First Step Marketing

Step 1: The introductory meeting

Make the appointment and arrive on time; not early and not late. Try to meet both husband and wife if you meet with a married couple. Throughout the meeting talk in a relaxed and conversational way. If the meeting is in the prospect’s home, make some opening pleasantries. You might comment about an attractive painting on the wall or the lovely roses in the garden, anything to break the ice.

But this is a business meeting, so don’t labour the social side. Start your presentation properly by saying that:

• you have joined a company and you are excited about it, and that the business offers a significant moneymaking opportunity
• your organisation is a growing one and there is room for everyone to make money
• you are going to present an idea for her consideration but that there will be no pressure on her to make a decision. If she decides not to participate, you will not bug her.

This last statement takes the pressure off the prospect. You are simply explaining an opportunity. If they are interested, great. If they are not, there are plenty of other people who will be.

Then advise them that you are looking for people to join your network organisation. State that you are specifically looking for people:

• who want to increase their earnings substantially
• who are prepared to put in some effort to make the future happen and who want to start their own home business.

This last statement must be put in a very gentle way. For many, the idea of starting their own business is a daunting task. Perhaps for years they have been salaried workers and this is their ‘comfort zone’. So explain that network marketing can be started in a small way, that it involves no risk whatsoever, that tens of thousands of ordinary men and women have become successful networkers and that the business can be built as it suits them. Above all, emphasise that network marketing is simple, easy to run and a fun way of generating wealth.

By now your prospects are getting curious. What’s this all about?

Now get to the facts. Ask your prospect if she has ever heard of network marketing and, if she has, what she knows about it. Most people are pretty misinformed. Irrespective of her knowledge, it makes sense to say, ‘Look, I am quite happy to answer any questions that you have, but the answers are all in here.’ Smile and confidently pat your briefcase or carry bag. This action arouses curiosity.

What you show the prospect is up to you. In the United States most networkers reach into their briefcases and take out a videotape, saying: ‘This videotape is about networking. If you would view this at your leisure, you’ll find it contains the answers to most of your questions. I’d be happy to sit with you now while you watch the video and answer any questions you might have about it. Or, if you prefer, I can leave it with you to watch at your leisure and come back to discuss it with you. When you look at this tape you’ll see how networking has changed the lives of a number of families remarkably in a beneficial way.’

In South Africa, where only a limited number of people have video machines, communication is more direct. You can show products, brochures and your starter kit and explain slowly and carefully how network marketing works. You must check for understanding all the time.

What do you discuss during your first meeting? This varies according to the prospect, but by the time you are ready to ask the prospect to sign up you should have covered at least the following:

1. Marketing: Explain the two major benefits of network marketing — the opportunity to buy quality products at a discount and to earn an extra, growing income.
2. The company: Describe the company you work for, what it does, what it has achieved and what support it gives you.
3. The products: Describe the product range.
4. Making money: Spell out the benefits — the savings made by buying at a discount, the extra pocket money earned by becoming a part-time distributor and the business opportunity to venture out full-time. Give some examples of personal success stories.
5. Training: Tell the prospect about the support and back-up she will get — the starter file, weekly training meetings, motivational workshops, help from the sponsor, etc.

By this time your prospect should be showing signs of interest. If she seems keen, ask a direct question: ‘Would you like to run your own business and have a bit of fun at the same time?’

The reason for asking questions all the time is to involve the prospect in the discussion. You are making her aware that network marketing can actually help her get what she wants. You are starting to focus her on her own goals.

If you can sign up the prospect there and then, well and good. But often the prospect wants to think it over or to view the videotape (if she has a video recorder) or simply to discuss the matter with their spouse. Never force a sale. Networking needs enthusiasts; believers in the system. So, if there is any hesitation say: ‘Look, everything I want to discuss with you is all here on this videotape (or product brochure). It’s all clearly explained. Why don’t I leave it with you now? You can look at it at your leisure. I’ll phone you in a couple of days after you have had a chance to look at it and we can take it further.’ Then leave. The meeting should not have taken more than 15 to 20 minutes.

Many top network marketing companies supply their downliners with a video (or cassette and brochure) which explains, in the most professional way possible, what networking is all about, what products the company sells and how networking generates income.

Videos help you sell more effectively. Research suggests that the chance of making a lasting impression is five times greater with an illustrated sales presentation than with words alone. Visual aids also lend a touch of drama to the presentation. The purchaser knows that he will be shown something, but what? Curiosity (a form of interest) is aroused.

Other reasons for using a video is to back up and reinforce your spoken sales ‘pitch’. It helps ensure that the message is clearly understood. It creates an excellent impression. It also ensures a logical presentation and you can leave behind the video for repeated viewings.

To be effective, sales videos must be really of top quality. A poor video (perhaps a copy of a copy), a badly printed brochure or slides containing print that is too small, will work against you and the image of the company that you represent. If the sales video is poor, a logical conclusion is that the product is poor. If a picture is worth a thousand words, just make sure that it is!

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Selling the Network Marketing Concept part 2

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 6th, 2008 at 9:23 pm and is filed under Home Based Business, Marketing, Sales. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.