NOTES FROM JORDAN ADLER CALL
JUNE 14, 2010
THE TWO MOST COMMON QUESTIONS
(Closing People and Duplication)
HOW DO I CLOSE MORE PEOPLE?
These questions come up every week. As I travel around, someone always comes over and says . . . 'I've done x number of Gift Account Walk-Throughs or presentations and no one is signing up. How can I 'close' them?' OR: Several people have shown interest in the cards but with the economy being such an issue when they are losing jobs, not sure of the angle to take to close the deal.
THE PROBLEM IS NOT IN THAT THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE 'CLOSING' THEM . . . THE PROBLEM IS, THEY ARE ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION!
Here's what I mean: The question, 'How can I close more people?' is really . . . 'How can I DO SOMETHING TO SOMEONE SO THAT THEY WILL DO SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T NOW WANT TO DO?' In other words, you are trying to get someone to sign up and they don't want to sign up. You are asking . . . 'what can I do to them to get them to sign up now . . . because they don't want to sign up now?!'
The question that should be asked is . . . 'How can I best serve this person?' Do you see the difference?
When you ask, 'How can I best serve this person?' the answers are much different. Maybe they need more information. Maybe they need time to save up the money. Maybe they need to better understand how the system will help them. Maybe they are the type of person that needs to read and study before they pull the trigger. Find out what they need and then SERVE THEM.
SIGNING UP is simply a STEP in the process. Imagine a continuum (or a timeline). The timeline starts when you meet them and it never ends (unless you completely break off communication with them). Imagine that an actual 'LINE' that represents the continuum. Now begin on the journey of your relationship along that line.
1. You are introduced to someone
2. You exchange contact info
3. You send them a 'Nice to meet you' card
4. You get together for lunch or coffee
5. You become friends
6. You call them and tell them that you have something that you want to show them
7. You meet and show them SOC by having them send a card and watch the 12 minute online presentation
8. You ask them if they want to sign up with you
9. They tell you that they like it and want to think about it
10. You send them a card thanking them for their time with some brownies
Now at this point you ask yourself . . . 'what could I have done to 'close' them?'
Let's change the question to 'How can I best SERVE them?'
THE PROCESS OF SIGNING THEM UP EITHER WILL HAPPEN NOW OR SOMETIME DOWN THE ROAD (IF NOT NOW) as long as you don't go away AND as long as you are the one they want to sign up with.
The key is to FILL YOUR PIPELINE WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE. Everyone is in a different place on the timeline. Closing is not something you do to people but it's a step in the process of bringing someone along. We take them by the hand from the day we introduce them to SOC and we continue to lead them with information that can help them make the right decision for themselves until they sign up or go away.
I do my best to respect whatever their decision is so that they can feel comfortable coming back to me when they are ready.
Here are some ideas when someone is not ready to sign up:
1. Periodically send them a link to a conference call that you think they may benefit from
2. Send them another DVD in a card (DeMarr sent me 5 before I watched one). Sometimes when they received the last one, the timing was off. The newspaper insert does the same thing.
3. Call them once in awhile just to say 'Hello . . . how are you doing? Just checking in to get caught up!'
4. Become their friend and invite them to do things that friends do! For example . . . once in awhile have a lunch with a bunch of friend . . . create an SOC invitation. Let them know that it's 'Dutch' but you just want to get some friends together for fun!
5. If you hear or discover a way that they could benefit from the use of SOC that you haven't talked about in the past, e-mail or call them with the idea.
6. Invite them to an Opportunity Meeting, Super Saturday or TreatEmRight Seminar
LOOK FOR CREATIVE WAYS TO KEEP EACH PERSON 'IN THE LOOP' SO WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, THEY THINK OF YOU.
IMPORTANT: Don't pressure people or be invasive! Give people information in a way that will be helpful. If they feel pressured they will go away or go with someone else. Make it EASY for them to want to come back to you!
Usually when someone doesn't sign up right away it's for a number of different reasons:
1. They truly don't have the money or the resources to come up with $400 to start.
2. They aren't sure if they can do it.
3. They aren't sure how they can use it.
4. They are 'comfortable' and really aren't looking at additional ways to make money.
5. They don't understand something about it.
Let's talk about each reason and talk about ways that we can best 'SERVE' someone under each situation:
SOMETIMES THE REASON THEY DON'T SIGN UP IS 'HIDDEN' SO I ACT ON PROMPTINGS AND CONSISTENTLY PASS ON INFO AND IDEAS THAT I THINK MIGHT HELP THEM. Again, I want to be a valuable resource vs an annoyance!
