You miss 100 percent of the swings that you do not take or the calls that you do not make. In order to grow your Max business you must speak, talk, invite and follow up. In this article you will learn the powerful techniques of inviting.
A baseball player steps to the plate, swings and misses. Adjustments are made through coaching. The player swings again and this time connects the bat to the ball. Success! What happened between the swings? The player was coached to adjust technique, kept swinging, and became successful.
Network Marketing’s very important skill of “Inviting” is much the same as that baseball swing. You can improve your technique, get better as you try, and always take swings.
According to Network Marketing Guru Eric Worre, “This simple step will literally double the results of your invitations.”
If you study the network marketing pros, you will discover that they constantly put people in good moods with their honesty and sincere compliments. It does a few things… it helps people open their minds, build rapport, educates and builds understanding.
In this article we will share eight professional marketing standards techniques or steps to effective inviting. Before diving into them there are three important presuppositions that must always be kept in mind:
Emotionally detach yourself from the outcome. Do not judge what might happen but rather simply make the invitation and see where the conversation leads.
Be yourself during the conversation. Authenticity sells and communicates.
Have passion for what you say and do. If you don’t honestly care about Max, why will your contact? Your invitation will suffer and success will be reduced.
Technique 1: Be in a Hurry! Urgency drives importance and facilitates Decision
Invitation is a psychological issue. People are usually more attracted to a person who has things going on. When you begin with urgency and a compliment, it becomes very difficult for a person to react negatively towards your invitation. People don’t often hear compliments, so your prospect will usually become very receptive.
Warm-Market Approach (for people you know and who know you.)
“I don’t have a lot of time to talk, but it was really important to reach you.”
“I’m running out the door, but I needed to talk with you real quick!”
Cold Market Approach:
“Now isn’t the time to get into this and I have to go, but…”
“I have to run but…”
NOTE: The techniques are put together in order, as steps, to complete your invitation. At this point memorize or paraphrase as close to the original word track as possible so you can use them to create effective invitations.
Invitation 2: Compliment the Prospect!
Warm-Market:
“You have been very successful and I’ve always respected the way you’ve done business.”
“For as long as I’ve known you, I’ve thought you were the best at what you do.”
Cold Market:
“You’ve given me some of the best service I’ve ever given me.”
“You are super sharp. Can I ask what you do for a living?”
Technique 3: Make the Invitation!
The Direct Approach
Warm-Market:
“I think I found a way for us to really boost our cash flow.”
“Let me ask you a question, off the record. If there was a business you could start working part-time from your home that could replace your full-time income, would that interest you?”
Cold Market:
“Do you keep your options open when it comes to making extra money?”
“Would you be open to a side project if it didn’t interfere with what you are currently doing?”
“Would you be open to another source of income in addition to what you are presently doing now?
Are you open to making money?
Most people use the direct approach all the time… there are other ways to approach your prospects, but much depends on the situation. If you are a person to use the direct approach all the time, then maybe it’s time that you broaden your horizons with two alternative approaches.
The Indirect Approach
This indirect approach is another powerful tool to help people get past their resistance and educate them on what you have to offer. This indirect approach is asking the person for their help with input or guidance. In this technique you play yourself down and play up to the prospect’s ego, wants, or needs.
Warm-Market:
Would you take a look at it for me and let me know if I’m making the right move?”
“A friend told me the best thing I could do when starting a business is to have people I respect take a look at it and give me some guidance. Would you be willing to do that for me if I made it simple?”
“I found a business I’m really excited about, but what do I know? You have so much experience.
Cold Market:
“My company is expanding in your area. Would you do me a favor and take a look at it and let me know if you think it would work where you live?”
“I’ve started a business with a product I think makes a lot of sense, but I’d like to get your input. Would you be willing to check it out and give me your opinion?”
The Super Indirect Approach
This 3rd approach is incredibly powerful because it works on a number of psychological levels. Through this approach, you are letting the person know that they aren’t a prospect, and that you are interested in finding out if they know someone else who might benefit from your business.
Warm-Market:
“Who do you know that might be looking for a strong business they could run from their home?”
“The business I’m in clearly isn’t for you, but I wanted to ask… who do you know that is ambitious, money-motivated, and would be excited about the idea of adding more cash flow to their lives?”
In most cases, the person is going to ask you for more information before they give you any names – behind that request is curiosity and intrigue, thinking that this might be for them, but they will not admit that to you yet.
When the person asks for additional information, you can respond with:
“That makes sense… you’ll want to know more about it before you refer some of your contacts…”
Then move on to Technique 4.
Technique 4: If I . . . Would You?
This is one of the secret weapons of the professional network marketer.
“If I give you a DVD, would you watch it?”
“If I gave you a link to a website with a video presentation, would you check it out?”
This question is extremely powerful for a variety of reasons:
1 – It is reciprocal… you are saying to the person that you will do something for them, if they will do something for you in return. As human beings, we are hard-wired to respond in a positive manner to these types of situations.
2 – It puts you in a place of power. You are in control. You are not begging. You are not asking for favors. You are simply offering a value exchange.
