In the excitement to recruit, many network marketers wonder why their commission checks seldom cover their expenses. The answer is simple. Companies don’t pay you to recruit. They pay you to sell their product or service. And although it is certainly admirable to have a battalion of distributors in your downline, the truth is, until there is a sale, there is no commission. Therefore, in conjunction with your recruiting goals, you must incorporate sales volume goals.
How to Build Organizational Sales
It seems hard to believe, but some people do not like or use the product they market. If this is the case for you, find a different company. In the network marketing business, people buy from you because they are responding to your heart felt enthusiasm for the product. People will trust you, but they are also perceptive. If you are unfamiliar with the product, or do not use it regularly, they will notice.
Before asking a potential customer to get excited about a product and open their wallet to spill out hard earned dollars, you must first have the conviction to honestly say: “This is a good product. You will get your money’s worth. I guarantee it.” How can you do this if you don’t even use the product yourself? If you want to be a charlatan and operate on the edge of incredulity, find another line. Don’t soil the industry for the rest of us.
b. Encourage your downline to use the productThe same sermon from item (a) above applies to your downline. But this shouldn’t be a problem, because, if you’ll follow the advice from item (f) below, your downline will already be regular users of the product.
c. Never miss an opportunity to sellOne of the best times to secure a sell, and possibly find a repeat customer is immediately after a prospect turns the opportunity down. During the course of your presentation of the plan they have been exposed to the product, and although resistant to the idea of getting into business, may be interested in using the product. Never leave a prospect without at least asking for an order.
Throughout the day, whether you realize it or not, you pass up several opportunities to market your product and possibly share the dream. Wherever you meet people by chance, overhear conversations, or conduct business with an individual, you have an opening to mention your product. If people ask what you do for a living, hand them your business card and say, “I market a unique home cleaning product, give me a call if you want to learn more about it.” Don’t flood them with information at this point. Wait for them to ask something like, “Oh, what kind of cleaning products do you carry?” At this point, you better be reaching for your samples and order pad.
d. Ask for the order
Amazingly, many salespersons will demonstrate a product, convince the customer it is the right thing for them to do, then fail to ask for the order. You’re not being paid by the hour, so what’s the use of standing around like a teenager working in a hamburger stand? Ask for the order. When you complete your demonstration, ask the customer, “Would you like the traditional or heavy duty cleanser. Or, “Which do you prefer, the automatic re-order plan, or the single purchase option?”
When they make a choice, fill out the order form. Although you have to guard against being openly arrogant, it is important as a salesperson that you go into the demonstration assuming the sale is a done deal. All you need to do is educate the customer about the product and fill in the order form.
e. Qualify the prospectAsking for the order, as described above, may make the process sound too simple. But, if you adhere to this important principle of sales, it will be.
Don’t waste your time attempting to sell the product or opportunity to people who have neither the funds, nor the inclination to get involved.
What a colossal waste.
The efficient and effective use of your time demands that you pre-qualify your prospects, to the point that it does not cause you to prejudge a person’s ability to succeed in the business as a distributor. If you’re selling a health product a simple question like “are you concerned about your health?” will tell you if you have a responsive prospect or a dead beat. If you sell soap, you may want to ask, “would you be interested in learning about a revolutionary cleanser that will simplify your housework?” Again, their answer will tell you whether to proceed with the presentation, or proceed walking.
f. Find regular customers before recruitingIn some organizations, new distributors are encouraged to market the product and develop a regular clientele of repeat customers before even attempting to recruit. Often times, consumers of your product come to you, asking how they can get involved as distributors. This may be the best way to build a network marketing business--sell the product, then recruit your customers.