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When I was doing network marketing, I used to invite prospects to my home. They all thought they were in for a formal business meeting and arrived in suits and ties. I always thought because it was a home meeting they would arrive in very relaxed clothing. Because of this, I used to really dress down by wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. This made both of us feel awkward. I stopped wearing that sweat shirt and jeans and started meeting them half way. I began wearing a nice pair of pants and a nice golf shirt. Sometimes you need to compromise.
You Need To Make Presentations Without Using Excessive Written Aids
You need to demonstrate to your prospect that you know your stuff. How do you expect your prospect to think of you as their upline if you don't show a good working knowledge of your business and are competent enough to explain it without a lot of notes and charts. Sure, you can use them to supplement your presentation, but don't let them dominate the meeting. When you first start out with a new program, learn as much about it as you can and convey that knowledge and your competence to your prospect. That way your prospect will gain confidence in you and his ability to be successful in the business knowing that he has someone to steer him in the right direction and give excellent guidance.
Be Prepared To Ask Prospect Intelligent Questions And Be A Good Listener And Responder To Their Questions
This all goes back to knowing your stuff and being able to ask the pertinent questions about the business and respond accordingly to their questions. If you don't come across as knowing what you are talking about, the person will lose faith in your ability to advise them. You must know the right questions to ask to determine if this person really has what it takes to be successful. If it appears he is not all that serious and probably not put in the necessary time and effort, he is of no use to you. In case this you should be honest and tell the person that the two of you would not be a good fit and end the meeting in an amicable, friendly way,
If Meeting Goes Well, Try To Close Him
If you determine that this person will benefit from being on your team and vice-versa, don't be afraid to ask him on the spot to sign up. There is no reason to waste any time. Be affirmative and go for a committal. If person wants to think it over, be gracious and tell him to take as long as he need to decide. Just try to get him to join you at end of meeting. You have nothing to lose by trying. If you don't ask them to join, who else is? You have to make an attempt to close the deal. Tell the person everything you will do for them to help make them successful. Be prepared to handle any obstacles that the person brings up. If you know your business, this should not be difficult. All objections that the person has should come out at this meeting and be met head on and eliminated.
This is it! You feel mounting pressure since you know this is your chance to present yourself and your business. You've met someone who you believe will be an ideal customer and/or partner. You've made the initial connection and found a convenient time to share with them what you do. Now the day of the appointment is here—are you looking forward to it or secretly dreading it?
In previous newsletters I've discussed the importance of identifying your ideal customer and/or partner. I've also shared practical ways to find and connect with her. These suggestions aren't going to help you if you can't present yourself and your business clearly and authentically.
Where's your focus? It all begins with your intention. Is your focus on a single sale? Or is it on creating a long-term meaningful relationship? The answer to this question will set the tone for your interactions.
Instead of focusing on “What's in it for me?” - take the focus off of yourself. Focus on who you're with—you'll be amazed how this removes the pressure from you. Shift your focus to “What am I going to GIVE?” When your focus is on being of service you'll no longer worry about what you have to say. Concentrate on making your prospect comfortable and help them feel they're in a place of choice.
Nine Ways to Present Clearly and Authentically
So after you ensure that you have the right focus, then what? How can you ensure that you're putting your best self forward? That you're presenting what you do clearly and you're doing so authentically?
Here are nine things I keep in mind when I'm presenting myself:
• Keep it simple and easy to follow, you'll come off more sincere if it's not too fancy and overly polished.
• Be direct: “I know you're busy but what amount of monthly income would motivate you to take a serious look at this business?
• Provide the right amount of information. You want to give them enough information to make a decision without feeling overwhelmed.
• Allow your authenticity to shine through. Don't put on a show. Let them get to know the real you. Don't be pushy and overeager, but straightforward and sincere.
• Personalize your message and focus on what they need. If it's someone you know well, use that to your advantage during your presentation to make it more personal. If you don't know them that well this is your chance to learn more through good question-asking and listening. Tailor your presentation so it becomes much more than just a sales pitch.
• Look to find common points of interest. This will allow you to form an instant bond. Use FORM – Family, Occupation, Recreation and Money—to find common ground. How many times have you seen women bond when they talk about their kids?
• Keep it compelling. Tell your prospect your WHY. Why were you motivated to choose your business? This answer will create your connection. You can even share a compelling story. What's great about a story is instead of feeling like a pushy salesperson; you'll know you're sharing something authentic and of value.
• Speak about the benefits of your company and products. Communicate the value of the products and the financial opportunity. Show your prospect how this opportunity will make her life better.
• Recognize that you're already training your new potential partner to do what you do. (They don't really realize this, but everything you do, good or bad, will be duplicated.)
These nine things are simple to do and they work. Instead of feeling worried or preoccupied you'll come across as a competent, caring person. You'll actually look forward to your appointments.
Building Relationships for Ultimate Success
What's even better is with the right focus you CANNOT FAIL. They may or may not be a good match for your products or your business. Use this time you have together as a fact-finding mission about them and to share appropriate information.
When you've clearly and authentically presented yourself and your products, whether or not your prospect is interested, you've established or maintained a relationship. That relationship can benefit you in so many ways in the future—through referrals, future business or just the value of a solid friendship.
People—especially women—do business with those they know, like and trust. Focus on quality long-term relationships. You will enjoy how these relationships evolve over time and how they help you to become truly successful in direct sales and in life.