That’s a question Lulu asked on a packed training call tonight. Lulu cold-calls folks who’ve said they wanted some extra income from home (they filled out a form online).
Her biggest frustration, she said, is that people either didn’t want to sell or seemed in no hurry to make a decision.
“How can I create a sense of urgency in the prospect?” she wailed.
“Did she say she had a toothache?” I asked her…
In a recent post, Seth Godin explained how “My tooth doesn’t hurt” means that he’s not looking for a dentist right now.
Not that he’ll never want a dentist, but it’s not on the front burner right now. Nothing hurts. So no amount of advertising will get him to visit a dentist – right now.
Prospecting is the same, I told Lulu. Unless you want to spend your career spinning whatever “fear of loss” yarns people sometimes spin to create imagined urgency, you can not create a sense of urgency when the prospect has no tooth ache in the extra income department.
Filling in an online form saying, yes, I’d like some extra income is one thing.
But when they realize that you’re offering a business opportunity, which costs time, money and effort, that’s something very different. The income tooth ache suddenly disappears. It wasn’t THAT bad.
Remember – that desired extra income she said yes to – can be obtained in ways that are MUCH easier that a business of your own. Maybe not as exciting from your point of view, but more certain from the prospect’s.
A business requires an investment of time and money, doesn’t it? Do you really want someone in your business whom you’ve persuaded by telling them it’s easy, and that anyone can do it? And then they sit back and wait for you to do it for them? Argh.
Wouldn’t that give YOU a tooth ache?
What to do.
If your prospect’s income tooth ache disappeared when they learn your business is sales, ask a question before you hand up. E.g., “Say, I realize that this is probably not what you’re looking for right now. But, do you know anyone who is a great people person, who loves sales, and who might be looking for something that could be really fun and big?”
More language of that sort is available here, on the house. Download it. No hitches. Pictures, too.
