Yesterday’s post “They don’t look healthy” brought out an interesting dilemma:
How can unhealthy-looking network marketers sell health products successfully?
Can they be credible or should they stop selling health products?
People like to buy from people whose advice they trust. They don’t have to look like models or be doctors, but they need to be credible. And usually, a seller has one minute or less to demonstrate their credibility. How can a seller do that?
First, someone who’s lived their pitch and walks their talk, has an aura of credibility, a life force that attracts people, even if they’re not a perfect specimen yet.
Here’s someone who was in one of the 3 scripts marketing classes who lived her pitch – a gal who’d lost 90 pounds at the time and had 80 to go. Instead of positioning herself as a health expert, educator or having pharmaceutical grade products, her approach was, “I market a product for extremely overweight people, like the way I used to be.” And she’d tell them how she was a work in progress.
People were encouraged to buy because of her progress, not because she said she was a health educator or wellness consultant. Nor did she look like a model – yet. 🙂
Without an MD behind our names, people will judge this book by its cover – a combination of pitch, appearance and life force.
Other ideas?
P.S. Happy Losar and Chinese New Year – year of the Fire Pig (the intense feminine archetype). That’s us, eh?
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The 3 scripts marketing program focuses on what language to use to give you credibility when you make your initial pitch.
When I got started in my company, I had the reverse of this problem. I looked around at all the people who had lost 40, 50, 80 lbs. and thought “It may work for them, but it probably won’t work for me.” You see, I only had 10 lbs. to lose.
I didn’t expect much in terms of weight loss, but I did get results. And it certainly didn’t mean that because I didn’t have a huge weight loss story I couldn’t sell the weight loss line or tell people how to use the products to lose weight.
Judging people by how they look, while a reality, is just plain wrong and something I fight against daily.
I think telling our story – the real story – whether it’s like Mary Jane who was very overweight and still working on it, or me, who didn’t have a lot to lose but did lose weight, is the best way. If someone’s going to judge based on what we look like is that really someone we want to be around – either as a customer or as a distributor? I think not – I sure don’t want to be around those kinds of people.
I just had an interesting experience and I thought may be I will share that with you. This may give you an idea what kind of challenges I go through in building my business. I hope to inspire somebody through this. Hopefully get some support from fellow members.
One of the leads which I contacted her through telephone was not interested in my opportunity.
I put him on my email list and he got couple of messages. After that he replies me, “I hate Muslims, stop sending me emails immediately.”
I was hurt initially but got over it. There are other people who can buy from me.
I have the spirit to do network marketing in times, when there is so much negative propaganda towards Muslims and Pakistan.
To me this is amazing, when I find network marketing professionals in Canada or USA, coming up with excuses like, I am scared of talking people, this MLM thing does not work, and I don’t know how to create relationships.
You guys can speak English fluently and therefore much better than me.
If I have the spirit to do this business in USA and I am willing to overcome my obstacles then your obstacles are nothing compared to what I am dealing with.
Following are my list of obstacles
Different religion,
Different country (Pakistan)
I have an accent.
I am a techie by nature so I don’t have people skills.
My spouse is not supportive.
My friends ridicule me.
However, I do have a positive outlook and I am willing to make it work for myself and I am seeing some results in my business. It is slow but I know I can do this business.
I think that is an excuse for not taking action. It’s too easy for all of us, when we are faced with changing, to look for any way out. Our subconscious is strong and resistant to change; sometimes our conscious self is also. It’s simply one more reason to not make any effort at all. I market a product for people who feel like they’re 90 when they’re not, like I used to be. I am regularly mistaken for the mother of my grandchildren, but that still isn’t enough to get people to try the product. In the picture on my profile, my daughter in law says I look younger than she does. If you’re not ready, there’s no amount of evidence that will ever convince you. Anyone who says they won’t buy from someone who doesn’t look “healthy” enough is making excuses. Most doctors don’t look healthy either, but we still believe them and take their advice and their prescriptions.
