Burke Hedges Speaks

Last week I gave you an overview of the 6 step formula I use to
overcome objections, stalls and put-offs.  We discussed how these
objections can pop up at any time in the prospecting and recruiting
process.  It’s not always as cut & dry as “I don’t have the money”. 

You can face objections all through the recruiting process…from
someone putting you off to take a look at your opportunity, to a
prospect cancelling at the last minute, to someone telling you
your business must be a scam. 

The 6-step Formula for overcoming them can be used at anytime
during the recruiting process.  Today we’re going to go over
the first 3 steps…let’s get started!

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>> Step 1: Listen to the objection carefully, and don’t interrupt. 

Let’s review some of the more common objections you will be getting:   
 
“I’m too busy, I don’t have the time”
“I don’t have the money right now to get in your business”
“I don’t think it’s for me”
“I don’t know how to sell”
“It sounds like one of those pyramid deals”

Regardless of the objection you are presented with, always listen
to the objection carefully and don’t interrupt . It’s important that
you don’t just sit there, waiting for your turn to talk. Really
listen to what your prospect is saying so you get a feel if
their first objection is the real reason for the putt-off or is
there a different and more legitimate reason behind it. 

Remember, your focus should be on the process NOT the outcome. 
So your goal is to find out what exactly it is your prospect
has issues with. You can’t provide a solution to a problem
if you don’t know the problem, can you?   So listen carefully!

>> Step 2:  Validate

Appreciate their objection by repeating it to them, either by
paraphrasing the meaning or repeating it back exactly as they
told you.  People want to know they’ve been heard, and what
they had to say didn’t fall on deaf ears.  To accomplish this
I have found that all you have to do it to repeat what they said.

If you are an Oprah fan you’ll notice that she has clearly
developed the art of validating her guest.    When you embrace
the objection you will also be showing your prospect a great
sign of respect.   Don’t forget to ask if there is more they’d
like to say. I’ll give you a good example of this later on.

>>  Step 3:  Feel, felt and realized (or found) 

This strategy is an oldie, but a goodie. I’ve been using it for
years and it’s extremely effective when handling objections.    

Let’s start with FEEL: It goes something like this.  “I understand
why you feel that way Jim,” or “I can see why you would feel the
way you do Mary” .    What you are doing here is embracing their
objection. This is very important in creating harmony.    

You can also use words like appreciate. For example, “Jim, I
can appreciate why you’re feeling the way you do, or “Mary, I
can appreciate what you are saying and why you feel the way you do.”  

What you want to establish with  feel, felt, realized is harmony
and this accomplished by embracing the objection. 

Now let’s discuss part two- “Felt”: this is all about empathy. 
“I felt the same way myself.”  This is when you share your personal
experience relating to your prospects objection. Here you are
indirectly communicating to your prospect that it’s ok to feel
the way they do because you at some point felt the same way.  

This is where you find common ground with your prospect.  You’re
identifying with them at their level.

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Now, if you don’t have a personal experience that relates with your
prospect’s objection then I strongly suggest   you share the experience
of someone in your business that has a similar experience as your
prospect. How do you do this? Do your homework. Get to know who is
successful with your company and learn their personal story. People
like to hear other peoples success stories because they can identify
with them.
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The key in these first two steps is to listen and validate. This
eliminates  “conflict thinking”  that puts your prospects on the
defensive. Create harmony, learn to first understand and then to
be understood. I can’t emphasize how important this point is. 

This final part is the “realized” or the “found” part.  It’s when
you turn the conversation around 180 degrees.  This is where you
address their specific objection with a specific response that would
make them feel better about their objection and therefore correct
any of their misconceptions or beliefs.

When you use the phrase, “until I Realized” it gives you permission
to educate your prospect that you too were misinformed or didn’t
understand what was being offered. But now that you have this new
factual information it made you feel better about your concerns.  

