Michael Oliver:
I got into one of “those” discussions about the so-called stigma that
the world in general has about Network Marketing and the fact that
distributors don’t like bringing it up without having to go through deep
breathing, meditation or mental toughening skills training!
Personally, I don’t happen to believe the world does feel that way about Network MarketING. (And then I don’t believe many things that conventional wisdom tells me!)
What I do know though, is that there are many people who feel that way about Network MarketERS.
People’s negative responses are not so much against the industry as
they are about their experience of being “hit” on by those distributors
who insist on using systematic, impersonal conventional approaches.
It’s like being sold bad apples at a fruit stall. You don’t condemn
the apples and swear you’ll never eat them again – you condemn the
business practice of the person who palmed the bad apples off on you. So
much so that the next time you buy apples you’ll be a lot more aware of
whether the apple salesperson is working for you, or for him or herself.
It’s the same with Network Marketing.
People don’t really react against the concept – they react against
the way they are approached. Because, all too often, the way they
are approached is still based on a "What’s in it for me?" mentality that
is still almost exclusively taught and practiced to this very day by
trainers and distributors.
You can hear it in the words that many distributors use that gives
their real intent away!
For example, while swearing they really are about helping
people, they will say things like, “How do I get them to my
website or to a meeting?” Or they become evangelistic and say,
“We’ve got the best (fill the gap here) in the world and we have to
tell the world”.
Many of you have heard me say, “The words you use give you away”.
This is because your words come from somewhere – your thoughts!
So no matter how much you protest that your business is about helping
people, your words will tell the truth. They will tell the person you’re
speaking with, consciously and unconsciously, what you’re really
thinking.
So if you approach people with the standard thinking and
conventional way of doing things, of telling people about your
business and the fact they should look into it, etc., expect resistance.
The resistance will most likely take the form of – “Is this
Network Marketing? Because if it is… I’m not interested”.
What they are actually saying is, “I don’t like the way you are
approaching me.”
Today’s customer wants to be heard, appreciated and understood.
So think about approaching them differently and the issue of, “If
this is Network Marketing…” and other similar concerns will
disappear.
How do you go about adopting a different approach?
It all starts with the first principle of Natural Selling. That is
"The Purpose of Your Business Is To Help Other People Solve Their
Problems".
What that means in practice is that when you talk with people, you do
so with the aim of discovering first, whether their present
circumstances are working for them. If they are not you explore whether
they are open to change. If they are, you introduce the idea you might
have a solution. That’s all!
This is the opposite of attempting to "get" them to look at your
website or come to a meeting.
It’s a profound difference and it will make a profound difference to
the results you achieve in your business. I talk much more about this
principle, and how it will help you in your business, in Chapter 3 of my
book "How
To Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety Or Losing Your Friends!"
When you change the way you approach the world, the world changes the
way it responds to you. It’s that simple!
Have a peaceful and prosperous week…
Best Selling Author of "How
to Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety or Losing Your
Friends!" – Selling from the Soul. Ancient Wisdoms.
Modern Practice.
Want to get rid of all the techniques, systems and gimmicks simply by
changing the way you think and the way you act on what you think?
Choose one of the many convenient options on the right hand side of
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Reprinted with permission from Michael Oliver, Natural Selling® Sales
Training
http://www.naturalselling.com