1. If they don't have the money but are truly interested, you can:
§ Make suggestions as to how to come up with the money b. Add some points and postage to their gift account and extend the time on it. Let them continue to use it until they have the money. I have found that some people get addicted and get drawn to signing up sooner than they initially planned on. They get creative and look for other ways to come up with the money once they get hooked.
2. They aren't sure if they can do it:
§ Introduce them to someone in your upline or crossline (use a three way call) that they can relate to that is doing it.
§ Usually, once they meet someone else that is doing it that they can relate to, they are in. Consider inviting them to a meeting or event and introducing them to some other people.
§ Send them 'Success From Home' Reading articles that are written about other successful reps can tend to ease their concern
3. They aren't sure how they can use it:
§ Think about different ways they might be able to use it based on their current situation and make suggestions ie; You may want to carry your digital camera around and take pictures of the kids at their sporting events and then put them on cards and send them to friends and relatives with a nice note! Just an idea!
§ Ideas give people something to think about and ways that they might be able to use the system
§ I show people card examples because that gives them ideas
4. They are comfortable and don't see a strong reason to use SOC or to build it as a business.
§ Situations change over time . . . simply stay in touch
§ A marriage, a divorce, a job-loss, a failing business, boredom, an industry shift, a bad investment, etc can all lead to someone that had no interest, having a change of heart . . . you must be in their 'path' when they start to consider options!
5. They don't 'understand' something about it . . .
§ SHOW THEM don't tell them
§ Have they sent a card? If not, make sure you have them do this right away! Many of their questions will evaporate into thin air!
§ See if you can answer their questions. Sometimes a three way call with someone else can be helpful
Again, SERVE THEM, DON'T SELL THEM and they will want to sign up with you when they are ready!
HOW DO I DUPLICATE?
Think about it . . . isn't duplication the same thing? SERVE THEM and DON'T TRY AND GET THEM TO DO IT.
Chasing your team around and bugging them to go to work is wasted effort! Instead, be a great example and continue to meet new people, build relationships, send them cards, introduce the program and get new people started. Do what you want your team to do.
Virtually all the top earners in the entire network marketing profession will tell you that most of their income comes from 1-3 legs and they have usually sponsored between 25 and 100 or more. A consistent plan to bring in 1-4 people per month over time will typically lead you to your 1-3.
YOU WILL NEVER EVER GET PEOPLE TO DUPLICATE so stop trying. Keep serving with information and promote the 'system'. Be a great example to your team. Instead of trying to GET people to duplicate, instead ask, 'How can I best serve those on my team that want to do this?'
1. Send them a good MLM book from our gifting department
2. Encourage them to go to a TreatEmRight Seminar even if they have to travel
3. Encourage them to follow the Daily 8
4. Do a few 3 way calls for them and answer some questions of those they have shown SOC to
5. Pass on the link of a great conference call that you think they may benefit from
6. Have a training event for those on your team that will show up
I have found that many people lose patience looking for the right person to come along. Help everyone with their list and do your best to help them with their first 2 or 3 presentations. Invite them to sit next to you at the next local event, but if they don't show up, just go on to the next person until you find one that is calling you and texting you each day with questions!
If you are lucky enough to find a 'builder' right away, that's great, but most people must sponsor quite a few before they find someone that will 'set them free'. I sponsored 38 people before anyone started to actually duplicate! Today, I have over 8,000 distributors from the original 38, but it took months for this group to mature.
1. LAUNCH your business and BLAST OFF with some energy! Make a big list and start calling people and sending them cards. Let them know what you are up to! Send Out DVD's and Magazines. Set up Gift Account Walk-Throughs and encourage your contacts to watch the online presentation
2. Then get into a pace where you are:
§ Meeting a few people per week
§ Sending out 1-3 personal cards per day
§ Sending out 1-3 DVD's per day in a card
§ Handing out 2-5 Magazines per week
§ Sending out 1-3 gifts per week
§ Introducing the business to 3-5 people per week
It's really very simple. Set weekly goals for yourself and hold yourself accountable the same way a boss would hold you accountable.