For example, if you feel that your prospect does not understand
the compensation plan, they’re misinformed about the network
marketing industry, or maybe they may have some significant
self-esteem issues, then you address their specific concern. 
 
That’s it for this week.  Next week I’m going to put these first
3 strategies together and give you a real life example…so stay
tuned & until then, have a great week!

Thanks for joining me this week for the Monday Minute!  Last week I
started off a series on overcoming objections.  We talked about having
the right outlook on objections so you can feel confident when a
prospect throws one at you. 

We’re all aware of some of the common objections like “I don’t have
the money” or “I don’t have the time”.  But objections also come in
the form of stalls and put-offs like, “I need to think about it” or
“I like it.  I’ll call you next week to get started”. 

Sometimes an objection is just a put-off- and then you find yourself
chasing around a prospect for weeks trying to get a solid “yes” or
“no” out of them.  It can be incredibly frustrating, can’t it? 

In this issue, I’m going to share my 6 point strategy for handling
objections, stalls and put-offs the right way- every time. Then,
we’ll spend the next couple of weeks going over each one & I’ll
even give you some ‘real world’ examples to help you in the field. 
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You’re going to be faced with objections, stalls and putt-offs all
throughout the recruiting process and even when selling your products. 

>> You may be faced with an objection when you invite someone to take
   a look at the opportunity. 

>> You may be faced with an objection sometime in the beginning, middle
   or end of your presentation. 

>> And you can also hear objections AFTER the prospect has made the
   decision to get started and you’re filling out the enrollment papers. 

Knowing how to confidently overcome those objections is essential and
the following 6 point strategy will help you:

1) Listen

When your prospect gives you an objection, listen carefully without
interrupting.  Are they just giving you an excuse, or do they have a
valid reason for objecting?  Listen to them and let them finish their
objection completely.

2) Validate

Validate their objection.  Appreciate it by repeating it or paraphrasing
it back to them.  Then, ask them if there’s more. 

3) Use “feel, felt, realize”

If you’ve been a networker for long, you’ve undoubtedly heard the
“feel, felt, found” technique.  If you haven’t tried using it before,
I’m going to teach you how and strongly encourage you to try it
because it’s a wonderful way to communicate with your prospect.

4) Find the reason for the objection

Saying, “I don’t have the money” isn’t enough.  Why doesn’t your prospect
have the money?  What’s going on in their life that they don’t have the
money to get started?  The real reason  is never the reason your prospect
first gives you- you’ve got to dig deeper to discover it.
 
5) Offer a solution

Providing solutions is really your mission in this business.  Your prospect
already has enough problems.  If they see your business opportunity as
just another problem or hassle they’re going to have to deal with, then
they won’t be interested.  However, if you can show them that the business
is a real solution to problems they’re facing, then their minds open to the
possibilities. 

6) Ask for a commitment

After you’ve gone through the 5 steps, the final step is to ask again for
a commitment.  This may seem terribly obvious- but you’d be surprised
at how many distributors just leave those “closing questions” hanging
there.  They’re afraid to ask for the sale- so they rarely never make
a sale!

There are some very effective ways to wrap up a presentation and get
your prospect started without sounding pushy or feeling uncomfortable. 

Next week I’m going to go into depth and explain each step
in detail- I look forward to seeing you next week!

Last week we completed the “how-to’s” on planning your Strategy
Session.  This week, I’m going to start a new series that might
be a bit controversial in today’s’ “online” world.  We’re going
to break down the most effective “Tested and Proven” business
building method there is —- having a home business meeting or
what I refer to as Private Business Receptions (PBR’s).  

Today there are two worlds, the high tech (online) and high
touch (offline)world.  Mark my words, to be successful in Network
Marketing you need to strategically incorporate both worlds in to
your business. 

The online (high tech) strategy is the best tool ever invented for
our industry. It’s an amazing tool we didn’t have 20 years ago
when I got started. It’s a prospecting, communication and e-commerce
phenomenon that might has well been invented just for the Network
Marketing industry because of the speed & accuracy it provides.
 
