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Sorting: the Real Secret to Network Marketing Success

Personal Note: While the focus of this article is network marketing recruiting, the ideas covered apply to any type of sales.

I recently watched a video made by a network marketing professional who personally recruits more than 20 associates a month. It sums up what it really takes to successfully recruit people into your network marketing company. This article sums up the key points of that video.

The successful network marketer knows that sponsoring new business partners is a sorting process. The reality is that 8 out of 10 people that you talk to will not be qualified to join your opportunity.  You’re looking for the 2 out of 10 candidates who do qualify for your opportunity. Your primary objective is to present your opportunity to those people who qualify for your opportunity, not convince them.

You see, finding new business associates is like recruiting a new employee for a top corporate position. If you were Bill Gates would spend your time trying to convince everyone who applied for a job, or would you interview candidates and then make a job offer to the most qualified. Network marketing professionals have the mindset of a corporate recruiter. The corporate recruiter places ads for the position they are trying to fill and then interviews the applicants and select those people who qualify for the position. They follow the 4 S formula: Some will, Some won’t So what,  See whose next!

The Oyster and The Pearl Philosophy

When speaking to people about your product or opportunity, think of the oyster and the pearl. If you were looking for pearls, you would open an oyster, see if there was a pearl in it, and then open the next one. You would not take an oyster that doesn’t have a pearl and try to hatch one, you would simply move to the next oyster.

Our business is very similar, you’re looking for a few pearls who are looking for the benefits that your product or opportunity provides. The truth is that most of the people you speak to will not be open to your offer. That’s neither good nor bad. It’s simply reality.

Your job is not to convince an oyster to grow a pearl, it’s to find the pearl by simply presenting what you have and collecting decisions. In our business Some will, some won’t, that’s OK, move on.

I could go on but you get the idea. When you are looking to “recruit” into your opportunity, your objective is to sort through your “applicants” and make an offer (present your opportunity) to those who qualify for your business.

Presenting Your Opportunity

Once you have a qualified prospect use your tools and systems to present your opportunity by directing them to one of your presentation tools or systems. It could be a DVD, a recorded conference call, or an online video. Let your business tools do the talking for you. If your company does not provide effective business tools, locate some generic ones and use them, go upline to see what tools your leaders are using. When presenting your opportunity to a qualified prospect, the more you say to a qualified prospect the less you make. Your mouth is not a tool. I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of explaining your opportunity to a red hot qualified prospect, only to have them say, I have to think it over, or you schedule a follow-up appointment and when you call your prospect does a vanishing act.

Don’t Talk Yourself Out of a Sale

How many times have you talked yourself out of a new customer or associate? Would it have not been better to simply let your company’s tools do the talking for you? Have you taken the time to select the tools that you want to use to present your products or opportunity? If not, why not?

Why is this? Most often, it’s because you talked too much. The people you talk to will observe what you do and say. Since 95% of our prospects are afraid of selling, if you come off as a salesperson, they will not join your opportunity. Put yourself in the mind of a potential business partner.

Example 1:

A friend stops over and spends 40 minutes telling you how great his new opportunity is, how great the products are, how great the compensation plan is, how much money he can make if he would just join you. He then goes on to tell you that you don’t have to sell, you simply share the opportunity using some of the great marketing tools the company has and spends another 10 minutes trying to convince you to join.

What is he doing? Selling and selling hard! He is throwing up all over you. Would you join? Not likely, since over 95% of the population would rather eat nails than sell.

Example 2:

You mention that your job is more difficult, you’re not spending enough time with your family, that money is getting tight. Your friend says I might have a solution for you and gives you a DVD to watch, or has you watch one online. Maybe he has you dial into a recorded call. He sets a time to check back with you. When he checks back he simply asks what you thought of the information. You respond, it seems interesting. He then sends you to a website to learn more about your products and schedules a time to follow up. You like what you see on the website so when your friend calls you ask what it costs to get involved. He then has you go to a website and watch a brief movie that explains your options or he sends you to a recorded call that explains how to get started. He then explains briefly that all he does is share information and let you decide if his product, service or opportunity is right for you. Would you join? Chances are if you like what you saw and it was within your means, you would.

In summary

As a professional network marketer, your job is to qualify your prospect, point them to the right tool and then collect a decision. Not everyone you meet is a match for what you have. Your job is not convincing, it is sorting. You simply share what you and allow others the dignity of making their own decision.

If you found this article to be informative and helpful, please share your thoughts, comments and ideas. As Always, if I can help you in any way, feel free to contact me.