m not sure if she mentioned it to you but I have started my own home-based business
in order to send our kids to private school. (whatever your reason is)
Aunt Carolyn says you have really good taste & that you would be
the perfect person to give me an opinion of my new product line.
Obviously Aunt Carolyn values your opinion and
I would love to have your personal testimonial to help get my business off the ground.
Could I drop off a catalog and a few product samples and then
schedule a 15 minute follow-up appointment with you?
Great! You are the best and this will be so helpful.
Can I stop by tomorrow to give you the information?”
You must be yourself.
You must be genuine.
You must have their best interest at heart.
Your call should be polite, professional and to the point.
Oh Geez! I absolutely loathe surprise 3-way calls. I would have hung up too! I use 3-way calls in my organization, but only when someone is signing up. I connect them with someone else in the team. That way they have another person to offer support as they start out
Stephanie(Quote)