The offline (high touch) strategy is the heart of your long term
success in the business. It’s the single most important element
that builds: trust, loyalty, dedication, commitment, pride, and
purpose among your team.

Think about it, does your company hold regional or national
conferences where you can mingle with the top producers and
corporate staff?  Where you can learn product knowledge and
the vision of the company? Where you can be inspired to be
your best and achieve your dreams? 

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If you get all this online you wouldn’t need to go to the
conferences, right? But you can’t! We are in the people
business and we need live interaction of the “tions”.

That is emotion, education, motivation, validation,
recognition, inspiration.
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A PBR is simply a microcosm of your company’s national convention. 
It’s often a first exposure meeting that leads to a hotel meeting
and then eventually leads to company conference.  

The relationship of high touch and high tech is the exact
relationship of what a fish is to water. Without both your business
will not survive long term. You must establish a healthy balance
between the two. You can bring people in using high tech but you
keep them in with the high touch.

Today, most distributors don’t do PBRs mainly because they don’t
know WHY they should do them much less know how to them.  If
they’ve been taught how to do PBR’s, but don’t, it’s because
they are taking the path of least resistance.

Which basically means I want to do less, but have more!

That’s like a professional golfer who won’t practice hitting
golf balls yet wants to win a championship.

REDICULOUS, isn’t it? More about this in a moment.   (or even
why it’s important)

While technology may have changed, people have not. 

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Open any National Home Business or Entrepreneur magazine today
& you’ll see advertisement after advertisement touting the
benefits of “No meetings!  We’ll do all the work!  You don’t
have to do anything!  Never talk to anyone!”
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A friend of mine who’s actively building a distributorship
recently told me that a prospect signed up & then immediately
said, “This is going to be great.  Now tell me- I don’t actually
have to DO anything, do I?”  To which my friends response was,
“No, you just sit here & once a month we are going to back
the ‘money truck’ up to your front door.”

Of course, my friend was joking.  But unfortunatly that is the
mindset promoted by so many desperate distributors.  It’s that
lottery ticket mentality.  The internet phenomenon has fueled
this wrong mentality. 

>>>It’s time to set the record straight and to tell the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the truth if you want to stop
spinning your wheels and start to build a large, loyal and
productive team.  You  have to  incorporate high tech  with
high touch building.<<<

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There are only 2 reasons why people will join your business.

1) Confidence in the future
2) A sense of belonging
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When I say confidence in the future what I’m saying is that your
new prospects has confidence that they can parlay their investment
of money, time and effort into a worthwhile outcome. They believe
if they make the deposits they will eventually (down the road)
take the withdrawals.

It’s exactly like kids going to college for a degree. High school
graduates believe that if they invest 4 years of time and $50,000
in tuition in getting a college degree they will have better
opportunities than those who don’t.

When I say a sense of belonging what I’m saying is people have a
genuine need to be connected, to be a part of a community, to be 
valued and respected.   Often a person will sign up because of
the opportunity, but they will stay in because of the people.

And it’s for BOTH these  reasons that I firmly believe you will
benefit greaetly from learning how to build your business around 
Private Business Receptions.
 
Over the next few weeks I’m going to teach you the value of PBR’s
and exactly how to do them for fast and lasting success. You will
sponsor more people, sell more products or services and duplicate
your organziation exponentially faster and stronger.

Until then, have a prosperous week & always strive to be your best!

Let’s face it, not everyone you show your business to is going to “get it”.  Maybe you didn’t explain the opportunity properly.  Perhaps your prospect doesn’t like Network Marketing.  Maybe they don’t have the time or the money.  But for whatever reason, right now their answer to you is “No”.  

 The Drip System was created for just this person.  And when you apply it to your business, I really believe you’ll start getting excited about hearing the word “No”.  After all, your prospects aren’t rejecting YOU, they simply don’t believe they could
achieve the promise of the business. 
 
