WHAT TO DO FROM DAY ONE
Prospecting and recruiting
Bill Hyman
Copyright 1998- 2005

When it comes right down to it, no matter how good you are at every other aspect of your network marketing business, without a high level of recruiting skill, everything else falls apart.

Your recruiting (or prospecting) efforts should consist of four steps. Most new people in the MLM industry will feel like skipping the preliminary steps and jumping right in. However, years of experience have taught me the four P's: Proper planning Prevents Pitiful Performance. In other words, basic fundamental steps preceding the initial contact will always produce better results.

Step # 1. Your goals: How much money are you looking to make in your networking business? The higher your goals, the more time and effort you will need to put into your business. On average, you should make three to five contacts everyday, five to six days a week. More if you're more aggressive; less if you are not. Beginning with the end in mind, I have always taught that you should shoot to sponsor one a week if you are part-time and two a week if you are full-time.

Step #2 Your Schedule: Setting specific times to make your contacts (usually by phone) and sticking to your schedule is the hardest task most distributors have to master. Make a calendar of the week and block off what hour or two a day is going to be set exclusively to making your contacts. Try your best to make this airtight time. Meaning nothing else will invade it. Hint: Since family is often the reason why distributors don't follow through with their commitment of time every day (i.e. the kids want to watch TV with you, or your spouse is just not supportive right now). Why not make the family part of the business. Give the kids (if you have them) small tasks that make them feel part of the team. Offer them a reward for supporting you in the family business based on its' success. In other words, when you reach a certain level, take them to Disneyland, or get them their own phone, or a cruise, etc.

Step #3 Make a list: Your list is your marketing advantage. The more names you have on it the better your success, posture, and attitude will be. Making a long list will take time, which is why you may procrastinate doing it. Believe me, it is worth the time and effort. Look at it like this; if you don't take the time to put your friends, family, and associates on your list (and contact them) someone else will. I always recommend a list of at least 200 names. You can achieve this by using memory joggers. Pull out your address or phone book and start there. Put absolutely everyone you know on that list. Remember, the people you think are unlikely to be even interested, are often the ones that propel you to success. Next find the yellow pages and go through the professions. Who do you know that is an accountant, an attorney, sells automotive parts or services? Who do you know that is a barber or beautician, sells computers etc? You get the idea. Go through the whole book and list all of the professions that you know well enough at least to call.

One last hint: List ten areas of your life i.e. high school or college, past or present career/careers, recreational areas such as sports, hobbies. Your relatives, neighbors, etc. Under each area list ten names. Now you have 100 names right there.

Step #4: Getting ready to call. After you have determined the exclusive time you are going to set aside to make your calls; it is best to also have an exclusive, quiet location. Since you will be building your own momentum, during your contacting, interruptions will really hurt you. Set up a place that is your calling place. If you don't have your own office, use a spare bedroom or a quiet, remote location in your home. Have the times that you would like to meet with your prospects at the tip of your fingers.

Know when you can meet with them, so that when they say they are open to looking, you are prepared with times and places and/or what you want to send them, I.E. a web site, a CD or DVD etc.

Know whom you are calling. Think about the person you are calling. What is their occupation? What are the challenges in their life that your opportunity may be able to solve? Are they a mentor, boss or former boss? Meaning that they might like to help you by giving you their opinion? Have a script handy, so that you can refer to it. It is important, not to sound like you are reading, but equally important to have a reminder of what you want to say, right by the phone.

Step #5: The Actual Call. The purpose of the call is to set an appointment to show someone your business. It is impossible for a realtor to show a home over the phone and almost as difficult to show your networking opportunity over the phone.

When you are on the phone:

#1. Call with a positive expectation and an attitude of success. Always smile, people can hear your smile.

#2. Break the ice with small talk. You can use the acronym F.O.R.M. which stands for Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Money. You don't have to use all four of these, and neither do you have to use them in order, however if you can ask these questions and get people talking about themselves, they often bring up a problem that your company is the solution to.

#3. Tell them, up front, that you only have a minute. This will set the stage for you getting together with them, or having them look at a full presentation, rather then them asking you a million questions; only to lead to the conclusion that they think they know what this
is and are not interested.

#4. Your script may be full disclosure or your up line may suggest that you use more of the curiosity approach. In either case remember, people jump to conclusions and curiosity is a human motivator. Therefore, the more you tell people, the less likely they will be willing to get together with you.

Most companies have fax on demand info, 24-hour recorded messages, web casts, web sites, DVD, CD's and other ways of getting information to your prospects. Do the best you can to control yourself from answering too many questions.

#5. Get a firm commitment. When people say they will get together with you, a yes is a maybe and a maybe is a no. Believe it. The best way to ensure a solid appointment that won't stand you up, is to get a commitment that they have written it in their calendar, that their spouse (if they are married) will be there, and that there is nothing that will come up that could stop them from coming. Use at least these three "committers" and the likelihood of getting stood up is lessened. For your protection, it is good to know that on average, if three people promise to come to a presentation, only one will show up. Sorry but those are the numbers.

Even if you simply ask them to go to a web based presentation or view a DVD, you must still be prepared for the fact that most people will not do what they promised they would do, that is why getting a firm commitment and proper follow up are so important.

If you follow all of the above mentioned steps with enthusiasm, persistence, a determination to win and do enough numbers, your success will astound you.