How to Sell by Asking Questions

Whether you generate leads on-line, in person, or buy leads, eventually you
have to talk to people if you’re going to sponsor them into your business. Most
network marketers start babbling on about how great their company is, what
wonderful products they have, and how lucrative the compensation plan is.

It’s one of the reasons they fail. Your prospects don’t care about any of that.
Your prospects are only concerned with satisfying their wants and solving their
problems.

It may be glaringly obvious to you that your opportunity is the answer to their
prayers, but if you’ve simply jumped in and started telling them all about it, they
won’t even hear you. You sound like every other pushy sales person they’ve
ever met.

So, “What do I say to get them to understand?” you may ask. Well, you ask
questions to find out what their needs and wants are. The questions you ask
should generally be focused around 3 main areas.

1. Income (or lack of adequate income)
2. Job dissatisfaction
3. Time freedom

In each case, you are looking to uncover problems in these areas and agitate their
pain a little bit, so you can offer your opportunity as a solution.

But first, set the stage for your presentation. The last thing you want are a bunch
of distractions. Politely ask your prospect to turn off the TV. Bring a children’s
movie with you on a DVD. If they have young children, ask if the kids can watch it
in another room.

Once things have settled down, thank your prospect for agreeing to meet with you,
and reassure them that you will not go over the amount of time you told them
you would need. Unless of course, they have lots of questions and invite you to stay.
This shows your prospects that you are a professional and that you respect their time.

Start by asking what motivated them to meet with you. You will probably get a
superficial answer, but it might give you some insight into one or more problem areas.
OK, let’s get into some of the specific questions to ask:

INCOME:

“Is the income you’re making now enough to do all the things you want to do?”
They will probably say no. If they say yes, go to the next topic - job dissatisfaction.

“Could you tell me more about that?”
Let them elaborate.

“What are some of the things you would do if you had more income?”
Typical answers include retire, send kids to college, take vacations, get out of debt.
Let them visualize a better future than what they’re now facing.

“Do you have a plan in place to be able to do x,y,z?”
They usually don’t, or it isn’t adequate.

“What will happen if you can’t do x,y,z?”
Answers will vary, but it isn’t pleasant.

“How does that make you feel?”
Let them get emotional about not being able to solve their problem.

JOB DISSATISFACTION:

“Are you happy with your work?”
Usually they are not. If they are, move on to time freedom.

“What is it that you don’t like about your job?” or
“Could you explain more about that?”
Let them tell you everything they don’t like about their work.

“What would you do if you didn’t have to go into work every day?”
Again, get them to imagine a happier future.

“What’s going to happen if you don’t change your job situation?”
Back to the miserable present.

“How do feel about that?”
Agitate that pain a bit.

Are you beginning to see a pattern here?

TIME FREEDOM

“What are some of the things you enjoy doing in your spare time?”
They will list some things. Family time, hobbies, community activities, etc.

“Do you get enough time to (spend with your kids, work on your boat, etc.)?”
They usually don’t.

“Would you elaborate on that, please?”
Get them to thinking about how bad their situation is.

“What would you do if you had more spare time?”
Get them to thinking about how their life could be different.

“What happens when you can’t do x,y,z?”
Let them express their frustration.

“How does that make you feel?”
Pour a little salt in the wound.

Asking these kinds of open ended questions allows your prospects to see just how
much they need to take action if they want their situation to improve. This sort of
presentation is almost therapeutic for your prospect, and by listening attentively,
your prospect understands that you really do care about them and their situation.

When they know you care, and they trust you, they are far more likely to buy from you.
By taking a few minutes to find out what your prospect’s needs are, you can tailor your
presentation to show benefits that fill their needs and wants.

Using these principles can help you move your sponsoring success up several levels.
I learned how to do this in Hilton Johnson’s Selling by Attraction. You, too
can learn how to use these simple steps. Just click on the following text link to sign up
for your free coaching call from the expert’s expert, and you may never get rejected again!

To your success!

Jeanie

February 25, 2009 Posted in: Sponsoring Prospects