Normally, when a prospect tells you “No”, that’s it. That’s the end of your relationship with them.  Whatever time you spent with them showing them your business was basically “wasted” time because it produced no results.  But when you implement a
follow-up system that “drips” on those prospects, you keep that potential partnership going.  When someone says “No” to you, it really becomes “Not yet”.

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There’s a psychological element at play here because when you
KNOW you’re going to follow-up with that prospect, then you become
much less afraid of hearing the word “No”.  A shift occurs in your
mental attitude and disappointment is replaced with excitement and
anticipation.

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–> Do you find yourself chasing prospects around? 
–> Do people avoid your phone calls? 
–> Do you find yourself on an emotional roller coaster when it comes to recruiting? 

If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions, it’s because you’re approaching your recruiting efforts in a “needy” way.  You’re desperate to sponsor someone because if the prospect says “No” to you, in your mind, that’s the end of the relationship.  Other than calling them and bugging them to death, you’ve got no sure-fire way to follow-up.

It’s really simple:  There are WAY too many people out there who want to get involved in your business for you to waste your time trying to plead, convince or persuade a prospect who’s simply not ready right now.  Don’t even bother trying to persuade someone!  Simply add them to your Drip system.

So, what is a Drip System anyway? 

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The DRIP system is your million-dollar mailing list or follow-up
system.  Your goal should be to have 100 people on this list and
you’re going to send a letter to each person once a month. 
Yep, that’s right.  You’re going to MAIL them a letter. 

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Don’t email them!  Send them a real letter.  Why? Because people will delete your email, but they’ll at least SEE
a real letter.  And here’s what you want to mail them: Simply photo copy a success story from your company.  (This
is a great project to get organized at the start of the year by the way) Go to your company website or newsletter and print out five of the best stories and testimonials with a photo. 

Make sure to mail it to your prospect with a sticky note attached to the letter as well.  You want to write something like “Steve, this could be you!” or “Steve, how much longer can you afford to wait?”  on the sticky note.

Now, all those people who said “No” will be kept in the loop because you’re going to be sending them a powerful success story of someone in your company.  It’s very easy to do because you’re going to photocopy the same flyer/letter and mail it to everyone.  The only difference will be what you write on the little sticky note with a
red pen and attach.   Don’t forget to write your phone number or attach a business card before you mail it. You’ll be amazed at the results.  Why does this work so well?

One big reason is that people like reading stories, especially stories of people who they perceive to be just like them.  And when your prospect had been getting your letters for 3, 4, or 5 months and they see someone who got started in your company 3, 4, 5 months ago & is NOW experiencing all this success…they get jealous!  Add to it that you’re sending them this note with a sticky that says “How much longer can you afford to wait?!”  Well, your prospect finally gets so sick and tired of being sick and tired that they finally say, “Alright I’m ready to go!”   

Let me give you an example:

You’ve shown your prospect a business presentation.  He seems a little bit excited, but says, “You know, this seems interesting, but I don’t think it’s right for me.” 

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Now, without a Drip System, your normal reaction might be one of
disappointment.  But with a Drip System, your response can be
“Sure thing!  I wasn’t sure if the timing was good for you right
now.  But let me ask you, would you mind if I kept you in the loop
by sending you something in the mail about once a month?”

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What’s your prospect going to say? Obviously, they’ll say “Sure!” 

Success in business is all about timing. The drip system is about capitalizing on the right time for your prospects to join you in your business. The timing may not be right for your prospects now but it could be in 3 months or 6 months.
 
One last powerful point to using the Drip system. You are teaching your potential new prospects how to do the business so when they eventually join you they will know exactly what to do.  Imagine everyone in your organization using the drip system for following up! I was watching a show on TV a few weeks ago called “60 Minutes”.  The host of the show was discussing all the new technological advances in oil drilling.  With something as valuable as oil,  scientists and engineers keep trying to improve their results in order to squeeze every last drop of oil out of the ground when they drill.

