“I’m looking for someone who wants to play tennis.”
-Jim Lukes, founder of a new company, Frutaiga with a new school philosophy, describing the kind of person he’s pursuing to rep his product line.
Can you imagine the chairman of Shaklee saying that? Or the President of NuSkin? Or Mary Kay? Or Arbonne? Arbonne, hmm, maybe. Rita – would you say that to a room full of prospects?
Can you hear it echoing throughout mlm-land?
“Oh, this is a fabulous opportunity indeed, but I won’t take your money if I have to do it for you…”
Say it out loud. Again. And again…
This is my sponsor philosophy. He uses this (although with a different phrase) and how well it works! Imagine my surprise the first time I heard him say to a potential client, “doesn’t sound like this business is for you” … my mouth hit the floor! When we left and I said, what on earth are you doing? … he’s reply was we want our legs to ‘run’ not limp’!
He is so right, though! We waste our time with people who we have to ‘babysit’ when that time could be used with a new recruit who will do the business on his own!
Remember … look for the “A”ces!! And although a 4 looks like an Ace … it’s missing a leg and can only limp rather than run!
Venetta
NOTE to Kim: I messed up & mis-posted twice!! Here is what I wanted to post. Sorry for the bother:
Posted by Anonymous…
“This is my sponsor philosophy. He uses this (although with a different phrase) and how well it works! Imagine my surprise the first time I heard him say to a potential client, “doesn’t sound like this business is for you” … my mouth hit the floor! When we left and I said, what on earth are you doing? … he’s reply was we want our legs to ‘run’ not limp’!”
This sounds like old school to me. The person may not want the opportunity, but they gave you some of their time for a reason.
How many potential customers is your sponsor teaching you to walk away from, I wonder? Part of the reason I’m in MLM is because of the benefits of my product, and more people want those benefits than a business of their own. They have a need that I can help fill and they’re willing to invest their money in that.
A customer buying your products month after month is more valuable than a gung-ho business recruit who buys the whole kit and kaboodle, but burns out after 6 months.
Be well,
Tracy
What Venetta’s sponsor didnt’ tell her is that the is ace is found in 1 out 1,000 not 4 out 56 cards.
Thus, the high drop out rate in MLM.
It’s taken me 3 years (I finally GOT it almost a year ago when I joined my current company) to truly understand that my ‘mission’ is simply to find the people who WANT the same things I do, whether that’s the business opportunity and/or the benefits of the product. That’s it!
I had heard, and supposedly been “trained”, to master the ‘Take Away’ or ‘Say No First’ philosophy, but when I first got started in Network Marketing, my excited ignorance and obvious desperation would never allow me to do that. I kept trying to convince people and didn’t truly understand the concept of sorting.
NOW, however, I have finally learned that I can’t drag folks across the finish line. In fact, I’m not even responsible for motivating them to get in the race! THEY have to be willing and able to run for themselves. I’m here to train, support, encourage and cheer them on, but I can’t run the race for them, and won’t.
In fact, my attitude has improved SO much over the past year that when I let someone know what I’m doing or what I’ve got, I tell ’em and wait to see if they are receptive. If not, NEXT! And since joining NMC, I’ve finally learned how to ask “do you know anybody who . . .”? That’s been working SO much better for me.
And now that I’ve finished the first reading of “If My Product’s SO GREAT . . .” I’m ready to begin the required work to develop the language that works best for me. THANKS for all you do Kim! You are VERY much appreciated!
Echos of truth! We hear comments like these over and over in various scripts, lyrics, performances etc.. This industry is so old with cliches and stigmas people need and I believe honestly want direct cut-to-point language. “Been-there-done-that!”
Those that do, and don’t dance around with flowers in there basket, earn the respect quickly of those that act instead of dance. How concise can you be to earn their interest and approval, that is the question!
I love the freedom of this industry. I am a mother of four beautiful children and a handson hubby. This industry offers great products for just about anybody. All you have to do is connect with the one that is looking for what you have. Toyota doesn’t care about those people who don’t like Toyotas, they just focus on those people that are looking for a Toyota.
Success and Joy,
Teresa Chapman R.D.A.
Usana Health Sciences Indep. Assoc.
http://buy.usana.com
Echos of truth! We hear comments like these over and over in various scripts, lyrics, performances etc.. This industry is so old with cliches and stigmas people need and I believe honestly want direct cut-to-point language. “Been-there-done-that!”
