September 1999
What Do You Say
...to "No One is Interested"?
The What Do You Say column started with prospecting situations and the questions Networkers encounter there. Now we are shifting the focus to new distributors-- people you enrolled and are training, but who may not yet have the confidence of belief and success.
Your newest distributor has been making plenty of phone calls to family, friends, and associates, so you decide to follow up and see how it's all going. You call and ask how your new success-builder is doing, and she says, "I've called everyone I know, and no one is interested."
What do you say?
Kim Donaway resides in Mission, KS, and is a Presidential Director with Xanadu International, Inc.
When I get that response from a new distributor, I start by asking them questions and listening carefully to their responses.
I experienced that when I first started building my business. If you don't mind, let's take a look at what and how you are presenting your products/opportunity. Would you show me the presentation you would use if I were a new prospect?
I usually hear key elements that could use improvement. I have found that what distributors describe to me and what actually occurs when they are presenting are two different matters.
I say: I like to share stories of how the company's products have personally benefited me or ones close to me. Do you have a particular product which really works well for you? Since I'm your upline, you may invite your prospects to do three-way calls with me. I certainly have plenty of stories to share!
People can really hear that when you are sharing with them, and they see the value in the opportunity/products you are presenting if you believe in them yourself. How would you feel about inviting your "uninterested" prospects to take one more look before you move on? You and your prospect can listen in on a call where I am doing a presentation, or you can both come to a local meeting.
Another good question to ask, specifically, is who and how many did they call/present to? I discovered that one distributor, who told me "no one is interested," had presented to only two people. When I listened to what he had presented, it was so far off base from what the company was introducing that we went back to the drawing board for the basics. I also let all distributors I work with know that there are people who are not interested and don't see the value or benefit you are sharing. Thank them for their time and move on to the next presentation.
Jack Rosen is a car-qualified distributor with N/A/T/O. He lives in Wellington, FL.
I would say: If you're over 18 years old, you've probably met at least 2000 people. Remake your list, use a memory jogger, and always increase your warm market. If you've talked to everybody that you know, go out and meet new people. That's your business. Networking. Meeting people.
Linda Reese Young and Dr. Jay Clark are 11-year veterans with Oxyfresh Worldwide. They live in Albuquerque, NM, Naples, FL, and an RV for places between.
Linda: I'd say, Call the next one. When you called everyone you know, did you ask them who they knew? That you appreciated the fact that this is not a fit for them, and you would love to know who they know? Who it would be a fit for? Network your warm market through third-party referrals.
Jay: I'd say: Call them all back. You can literally revisit with people. As long you honor people and treat them with respect in regard to Network Marketing, you're not going to leave them with a bad taste in their mouth about the whole process. It's okay to revisit with people, to call them back and say, "You know, I've been thinking about what we interacted about, and I really can appreciate that this isn't for you right now. I was just wondering-- would you be willing to keeping your eyes and ears open for other people for whom it might be a fit? Especially since you know a little more about what it is yourself, now. I'd really appreciate the referrals. Can we partner is this regard?
When you take them out of it, most people are eager to help other people. Just be sure you don't have an agenda about trying to stick them in anyway. When they say no, it really means no, and it's okay. If you come from that place, they'll get it, and now you can partner with them to identify other people for whom this might be a gift.
Now you're able to recapture some people who have been given permission not to be the one. Now they're going to listen to what it's about and, in a way, eavesdrop on it. A lot of those people will say, "Maybe this is for me."
Linda: The other truth about your new distributor is she got discouraged. She knows more people, but she is not about to call them because she didn't get a positive reaction from the others. I call it looking for love in all the wrong places; looking to validate your decision to be in Network Marketing by calling all your friends. There are more people on the list, but you're not about to let them know. By doing third-party training, they can call the next five people that they now suddenly remember. They can ask "who do you know who" instead of asking pointblank and being shot down.
Diane Robinson has reached Key Director and is in her third year with Reliv. She lives in New Bedford, MA.
You've got to be kidding me! That's what I'd say.
I would certainly go back to their list and say: Why don't you let me take a look at who you've talked to and what you've said. Maybe you should have had me help you talk to the people that you know.
Often when a distributor is new, they're not quite up to speed on how to approach people or how to handle objections, and it can be frightening.
You may think they're not interested, but there may be some interest in the people you've already talked to.
I would ask what the conversation was and how did they approach the people. Based on what their interaction was, I may suggest that we mail out some information that really explains what the distributor wanted to say or promote or have the person take a look at. Then see what the response would be in a follow-up call with me on the line.
Keith Doyle, of York, PA, has been with Market America for about five years. He is a Field Vice President with the company.
First, I'd ask: What exactly did you say to them? How many did you call?
I would find out what they said to them that would cause "everybody" to not be interested. Most people say they called everybody-- they called five or six people. Nobody has ever called everybody.
A second response is: Wow, that's great! Now we can move on to the people that you don't know! Now we have all the practice out of the way, let's move on to the people that you don't know.
Share your best "What Do You Say?" with us! Send your, or your team's, proven Networking one-liners, phrases, questions and answers to Tina Howell at the Upline address, or email them to tina@upline.com. We just might include them in a future publication. Be sure to include your name, company, and a little neat information about who you are.
Reprinted with permission from Upline, What Do You Say? - January 2000, 888-UPLINE-1, http://www.upline.com