I learned that years ago, oil drills just drilled straight down into the ground.  But after numerous studies and improvements in the industry, they’ve come up with a special type of drill that not only drills vertically into the ground, but also drills horizontally!  Drilling this way ensures that they don’t leave any bit of that valuable oil in the ground. My point is this: If you’re going to schedule the time, make the phone call and find out if a prospect is  interested, and spend your time showing them the presentation, then why would you just leave them on the table? 

Why are you leaving oil in the ground? 

That prospect may not be interested today, but who knows what might happen down the road?  I’ve seen it happen over and over again…especially in THIS economy.  Circumstances change.  Someone who wouldn’t take the time to listen to you 3 months ago might lose his job tomorrow and be looking for help.  If you’re not following up with him, how do you expect him to remember you?

Follow-up is the key to making millions in this business.  Be prepared and willing to implement the system.  Don’t be lazy about it.  Make it an important part of your business, because it truly is

It’s been said that the fortunes are made in the follow-up.  There is absolutely no doubt about this. Pay close attention here:  I think learning how to prospect and qualify people first is critical.  Then, making the presentation is relatively easy because you’ve just got to tell them about your company and how to get started.  But the follow-up…that’s where the fortunes are made.

There are 2 systems I’ve always used with a lot of success when following up with prospects:  The S.W.A.T. Team system and the Drip-System.  In this weeks issue, we’re going to talk about using a SWAT Team.

When you show someone your business, you’re going to get one of three possible responses.

1) Yes, I’m interested and ready to get started!
2) No, I’m not interested at all
3) I might be interested, but I’d like to think about it.

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80% of the people you talk to will fall into the 3rd category-
they’ll want to think about it.  And this is where most networkers
completely drop the ball.  They don’t bother to follow-up
effectively with 80% of the people they talk to.

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A great system to use to follow-up effectively is to start a S.W.A.T. Team.  S.W.A.T. Team stands for “Special Winning Attitude Team” and it’s simply an alliance of at least 3 people in your upline with good success stories who have partnered up to help you follow-up with all those prospects who are on the fence. 

Let’s say you show 10 presentations next month, and 5 out of the 10 people say “Yes, I think I’m interested but let me think about it for a couple of days.”  Or, “Yes, I like what I see.  But I won’t have the money until Friday.”  Sound familiar?

This is exactly where your SWAT Team would come in.  Those 3 people that you’ve formed the “alliance” with in your upline have a propensity  for action and they’re purposed to make things happen.  They want you to win because when you win, so do they!  They’re invested in your success.  Your SWAT Team’s job is to create a sense of urgency with your prospect.  They’re there to show support and make your prospect feel special and important.

When a college athletic department is interested in recruiting an all-star athlete for the team, the coach will call the player, then the head of the department will call, then the recruiter will call.  Each person makes a call to that all-star in order to welcome them, encourage them in their decision making, and make them feel desired and wanted.  This is the job of your SWAT Team.  They’re there to make your prospect feel desired and wanted.  If they do their job right, it makes your prospects’ decision to get started MUCH easier.  Each member of your SWAT Team will simply take a turn calling your prospect within the first 24-48 hours of them seeing a presentation.  When they call they’ll say something like, “Hey Steve, this is Bill.  I just got off the phone with Burke and he says that you’re an extremely sharp person & you’ve expressed some interest in ABC company, is that true?  I just want you to know that I’m part of the support team & I want to share my story with you and if you have any questions, you just let me know.”

Then, your SWAT Team member will spend a couple quick moments sharing his story, how he got started in the business, and the success he’s achieved with your prospect.  All 3 members of your SWAT Team take turns following-up with your prospect just like this.  Each one will make a quick phone call to them that first day or two after they’ve seen the plan.  Each one has a different story and they’ll be friendly, excited and will speak well of both you and your prospect.  Of course, by the time your prospect gets the third call, he’s thinking “Holy cow!  This is great!”  He feels VERY special.  People like to be pursued in a positive way & by now your prospect is thinking he doesn’t have to do anything by himself.  If he can get this kind of support when he’s introducing people to the business, then this is a no brainer.  He SHOULD get started!

