There’s is not one day that goes by where someone asks about prospecting. Prospecting for some is like doing the one thing they fear the most, and avoid it like it was the plague.
For these people, they are anxiously awaiting that magical moment a prospect is going to fall into their lap, sign up to be on their team or purchase one of the products.
That couldn’t be any further from the truth.
Prospecting involves getting in front of your prospect learning what their pressing concern is.
“But how do you do this?’ you ask…
Prospecting can be defined as – a process by which one persons seeks a person who would be interested in doing business with them.
Nowhere in there does it say to act like a foolish clown and beg every Tom, Dick, and Harry to do business with you. What prospecting suggests is that you seek out the people who would be interested in what you have.
To Make Prospecting Your Greatest Asset…
It first begins with you being social.
In this day in age, this so easy to do with the internet. We have social media tools that make it especially easy to learn about one another and build a relationship.
By being social you want to put yourself out there as someone that offers value, who has a solution, and someone who seeks to understand their prospect.
Thankfully, this can be accomplished by asking questions. The purpose of the questions is to get to know your prospect, by which we mean, what motivates them, what do they like to do for fun, what is the greatest challenge, etc.
Catch the drift?
The most fancinating thing about this is, your prospect will begin to see you as someone they can trust because you have put their interests first by learning what their needs, strengths and wants are.
Not to mention, people love to talk about themselves and their issues. And, when you let them go on about how their dog ate their shoes or how they can’t get their distributors to do anything, they will soon respect you and like you.
Secondly, you want to be able to articulate the benefit of what you have. Everyone wants to know what’s in it for them. And a benefit is not what is in your product or your team. That’s a feature.
The truth is, people could care a rat’s ass about what’s in your product or team. They want to know, will it work for them.
What I’m trying to say is, please don’t confuse features with benefits. The fact of the matter is, when prospecting you should know these.
If it’s your product or business, know the benefit(s) before approaching anyone.
Do you suppose someone’s concern about training would be interested in, “When joining our team, you will be provided with weekly training seminars about prospecting, presenting, and closing so you can become more proficient in any of these areas and be on top of your game” or “When joining our team, you will get the support from our team leaders and corporate”.
The first one demonstrates what the benefit would be for that prospect. The second one does not go to the detail the prospect was looking for.
Making prospecting your greatest asset will come along over time with training and practice.
The more you can practice, the better you will become.
Oh yeah, you will fail too.
In fact, you will fail so badly that you will feel like an utter fool and you’ll even think about why you’re doing this.
I will tell you this, and so will many others – This is normal! Accept this as part of the learning process of getting good.
You really must be willing to first be bad enough, long enough before you will ever get any good. It’s like riding a bike. You must fall down enough times to grasp how not to fall down before you can feel the breeze of riding.
One last thing I’d like to leave you with, for you ever to be any good at prospecting, you must be willing to do and take action.
Do prospect and get in front of people. This is the only way you will ever have success in your business.
Now if you’re someone who is just no good at talking to people, I highly recommend you get your hands on How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships
I’ll never forget when I first read that book, it helped me, (a shy person) overcome my shyness.
How are you making prospecting your greatest asset?
Jerome Ratliff
P.S. Knowing how to prospect can be that shift you have been looking for. So, why not get with someone who can help you with this, you’ll be glad you did.
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Hi Jerome,
great article about our single most important occupation in our business – prospecting. I love it because it’s about harvesting – I love harvesting after having sowed and cultivated. Without harvesting what’s the purpose of sowing ?
In our business, it’s about designing the whole process from social networking to prospecting in a way that prospecting falls into place totally naturally.
That won’t work without trial and error – and failing.
From my experience, I have never been too late in introducing my opportunity to folks, but very often too soon. Wait until the timing is right for them, that was my lesson.
Take care
Oliver
Oliver Tausend´s last [type] ..What Are Your Beliefs About Money A Challenge
Hi Oliver,
That is a great lesson we all can take value in. I thank you for that.
Take care too,
Jerome Ratliff
Hi Jerome,
Great point about being able to articulate the benefit of your product. People want to know how your product benefits them individually. One person’s concerns are different from another person’s.
I can never read enough about prospecting. Thanks for sharing your insight
Ryan Biddulph
Ryan Biddulph´s last [type] ..What Different Groups Of People Are Interested In Prospering With Cash Gifting
Hi Ryan,
This is just one of those things that people really want to know. So when you share that with them, it they become interested.
Talk to you later,
Jerome Ratliff
Jerome great post and title I think it really sums it up. All the marketing funnels, lead capture pages or whatever marketing strategy we use should lead us to this point and when this comes we need to be ready. The fortune is in the follow up as they say but we also need to make sure we are following the right ones.
Steve Shoemaker´s last [type] ..Social Marketing Strategies And How
Hi Steve,
Fortune is always in the follow up and why it’s a good idea to not give up.
Glad you found this to be a helpful post.
