Persuasive speaking is the art of swaying people’s opinion and perceptions in favor of the points you are propounding. As a network marketer, this means persuading people to see your multi-level marketing opportunity in a positive way, and to consider how it may be beneficial for them to listen without prejudice.
Persuasive speaking is often mislabeled or misunderstood as the art of “arguing” or overpowering other people with a booming voice and intimidating behavior. Although these techniques are certainly used by some, they are not recommended, nor are they necessary, for your success.
Use the following steps to start developing a persuasive style of speech and presentation:• Eliminate speech mannerisms such as, “you know,” and ‘like.”
• Avoid filling your verbal pauses with nonsense words like, “uh,” and “well.”
• Look at people when you speak to them. Give them your full attention, and listen to them as well as you would like for them to listen to you.
• When giving a formal presentation, tell them what you’re going to say, say it, then tell them what you told them.
• Anticipate doubts in the minds of your listeners and be prepared to back up statements with facts and sources.
• Use parables and anecdotes whenever possible to illustrate points you wish to make.
Network marketers live by the words they speak. To learn the art of recruiting and selling, master the art of persuasive speaking, which for the network marketer means learning how to overcome objections..
One of the strongest techniques in the network marketing industry for overcoming objection is the “feel-felt-found” statement. Try it the next time a prospect responds with something like: “This opportunity is not for me, I’m not the selling type.”
Your response:“Bobby, I know how you feel, I felt the same way once myself, but do you know what I found out? I found out you don’t have to be a salesperson to make this opportunity work. Yes, network marketing is about sells, what business isn’t? But with the literature and video tapes available from the company, all you have to do is hand out material and invite people to meetings.”
The feel-felt-found method allows you to recognize the prospect’s objection, sympathize with it, and then share a simple solution. It’s a powerful tool that you can learn to use in virtually any stage of prospecting and recruiting.
Don’t allow objections to destroy your dream. You’re going to hear them, so just accept objections as a part of the business.Keep this in mind: If the opportunity makes sense to you, it will make sense to others. You are not going to convert every prospect into a motivated recruit, and thankfully, you don’t have to. Network marketing is a numbers game, and if you can recruit one person, you can recruit a second. Build on small successes, and when your practiced attempts to overcome objections fail you, press on and introduce yourself to the next candidate for success.
Bring on the next prospect, I’m anxious to try this feel-felt-found technique.Are you a forceful, controlling type of person?
Are you an easy-going, take it or leave it type of person?
What traits do you have that are beneficial to this business?
What traits do you have that are detrimental to this business?
Learn how to build on your good traits, and minimize your bad traits. In the first half of Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, Franklin reveals how he identified worthwhile character traits and enlisted his friends in helping him learn these traits. This is a great lesson, worth reading about.
Another old classic that is worth reading is Dale Carnegie’s How to win Friends and Influence People.