Cindi N
Fantastic dialog.
It really is so important to live what you preach – in all aspects of life.
It’s so true. Unless you are an MD – or another wellness professional with credentials like a Naturopath, Acupuncturist, Chiropractor, Personal Trainer or Yoga Teacher etc – why would any one take your recommendations seriously? Unless of course, you had an amazing testimonial about how these products have helped YOU.
If my friend were selling natural cosmetics but her skin looked awful, I don’t think I would want to try that line.
YOU ARE A WALKING ADVERTISEMENT FOR YOUR COMPANY. There are good ads that bring in business, and bad ads that are either ho hum or drive business away.
Such is life. Best to recognize it, deal with it, and move onward and upward!
Cheers,
Rani
Sunrider Integral Health Solutions
Oh, and one last point, not about the product but about the business. The same is very much true.
I heard a successful MLMer once say. “Your appearance is one of your most important assets that will influence whether you succeed or fail in this business. Always look neat, well-groomed, professional. Wear a suit if you have it when you introduce the business to people. I can’t tell you how many Network Marketers have approached me about ‘a way to make serious money’ who looked like they crawled out from under a rock.”
Appearance counts no matter what you’re doing. Unfortunately everyone judges the book by it’s cover. Why buy one with ratty pages when you can buy the same book that is brand new and beautiful?
Cheers,
Rani
Sunrider Integral Health Solutions
I don’t have a problem telling my story to people. IF they give me the chance. If they are just making a decision based on what I look like (not knowing what I used to look like), then they aren’t someone I want to do business with.
I have gone through a 30 day mental cleanse and KNOW that I deserve success. I know that I am headed toward a goal and I KNOW that I will get there.
I like John Foggs idea of wearing a purple sash saying 60 lbs down, 100 to go or something to that effect. That really is the ONLY way of stopping the instant judgements that people make based on looks for me.
BUT…luckily I do a lot of my work on the telephone and I don’t have or want a video phone/chat.
Maybe someday the world will all be able to accept one another.
Roxanne
Masood, I commend you for your effort and hard work. It is an awful feeling when people judge you based on what you sound like or where you came from or what you look like. You have the right mindset to succeed and you WILL.
Unfortunately, prejudice is rampant in this world. There are many people who feel just like Rani. “Appearance counts no matter what you’re doing. Unfortunately everyone judges the book by it’s cover. Why buy one with ratty pages when you can buy the same book that is brand new and beautiful?”
Not all of us “judge a book by it’s cover.” Only superficial people do that. If someone is so unsure of themselves that they have to look for the other “perfect” people to work with, so be it.
Those of us who are not “brand new and beautiful” CAN still do this business. Many people are intimidated by those “brand new and beautiful” people out there. THEY need us!
Ratty paged books of the world UNITE! Ratty pages means you’ve been well loved and many people have come to you on a regular basis to look at what you have to offer, not what your cover looks like.
We can’t all be everyone else’s idea of perfect or the world would be a very boring place. I am MY IDEA of perfect. I love me and that’s all that matters. I am a work in progress!! The majority of people in the world can relate to me. Can the “brand new and beautiful” people say that? I think not.
Roxanne
Hhhhmmmm — good comments on both sides. Roxanne, you’re right that it’s superficial to judge a book by its cover. On the other hand, when you are face to face with a person, it’s just plain coutesy and professionalism to make the best appearance possible — kind of like good manners contribute to a more pleasant atmosphere for everyone. However, each of us has limits on how ‘best’ our appearance can be since yes, we are all definitely works in progress (thank heaven)!
This problem can work the other way too, as Cindi suggested — I have a friend with very severe lupus who has had numerous hospitalizations she wasn’t expected to survive. But since she’s particularly beautiful, new doctors have often insisted, “You can’t possibly be that sick because you look too good.” She finally thought to reply, “How do you know what I USED to look like?”
