Becoming a Master Marketer - Prospecting

I often have new distributors ask me if I lead with the product or lead with the business opportunity. My answer to that question has evolved over the years as my knowledge and understanding of our industry has matured. I now answer that question by saying, "I lead with the person." In other words, I focus on the friendship. By asking simple questions and then carefully listening to the answers, I can generally ascertain whether or not the USANA opportunity - and working with me - would be a good fit. By focusing on the individual, I can determine whether their interest lies more in the business opportunity or more in the product. As I alluded to in my last post, there are some people who are simply meant to be Preferred Customers and nothing else!

So, is relationship marketing a numbers game? Well, yes and no. Obviously, the longer your list is and the more people you make contact with on that list, the more people you'll eventually bring into your organization. In USANA, we have a tendency to talk about the "power of two." However, have you noticed we rarely talk about the possibility that you may need to contact 100 people - or more - before you find two like-minded business builders willing to duplicate your efforts? We're talking numbers here!

The good news is that each person on your expanding list represents a potential relationship. Building your warm market list and then developing relationships with selected individuals on that list can be a rewarding experience that helps you expand your business, builds your self-esteem and brings more meaning to your life.


DO THE MATH

Prior to writing this article I did some research on my own sponsoring statistics that I believe you will find enlightening. Over the past eight years I have personally sponsored over 400 people into USANA. Thirty of those people have become true leaders - reaching the pin level of Silver Director or above. That is just about right for this industry. One out of every twelve to fifteen people you sponsor will really dig in and build this business.

Keep reading. Here's what I found so interesting. Seven of those thirty leaders were immediate family members (just one of the advantages of being the oldest of ten children!) Five of my leaders were very close personal friends prior to our association in USANA. Ten of the thirty were referrals given to me by friends - people who wanted to see me succeed and who were willing to give me contact information. Seven were prior business acquaintances that I'd kept in touch with over the years. Only one of these thirty leaders came from an ad. And by the way, that ad was placed in Hong Kong!



CREATING YOUR WARM MARKET LIST

I tell everyone I personally sponsor to open their address book, check over their holiday greeting card list, look in old yearbooks, scan the yellow pages and jog their memory to build a contact list with at least 100 names. This is your warm market - people you know, people you do business with, people who know you, trust you and like you. Some of these individuals will live in your community and some may live halfway around the world. I suggest you practice the "acres of diamonds" principle. Begin by building your organization in your own back yard.

Your contact list should have space for each name and address, phone, fax and e-mail info and a space for notes. In addition, I suggest leaving space directly under each name so you can list a specific benefit for that particular prospect. For example, if a prospect has recently retired, the benefit might be the ability to build his business while traveling. If your accountant is your prospect, the tax advantages of having a home-based business might be the most enticing benefit. If your contact is a coach or a teacher, the benefits might include using existing skills to teach others and having the opportunity to get paid what she is worth. I have personally sponsored several professional speakers and trainers. A benefit to them was the opportunity to use already developed talents to build a residual income.


MAKING CONTACT

Fear of prospecting is rampant in this industry. I believe it's the primary reason some people give up almost before they've started. If you find the prospecting process intimidating, maybe the problem is with the word itself. Try thinking of your potential business partners as people rather than prospects.

How do you make contact? It's really a very natural process. Pick up the phone or initiate face-to-face conversations that allow you to ask questions. Listen carefully. Chances are good you will find some common ties. Focus on building a friendship by expressing interest and asking questions that are non-invasive. Building this friendship will eventually allow you to share information that may lead to a business relationship. Partnering in business with the individuals on your warm market list is the very best way to build your USANA organization. It's sincere, non-threatening, enjoyable and inexpensive!

Frankly, when I started building my USANA business I didn't have the money to run ads, conduct direct mail campaigns, buy lead lists, produce newsletters or even print fliers. I'm not sure there was such a thing as e-mail when I started, but even if there was, I didn't own a computer. My financial situation dictated my marketing strategy. Talk was cheap! I had a compelling product story, a huge "why," and five children to support. So...I started contacting people I knew. Please don't get discouraged if you have limited resources. As long as you know why you're building this business and have an abundance of love and determination, the sky's the limit.

Enjoy the journey.

Collette Larsen
http://www.larsenglobal.com
collette@collettelarsen.com
USANA's First and Only 8-Star Diamond Director
(800) 238-9679