Did YOU Ever Make Up YOUR 100 Names List And Call Them?
ByI was talking with a close friend who coaches his clients in alternate thinking and truths. (Which is why we are such close friends!)?
He was telling me about an event he spoke at. He asked the group, “How many of you were told, when you first joined your business, to make up a list of 100 people you know and, and then call them to tell them about your business?”
Approx 100% of the people put up their hands…
He then asked, “How many of you, actually made this list and called the people?”
Astoundingly, though perhaps not… if you’re an astute observer of these things – only two people raised their hands!
Once again he asked a question, “How many of you tell your down line to make up a list of 100 people and call them to tell them about their business?”
After a small pause and a murmur of awareness or perhaps surprise… Approx 60% of the people put up their hands…
So he asked, “To those of you who raised your hands, why do you insist on someone doing something that you’ve never done and are not prepared to do yourselves?”
My Own Test!
After hearing this story I decided to do a mini test of my own on a call recently. I asked “How many of you have friends or associates that you called when you first started your business, who are still with you and having success today?”
No one answered!
So what can we draw from this?
Here are some ideas.
- If you’re telling your downline to do something you’ve never done, ask yourself about the integrity of doing so.
- If you’re a new distributor, ask your Upline if they have done what they are telling you to do. If they haven’t, ask them why. If they have, ask them to call some people they know before you call yours, to demonstrate how to do it.
- You can also ask to speak with those in their team whom they knew before hand.
Having said that, do I think that talking with friends and associates is a good idea? I think it’s an excellent one – ONCE you have some realistic understanding on how to approach them.
The challenge for most new distributors is that they’re usually given a canned script (most often written and passed down by someone who has had no sales background) which is in a one size fits all duplicatable format.
Problem is, the one size doesn’t fit most people and only exponentially duplicates failure!
So personalize your approach. Base it on discovering if there is a need. Speak with your contacts in a way that suits their personality. Do it over time if necessary. Ask yourself, what’s more important, your business or your relationship?
Here’s a suggestion as to how to start (it’s from page 169 of my book “How To Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety or Losing Your Friends!“).
Make a list of friends and associates to approach and create a separate page for each person. On that page, write down everything you know about them. In particular, write any problems, challenges or dreams that your products or business opportunity may be able to help them with.
You’ll then have the background to be able to start a meaningful dialogue to help them discover how and why your solutions can help them.
If you’d like to hear how to do this, then my audio program “Talking With Friends” will be very helpful for you. There are four role plays that show you how to talk with friends and family confidently and in a way that will improve your relationship, not harm it.
Whatever you choose to do, be sure that it first resonates with you, and then encourage your downline to do what resonates best with them.
About the Author
Michael Oliver is an internationally recognized trainer, speaker and author and the founder of Natural Selling, the only sales training program designed to really eliminate rejection and objections. Visit his blog and signup free to get blog updates by email, along with the latest news, free advice, additional resources, and a lot more! Go now to http://naturalsellingblog.com. While you're at it, check out http://www.naturalselling.com.Subscribe by email and get blog updates, news, and more!
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Frank Eves MD and Linda Ockwell-Jenner, Martin Louden. Martin Louden said: Did YOU Ever Make Up YOUR 100 Names List And Call Them? How to approach your friends without losing them! – http://b2l.me/ajc2fx [...]
Who on earth has 100 friends? Maybe the Queen of England does but most ordinary people don’t. I don’t even know 100 people! How ridiculous! Why would you want to harass your friends to buy things from you anyway?
From your comment Gabrielle I would suggest you re-read what I wrote, and if you’re not a follower of Natural Selling go to my web site and register for my free ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>Ecourse- 7 Steps To Natural Selling – http://naturalselling.com/ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html” target = “_blank” rel = “nofollow”>ecourse.html.
I have never advocated harassing friends, (and I don’t in my article – please re-read)) though I do suggest finding out if they have the types of problems or needs that your product or service might provide – and if they do, only then think about talk about your solution – BIG difference! And why would you want to hold back from opening up a dialogue with them and keep it a secret by only talking with people you don’t know?!!! Is that being a true friend? What if your product or opportunity made a difference between living in discomfort or living in comfort and you denied them this?
As to the 100… 1 or a 100 – It’s only a number!
I hope this helps… Michael
You are so right. I did not have 100 names, but I definitely did get in touch with everyone that could use what I have to offer. It has helped me in so many ways and I thought it was a disservice to them not to tell them. If they chose not to do it then that is fine- not on me. If I don’t tell them and find out later that they would have needed what I have to offer I would have felt like a jerk for hiding such a great company. You just have to quit being someone else and tell them what it has done for you and why you thought of them. If they want to hear more great if not, leave it at that they now know what you have to offer and can ask you in the future.
GOD BLESS
Brandy
Awesome article Michael – as usual! Great advice so they don’t burn through their list.
I think that it’s not really about the ‘number’ on your list but that you want to share your project/opportunity with the people you know best. As you would tell them about any brick and mortar business you had why is it wrong to tell them about your mlm business? In doing Michaels approach you are in no way harrassing anyone and if in talking with the folks on your list you find they have no interest then you won’t take it any further…I know that 100 seems like a lot BUT think about this – the average number of wedding invites is 250. A LIST of 250 people .
Funny, I actually advocate using ones wedding invite list as a starting point.
My partner and I really enjoyed reading this blog post, I was just itching to know do you trade featured posts? I am always trying to find someone to make trades with and merely thought I would ask.