Jerome Ratliff
Hi Jerome,
It’s all about the relationship you have with your prospects. As you say we must and will make mistakes it all part of learning but we all learn from our mistakes and move on and get better. Great post and thanks for sharing.
Tristram Lodge
Tristram Lodge´s last [type] ..How To Add An Image To Your Facebook Fan Page
Hey Tristram,
Mistakes are good thing, despite what we tend to think about them.
Catch you later,
Jerome Ratliff
Excellent article!
Asking people questions, getting to know them and listening to them. People love to talk about themselves, so let them and listen. It’s amazing what you can find out about people if you just listen. Maybe you have what they want, maybe you don’t, but you won’t know unless you open your ears.
Have an awesome evening!
Twila
P.S. Will have to check out the book! Thanks for the reccomendation.
Twila Jacobs´s last [type] ..How To Handle The Objection “I’m Not Interested”
Hi Twila,
It’s a great book to learn different ways to talk to anyone.
Have an awesome evening too,
Jerome Ratliff
That is so true that you have to get in front of people. We don’t build a business by being a hermit.
Charlie
Charlie Holles´s last [type] ..MLM Secret – improve presentation skills- pt 3- the end
Hey there Charlie,
There is just no other way people will ever find out, if you keep it hidden. Ah…it must be done tastefully too. You and I know that anyway.
Jerome Ratliff
Sounds like a great little book that Jerome!
The most important part of what we do is to connect with people with a view to helping them. This is really what our business is all about and this is what we need to be in love with and feel passionate about, above all else.
~Marcus
Marcus Baker´s last [type] ..100 Great Writing Tips From The World’s Top Bloggers
Hi Marcus,
That’s perfect…I can’t add very much to that. You hit the nail on the head.
Jerome Ratliff
Hey Jerome
I have to admit I really enjoy talking with people.
You have your standard cold calling techniques to how to talk with your warm market but so many people hate rejection that they shy away from doing it.
Instead they rely on internet marketing hoping never to talk to a living soul. But when push comes to shove and you want someone to join your primary network marketing business you better know what to say
I attend local monthly seminars just to practice talking with people, or rather listening to them.
Peter Fuller MBA´s last [type] ..Support my entry to the Famousbloggers ComLuv contest
Hey Peter,
I also enjoy it as well. I learn so much from others this way. Not to mention if you ever want them to be a part of the team, you will need to know how to talk to them and what to say.
That’s a great way to stay on top of your plan. I do the same thing. Sometimes I attend a few more, if time permits of course.
Jerome Ratliff
Jerome,
Prospecting is indeed critical and once you have those prospects, you can’t forget to keep letting them know that you are still in business.
Too many small business owners don’t maintain the conversation and the on-line world is just too fast to think that people will just come to you if you don’t remind them that you have something they need.
-Joshua Black
The Underdog Millionaire
Joshua Black | The Underdog Millionaire´s last [type] ..Find Thousands in Hidden Assets with This One Tip
Hey Joshua,
Very good point to stay continuously connected. Otherwise, there is no other way for them to know if you are still in business.
Thanks for stopping by and catch you later.
Jerome Ratliff
Hey Jerome,
Great job with this post! If you are a business owner and you are not comfortable dealing with people. You are going to be one frustrated individual because you won’t be generating any profits.
I never read that book. However, any book that has to do with personal development must be purchased.
Chat with you later…
Josh
Josh Garcia´s last [type] ..How Simple it is to Start Writing An Ebook
Hey Josh,
You said it. If you’re not comfortable with dealing with people then you either have to become comfortable or forget it all together.
It’s a great book that gives you some pretty cool ideas. You can even use them online too.
Chat with you later too…
Jerome Ratliff
Hello Jerome, perfect post and subject I must say..
Its useless to have thousand leads if we treat them just as a group of people who are looking to start business online.. Everyone is a different individual, looking for different answers and we are here to give them ones..So, talking to people and asking the right questions, listening to them is art of our industry..
Thanks for revealing and explaining this important subject,
Milena
Hi Milena,
Thanks for that. Now that’s what I love about this business.
Have a great day,
Jerome Ratliff
Jerome,
Great lessons here. Thx for the article.
Steve
Steve´s last [type] ..How To Get The Most From Your Article Marketing Strategy
Hi Steve,
Glad you liked the post.
Jerome Ratliff
“Sow the seeds and watch those seeds grow”
People skills comes with growth. Learn how to talk to people all part of growth for some.
The book soundz great! Helps people understand how we receive and process information. How to respond.
Think Feel Know – A must to read!
Thanks for shareing Jerome.
Maria Eves
Maria Eves´s last [type] ..Empowered Entrepreneurs
Hi Maria.
Definitely – This is one of the skills everyone can benefit from. Especially when you’re really good at it and you are able to help out your prospect. Wow, that can be the greatest reward anyone can ask for.
Have a great weekend,
Jerome Ratliff