3 – It implies that you have something of value to offer. You are saying that you will do something, but not unless the other person will do something in exchange.
When you value what you have, people will respect you.
“If I, Would You” gets results. It gets people to say “YES.” Remember… our goal is to inform and educate. If I, Would You” helps us achieve that goal.
Please Review! – If you started a phone call with urgency, complimented the prospect, made the invitation and asked, “If I, Would You,” their answer will be “YES” almost 100% of the time according to Eric Worre, which will take us to Technique 5.
NOW… if they ask for more information first, just respond with,
“I understand you want more information, but everything you’re looking for is in the link that I am sending. The fastest way for you to really understand what I’m talking about will be for you to review that material. So, if I send it to you, would you review it?”
If the person says no, then thank them for their time and move on. You can also review Techniques 1 through 3 to see what you might have done differently.
Important Note: Do not send your material to them if you have negative responses.
So… you’ve gone through the first Four Techniques and the person said YES! They have agreed to review your sales or marketing tool. Just because you send a message does that mean that your prospect will follow through? NO! Eric Worre says that “only about 5% of your prospects will do what they commit to do, but when you are using the first Four Techniques then 5% is not a good number.”
Your goal is a Yes/No percentage of 80% and it is possible. In order to get closer to that 80% number, which incidentally will create huge growth in your business, you will need to respect and use ever technique in the invitation process.
Technique 5: Confirmation #1 – Get the Time Commitment
We already covered the timeless classic, “If I. . . Would You?, the fourth technique taught, and the prospect says YES. Your next step is to get a time commitment. Here are a few simple, yet effective scripts that work wonders:
“When do you think you could watch the video for sure?”
“When do you think you could watch the presentation on the website for sure?”
Do NOT suggest a time for them. Just ask the question and wait for their response. This question allows them to think about their schedule and commitments, find a place to review the tool you are sending and communicate back to you what they are thinking. The commitment to watch the video makes the process very real to your prospect. Getting the time commitment is critical to your success.
About 90% of the time, the person will give you a set time. The other 10% you can set the appointment to you call by saying.
“I don’t want to waste your time or mine. Why don’t we just lock in a time when you’ll have seen it for sure?”
By doing both of these steps, “If I . . . Would you? and a firm time commitment for your follow up call, you have generated two YES responses. Excellent.
So, now you send the tool; right? Wrong! You are not done yet… the network marketing professionals take a few extra seconds to complete a couple of steps before finishing.
Technique 6: Confirmation #2 – Confirm the Time Commitment
If the prospect tells you that he will watch it Tuesday night, your response should be something like:
“So, if I called you Wednesday morning, you will have seen it for sure, right?”
If the person says that Thursday morning would be the ideal time to watch the online presentation, your response is:
“So, if I called you sometime later in the day on Thursday, you will have looked at it for sure, right?”
If they say July 1st, you say the same thing except use July 2nd for your call back date… you get the idea.
The prospect will either say YES or they will adjust the time slightly. In any case, the significance to the Technique 6 is that you now have a confirmed for the 3rd time which makes them even more likely to follow through.
The key here is that this is not an appointment that you set. It is an appointment that they set.
REVIEW: The prospect said that they would take a look at your materials. “If I . . Would You”), and have committed to having reviewed it by a specific time so that when you call they will have seen it. You’ve asked the questions, their answers made the appointments.
Technique 7: Confirmation #3 – Schedule the Next Call
This step is simple… just ask,
“What is the best number and time for me to call?”
The prospect will give you what works best for them. Now you have a real appointment. All you have to do is not miss the appointment.
Technique 8: Get OFF the Phone!
Remember from Technique 1, you are in a hurry, right? Once you have confirmed the appointment, the last thing you might say to the person is:
“Great, we’ll talk then, Gotta run!”
Too many people make the appointment and then UN-make it by talking and talking and… talking. Remember, our goal is to inform and educate. Let the Max Marketing Tools do the work.
Here is an example of all eight techniques combined into one script illustrating a direct approach with a person you know who hates their job.
“Hey, I don’t have a lot of time to talk, but it was really important that I reach you. Listen, you’re one of the most financially intelligent people I know. I’ve always respected you. When you told me that you really didn’t like your job, were you serious or just kidding around?”
(They say that they were serious.)
“Great, I think I’ve found a way for you to create an exit strategy. I have a video that describes what I am talking about better than I can. If I send you a link to the video would you watch it?
(They say yes.)
“When do you think you could watch it for sure?”
(They say on Tuesday.)
“So, if I called you on Wednesday morning, you’ll have reviewed it for sure, right?”
(They say yes.)
“All right… I’ll check back with you then. What’s the best number and time for me to call?”
(They give you the information.)
“Got it. We’ll talk then. I gotta run and thanks!”
(Get off the phone.)
The purpose of inviting is to get the person informed by looking at your Marketing Tool. Success is measured by how many times you invite versus how many people look at the video and then talk with you during a Follow Up conversation. As you effectively initiate the connection between their need or want and your product or business you will see your revenue stream grow. You leverage your time when you teach and assist your team members to do exactly the same thing.