MLM Training: Prevent Your Prospect From Taking Control With This Simple Technique
Tim Sales
January 03, 2009
Who knows more about your MLM business than you? Certainly not your prospect! For this reason, you need to be the one in control if you are going to capture your prospect's interest and truly find out what they need and want in life. Read on to learn a simple technique to stay in control of the conversations, and lead you to MLM success.
If you find yourself losing control of a conversation with a prospect, you must stop and ask yourself, "Who has the knowledge?" You of course have the knowledge. If your prospect is the one asking all the questions, it can lead you down the wrong path, instead of leading you to your primary point of the discussion: which is to make that person's life better.
The whole importance of this prospecting tip is:
YOU HAVE TO BE THE ONE ASKING QUESTIONS, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONE CONTROLLING THE CONVERSATION.
If you don't ask questions, your prospect will. So you should always be one step ahead of your prospect to stay in control of the conversation.
The technique is very simple to explain; and once you practice it a few times, you will absolutely love it! (By the way, I go into deep discussion about this in Professional Inviter, available at the First Class MLM Tools website).
Here's the tried and true technique: you give your prospect a quick answer to the questions they ask. Don't lie nor evade! Make sure your answer is quick; not elaborate or detailed, and then in the same breath, continue with a question.
Let's say you initiate a call to a friend, and as you're talking, you do the steps of the Inviting Formula (see First Class MLM Tools website) and ask them what's important to them, and they tell you. You then move to invite them to learn more about your MLM business.
Here is an example of what NOT to do:
You: "Well, I have something that may help you achieve _______."
Prospect: "Oh really. How so?"
You: "I am in a business where you can..."
No! You bombed out! You started to answer the question, and your prospect just reversed the role of who has control of the conversation.
A better way to do this would be:
You: "Well, I have something that may help you achieve _______."
Prospect: "Oh really. How so?"
You: "Well, I'm glad you asked. I have a video that will answer your question. Would you prefer to receive a DVD, or would you like something that you can look at on the Internet right now?"
Bam, you just reversed the direction of who is controlling the conversation ; you answered their question, but you're in control. That person now has to decide whether they want the DVD or the online version.
As you're talking with a prospect you don't know, start with simple questions that don't require a lot of thought. Questions like: "Where do you live?" or "How long have you lived in this area?" As you get into the Inviting Formula, continue to ask questions that require more conversation from that person, so you can get a better understanding of what the person is looking for. Questions like: "What kind of work do you do?" "What do you like/dislike about your job?" "What job experience do you have?" Make sure your ideas fit with that person's needs.
As long as you don't use too much assertiveness (violation of Communication Quality #4 in Professional Inviter and Brilliant Communicator), I suggest you ask more personal questions. If you don't infringe a little on that person's life history, you may not fully find out what that person needs, wants or doesn't want.
Remember, your mission is to find out what your prospect needs and wants, and if they qualify, invite them to look at your MLM business. Once you let them take control of the conversation, it's very difficult to take it back. Stay on track by using this simple technique and you will achieve MLM success.
Sincerely,
Tim Sales
For more in-depth information on this topic, study the Professional Inviter lecture series by Tim Sales.
Tim Sales helps network marketers gain the confidence and skills to be an MLM success. Learn how to become a true network marketing professional and sign up for his free MLM training newsletter and listen to free training at Tim Sales' First Class MLM Tools.
If you find yourself losing control of a conversation with a prospect, you must stop and ask yourself, "Who has the knowledge?" You of course have the knowledge. If your prospect is the one asking all the questions, it can lead you down the wrong path, instead of leading you to your primary point of the discussion: which is to make that person's life better.
The whole importance of this prospecting tip is:
YOU HAVE TO BE THE ONE ASKING QUESTIONS, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONE CONTROLLING THE CONVERSATION.
If you don't ask questions, your prospect will. So you should always be one step ahead of your prospect to stay in control of the conversation.
The technique is very simple to explain; and once you practice it a few times, you will absolutely love it! (By the way, I go into deep discussion about this in Professional Inviter, available at the First Class MLM Tools website).
Here's the tried and true technique: you give your prospect a quick answer to the questions they ask. Don't lie nor evade! Make sure your answer is quick; not elaborate or detailed, and then in the same breath, continue with a question.
Let's say you initiate a call to a friend, and as you're talking, you do the steps of the Inviting Formula (see First Class MLM Tools website) and ask them what's important to them, and they tell you. You then move to invite them to learn more about your MLM business.
Here is an example of what NOT to do:
You: "Well, I have something that may help you achieve _______."
Prospect: "Oh really. How so?"
You: "I am in a business where you can..."
No! You bombed out! You started to answer the question, and your prospect just reversed the role of who has control of the conversation.
A better way to do this would be:
You: "Well, I have something that may help you achieve _______."
Prospect: "Oh really. How so?"
You: "Well, I'm glad you asked. I have a video that will answer your question. Would you prefer to receive a DVD, or would you like something that you can look at on the Internet right now?"
Bam, you just reversed the direction of who is controlling the conversation ; you answered their question, but you're in control. That person now has to decide whether they want the DVD or the online version.
As you're talking with a prospect you don't know, start with simple questions that don't require a lot of thought. Questions like: "Where do you live?" or "How long have you lived in this area?" As you get into the Inviting Formula, continue to ask questions that require more conversation from that person, so you can get a better understanding of what the person is looking for. Questions like: "What kind of work do you do?" "What do you like/dislike about your job?" "What job experience do you have?" Make sure your ideas fit with that person's needs.
As long as you don't use too much assertiveness (violation of Communication Quality #4 in Professional Inviter and Brilliant Communicator), I suggest you ask more personal questions. If you don't infringe a little on that person's life history, you may not fully find out what that person needs, wants or doesn't want.
Remember, your mission is to find out what your prospect needs and wants, and if they qualify, invite them to look at your MLM business. Once you let them take control of the conversation, it's very difficult to take it back. Stay on track by using this simple technique and you will achieve MLM success.
Sincerely,
Tim Sales
For more in-depth information on this topic, study the Professional Inviter lecture series by Tim Sales.
Tim Sales helps network marketers gain the confidence and skills to be an MLM success. Learn how to become a true network marketing professional and sign up for his free MLM training newsletter and listen to free training at Tim Sales' First Class MLM Tools.