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If you take that approach with every prospect you’re trying to
bring into your business, your odds will skyrocket. 

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Having “posture” is incredibly important when you’re going into a presentation.  It’s that certainty, that 100% confidence and total belief in what you’re doing that will really make an impact on your prospect when they sit down with you.  When you approach your prospects with the posture of a winner, they’ll respect you, your time, and the opportunity you’re presenting. 

You can spend a lot of time preparing to make a presentation, but let’s face it: Eventually you’re going to have to stop preparing and just get out there and DO IT!  You can ask people all day long “Who do you know who might be interested in making an extra $2,000-$5,000 a month?” And when they say “ME!” you’ve got to have the skills to sit down with them for 20-30 minutes and present your opportunity in the best light possible, with excitement and determination to win.
 
In my training program “The Science of Effective Prospecting, Recruiting & Sponsoring” I teach in-depth on the 6 key elements of an effective presentation.  You can find more out about that program by visiting http://www.21DayChallenge.net

Here’s a brief overview of those important steps:

–> Part 1: Talk about your company.

Validate your company. Go over some key highlights.  When was the company started?  What’s their track record?   Let your prospect feel comfortable that this is a credible company that’s stable and will stick around.

–> Part 2: Talk about your industry.

Did you realize that you’re a part of the fastest growing industry in the world?  The home-based business industry is HUGE! Look at these recent stats:
>> Every 11 seconds someone starts a home-based business.

>> Over the next five years, in the United States alone, the number of people who work out of their homes will increase from a current 30 million to an estimated 90 million.  In other words, the number of home based businesses will triple!

>> Female-owned businesses are being created at about twice the rate of male-owned business.

>> Forty to 44 percent of all home-based businesses require less than $5,000 for startup

Share these facts and figures with your prospect.  Chances are they already know several people who own a direct sales business already.  Paint a picture that they’re getting involved in the right place at the right time.

–> Part 3: Talk about your products

Make sure you have some product testimonials on hand.  You want to show your prospect with belief and conviction that your products are working for people.  It’s called “Social Proof”.  And you prove this with stories and testimonials of other folks that are experiencing the positive benifits of using your products.

–> Part 4: Show them the money

Keep it simple.  No one wants to see a complicated spreadsheet.  People only remember about 10% of what you tell them & a great way to help your prospect remember this part is to use the “Cash back”, “Cash flow” , or “Cash cow” system.

*Cash back is simply saving money by purchasing products from yourself.
*Cash flow is making money by selling the products to others.
*And Cash cow is when you build a team of people who not only use  the products, but also sell them to others. 

–> Part 5: Your support system

What kind of training can they expect?  Let them feel comfortable that if they get involved with you there’s going to be a methodology for how they do the business.  A system they can plug into.  Check out the end of this newsletter for info on how to outsource a lot of your training.

–> Part 6: How do they get started? 

Always start high.  I always like to say you can get started for less than $1000.  And if someone can get started in your program for $50 bucks, that’s less than $1000!  You can’t buy a franchise for less than $25k.  So the barrier to entry in our industry is much lower.  And that’s a huge benefit, especially with the current economy. 

Now, next week we’ll talk about the follow up, I’m going to give you tools for that.  Once you give a presentation they’re going to say one of 3 things. Sign me up!  No, this isn’t for me.  Or, I’ve got some more questions, let me think about it.  Most of the people you show this business to will fall in that third category.  And I’ve got some brilliant tips that actually systemize your follow-up…we’ll talk about those next week.