I’m always wanting to be even more fit in order increase my credibility in the wellness arena, but my distributor who is a personal trainer finds people dismissing her because they’re not in as good shape as she is and so assume she’s different somehow. We all have our cross to bear, huh?
Which must mean it’s all just an excuse. 🙂
So we need to keep on keeping on, with or without the perfect image!
Dianne
Did some wires get crossed? There’s one issue about whether someone is discriminated against on grounds of race, religion, body shape, whatever, and a completely seperate one about a person’s personal appearance in respect of grooming and clothing standards.
Daniel
This post reminded me of when I was pushing our weight loss products years ago….
I am normal weight and people asked me why a guy who is NOT overweight would know anything about weight loss, and why would anyone buy from him? I thought, but I’m doing the right thing so I’m sharing my knowledge about that. Seemed logical to me, but… Hmmmm…
And then one of my distributors said she could NOT sell our weight loss product until she was a normal weight, cuz being fat no one would believe her. Double hmmmmmmmmmmm…
So, forget it, imho….go out while you can and do what you can with what you have and leave it at that.
fwiw,
Jeff
Deepak Chopra is a very persistent person. I saw him on Oprah about 12yrs ago. I was surprised to see an Indian person (not as popular as now) person trying to educate people on how to control your mind and subconscious thinking to achieve the results you want in your life.
I did not believe at that time but, now I totally agree with his philosophy.
Good thing I did not listen to my eyes when I started with my company 23+ years ago.
I saw many people that looked unhealthy. After many years of alcoholism my health wasn’t good either (unfortunately I was not at that conference 50 years ago) for, since the time I joined, mainly to buy the supplements at a discount, my migraines disappeared and my common colds (twice a year) become less common (I am waiting for my next one) my feet have a spring I did not have when I was young… I wish I could sell these products but I have to mush enthusiasm for them that people think it’s bogus.
Well it’s their lost.
Ruben
miretironet
I have a friend, male, who sold beauty supplies for 20 years, very successfully. I don’t think anyone expected he had actually USED the products, as long as he KNEW the product. I also used to see a male gynecologist. I’m not even going to elaborate that one. I still say they are excuses. I see people every day who need what I have but they’re not ready. They’re not the right people. That’s the first thing I ever learned from Kim. Quit wasting time on the wrong people and find the ones for whom this is the right thing. Next?
Cindi N
It never hurts to put your best foot forward in all endeavors, and that includes grooming. I don’t mean suits, just looking
decent. People may judge not just the look, but the attitude behind the look. Good grooming indicates a consideration for the other and
a degree of professionalism.
And when all is said and done, I have found NOTHING as effective as
sharing your own experience, Kim style.
I just signed up someone who responded to an ad that was a “Kim script”. The zinger got her. She couldn’t believe someone
else had been so muddled that she couldn’t finish her own sentences. She heard her name being called….It works!
Just checking to see if my comment will post. I’ve written many comments recently that never post, so I must be doing something wrong. But it’s frustrating to spend the time writing a thoughtful comment, only to see it didn’t post! So this is just a test. Thanks, Karen
I’ve not had the opportunity to buy anything from a paraplegic, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t.
Are you saying that it’s not possible to be a ‘healthy paraplegic’, or just that they would not be someone who necessarily exuded an aura of credibility?
As someone with two distinct disabilities of her own, and with a myriad of physical complaints, I can see how it might be possible for a paraplegic to sing the praises of a product that reduced aches and pains, restless legs, constipation, etc., even if they still had to live in a chair and hadn’t yet ‘walked on water’.
I would find a paraplegic with the motivation, self-confidence and chutzpah to be marketing products to be somehow inspiring, whether i bought from them or not. just like i find my friend, who suffered a stroke at 22 was told by neurologists to ‘learn to live with it’, who has published two books and in her forties runs daily and enters 10K races, a continual inspiration.
for what it’s worth.