Those that do, and don’t dance around with flowers in there basket, earn the respect quickly of those that act instead of dance. How concise can you be to earn their interest and approval, that is the question!
I love the freedom of this industry. I am a mother of four beautiful children and a handson hubby. This industry offers great products for just about anybody. All you have to do is connect with the one that is looking for what you have. Toyota doesn’t care about those people who don’t like Toyotas, they just focus on those people that are looking for a Toyota.
Success and Joy,
Teresa Chapman R.D.A.
Usana Health Sciences Indep. Assoc.
http://buy.usana.com
How wonderful to have an honest sponsor….I must admit its very difficult to tell someone that this business might not be for them.Its a hard thing to do I think.
Lana
There is an old saying “Give a man a fish feed him for a day, Teach a man to fish feed him for a lifetime”
I have found the hard way that you can’t do it for someone. The best thing I have found is to help those who ask for help.
Don’t chase them. Be there for those who really want to work with you. Help those who you can help,and who really want to do what it takes. Give them the tools, your knowledge, your caring…
I’m not saying put aside those who aren’t working, because maybe the time is just not right for them now. With them, keep in contact, let them know you care.. and wait for thier lead.
It works if you work it….
For Tracy and Enrique,
Thank you for your comments … I’m relatively new at this. I am an American who lives in Greece and yes, we are still VERY old school. Fortunately, I have found NMC and, am learning to do things differently with the help of Kim’s site and your comments.
Let me elaborate on this particular instance. I market Aloe Vera juice, vitamin supplements, and personal care products with Aloe Vera. Greece is still way behind the times in this area as well (supplements). People are just beginning to become educated in ‘why we need supplements.’ In this particular instance, this guy was negative about the products (thinks he eats properly and that’s enough) … negative about the business (because I’m an American, I get ‘MLM might work in America, but it’s not going to work in Greece’) … this guy was just overall negative … thus the ‘walk-away.’
Your thoughts?
Venetta
Being new in the field, I spent a lot of time “chasing” leads and then I started listening to people like Kim and my upline. I realized I don’t want to “close” anyone and I certainly do not want anyone on my team who expects me to do it for them. This reminds me of Kim’s discussion about the kinds of ads people place — Do I want a person on my team that answers an ad “Get Rich Quick. No Work Involved?” Heck no! I love this business, but it is work and not for the person wanting a quick fix.
Laura Kane
The Doodling Candle Lady
http://www.smellandsell.com
Walking away from the guy who doesn’t have any good thoughts about any of it is a good idea. Not walking away, but trying to teach him better, is what Kim calls “doing therapy.” Nice term for it, don’t ya think?
bk
Kim-
Thanks for bringing the rest of the story to the light. Just like Judy and many others, I wondered what was wrong with me. Did I get into the business too late? Do I live in the wrong area for this product? I have been very successful and entrepreneurial in my JOB, seeing the big picture, successfully recruiting, providing excellent training. I know I can do this. I did it before in Tupperware. I made manager back in the days of territories and not being able to have team members outside my geographical area. My team grew as I had fun. I had a product I believed in and loved.
What is the problem now?
I love my products. People who try my products love them too. The hypey methods I was been asked to do felt foreign to me. I want to see growth, but it has been very slow. I have felt like a fish out of water and I, like Judy, made (and make) excuses for not making calls and saying those things that don’t feel right for me. I also have had huge difficulty doing the follow-up on the leads I got>
Enter Kim Klaver and ultimately NMC! I have found training I can understand and that resonates with me, my beliefs and my style. I’m not a lone ranger. I can work this way. Through NMC, I have an amazing call buddy. We have been working together for more than a month. She found me through my profile—she said she felt we had things in common (family, working mom, etc.) She is from a different company and lives in a completely different time zone, but we have shared our path together. She has taught me a lot, modeled what I would have expected from my upline, given me a chance to try the tools Kim has promoted. I continue to work to develop a team based on the kind of support I believe is necessary for long term sustainability. Hopefully she has gained from our association as well.
This is the way I want to grow my business. It is not a fast hot flash in the pan, but it is a system I can live with, just like I have products I can promote and believe in—placing them next to anyone else’s with confidence. I had to find Kim for myself and I wish it had been sooner, but this is obviously the right time. I think I can execute, explain, and extend the methods to my newbies.
Thea