Last week, we talked about the science of prospecting.  And if Prospecting is the art of looking for people who are already looking for what you have to offer, then Recruiting is: “The science of taking someone from curious to serious.” When you first approach a prospect, they’re only mildly curious. And your job (if you want to make any money) is to get them serious enough that they’re ready to make a financial commitment.  They’re ready to lay down their money and put some skin in the game.

It’s kind of like fishing.  When you’re out prospecting, you’re just putting your line in the water to see if you get any bites. But soon, if you keep at it, you’ll feel a tug.  Is it a big fish?  Could be!  And if you plan to reel that fish in, you’d better know what you’re doing…otherwise your line will snap and all you’ll be left with is a story of the “big one” that got away. Recruiting is a set of skills you use to get that fish out of the water and into your boat.

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Make it your mission to inspire your prospect.  Get them sold out on your opportunity.  Get them to see what you see…feel what you feel…and experience what you experience.  This is the KEY to being successful in recruiting.

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Imagine yourself as a college football recruiter who’s trying to woo the high school football star to your school.  You say “Hey, come and check out our campus!  I want you to meet our coaches. Why don’t you stay in the dormitory?”   The all star player is interested in joining your team, he’s just not quite sold out yet. 

So how do you get your prospect sold out and ready to get started NOW? 

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When you’re recruiting, one of the best things you can remember is that when your prospect is interested, that’s when the true work begins.  All you’ve got is a “nibble”, and your job is to pull him in…

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If I were to take a survey and ask you “What is the hardest part of building your business?”  What would your answer be? Ten bucks says you’d say “Prospecting”.  Most people do.  That’s because everyone thinks the prospecting is the hard part.  But actually, prospecting is easy because all you have to do is keep asking people if they’re interested in what you’ve got to offer.  That’s just good old work-ethic! 

But recruiting requires some skill.  It requires strategy. The fortunes are made in recruiting.  To make YOUR fortune, you must master the two-steps of recruiting and they are:

1) Your Presentation
2) Follow-up

In order to recruit someone, you’ve got to present your opportunity, right?  So, how do you go about doing this in the most effective way?  Well, you can present your business formally or informally. What’s the difference?

A formal presentation, or a “belly to belly” presentation, is when you’re sitting directly in front of your prospect at your local Starbucks chatting over a cup of coffee.  You could also be at a live event like a meeting in someone’s home, or perhaps at a hotel.  

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Historically, formal presentations are more effective.  Why? Because you’ve got the information…the motivation…the validation… and the education…all right there connecting with your prospect.

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Your prospect is around other people (even if that other person is just YOU) who have a positive and excited mindset.  Whenever you can get someone to a formal presentation, you’ve got a better chance of enrolling them in your business.  But you can’t always get someone to your local Starbucks or a meeting, can you?  What about all those folks who live far away?

For those people, you’re going to have to settle with an informal presentation.  Plug your prospect into a website or a DVD.  It’s not live, but it’s the next best thing.   You know, a lot of the time you only get one shot in the recruiting process.  The great recruiters leave the prospect feeling like they’d be missing out.  Your prospect should be sitting there saying “Hey, I’d be a fool not to invest in this business and be a part of the program!” 

A good recruiter gets a prospect feeling this way through one thing…POSTURE
 
You can’t lose someone you don’t have! 

Many distributors get all wound up  worried about losing a prospect, when they never had them in the first place!  Why?  Because they didn’t take them through the presentation process effectively enough to show them A to Z about their program and more importantly they didn’t have the conviction or belief when they were showing it to them.

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They were afraid of losing the prospect instead of coming at it with the mindset of “Hey, I’m doing this business with or without you.  I’d rather do it with you, but I don’t need you.”

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Next week I’ll break down the presentation process for you step by step.  There are 6 parts to an effective presentation, and if you skip out on one, you’re doing yourself and your prospect a huge disservice.  The process of recruiting takes about 80% of your time in this business, so it only makes sense to be as effective as you possibly can. 

Make each shot with a prospect your very best!