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When discussing the topic of MLM prospecting many may think that what you are actually doing when prospecting is sales – it truly is not. What you are actually doing when you are prospecting for your mlm business is interviewing people and in this case you are interviewing people for a position in the Multi-million dollar company which you are building. Now although this is true and no doubt this should be your posture, your mind set and your attitude will be faced with some of the same emotions that one does who is strictly in the sales industry. If you are going to be successful in this industry of network marketing you have to learn and know how to manage your emotions when prospecting.

You see sales people are subjected to many more emotions than others in other occupations. And the way we respond to the feedback we get from others will naturally create our emotions, be it happy, sad, optimistic. The important thing to realize here is that the emotions that we experience WILL drive our behavior and to the degree that we handle our emotions will determine if you are successful or if you quit! So as you learn and master your emotions you will procrastinate less and become more and more successful in your MLM prospecting. Remember this concept and step through these emotions which can cause you to get stuck and discouraged, do that and you will find the true treasure that is within you and the success within your MLM business.

Realize that these ups and downs can be challenging. Knowing how and why you respond to what peoples say will be a key to you success in MLM prospecting. Firstly you need to understand that emotions are natural so as we learn to understand and deal with these emotions it will make the tasks that one needs to do much easier to accomplish. Two areas that significantly impact our emotions are:

1. Our purpose for sharing our product/service or opportunity and
2. Our view of selling

Have you ever had these thoughts

- I need to make this sale or get this person involved in my business or
- I hope I can convince them to try my product or sign up with me

These types or statements are all about YOU. They are very ego driving and survival based. A better more powerful thought or attitude to have would be “ I ‘m not sure whether or not I can help them, but I owe it to them to see if I can. When prospecting your purpose is to get to know them and understand their needs and goals better. You have no need to impress them, you just want too ask them a few questions and listen (no big deal)

You are looking for a need or a problem that they might have and you should be confident that you can help them solve this major problems in their lives.

Here is a behavioral pattern or process that can help you deal with the emotions of prospecting

Your Concern –> Your Purpose for selling –> Your Emotions –> Will influence your Behavior

If you are experiencing Call Anxiety then Change your view of Selling or Prospecting

Change you concern from “I am doing something to them or wanting something from them” to “I am helping them to a better situation and delivering value and service.”

This will change the emotions around the activity and therefore change the behavior.

So what is your purpose behind the prospecting call?

You see there will be no call reluctance when you believe that what you have may help them in whatever way they need – You are there to support them.

Here is an example of how a purpose for prospecting can create a negative emotion.

Example: I need to make this sale, if I don’t how am I going to pay the mortgage, how am I going to make this work? You see if you are focused on this thought and think about the negative consequences of what will happen if I don’t make this sale or sponsor this prospect then we are not focusing from the purpose or position that we are working to help them. This will possibly lead to not making the calls and/or procrastinate all day long!

You see the concern was all about you and your needs when your concern should be to focus on them and will lead to your purpose to create value for them.

Try on this purpose “I need to help those people who really need and want my help”
“I’m on a mission. I’m not trying to talk anyone into doing anything, I’m just looking for someone who has a problem or a need and presenting them with a possible solution to their problem.

You are looking to find people who are desperately need what you have to offer and you are giving them the opportunity to participate in this opportunity to fulfill their need … not your need. Who has a need that I can fulfill? Who can I create value for? Who has a problem I can solve?

Recommended book “The Inner Game of Selling” by Ron Willingham.

Keep this in mind when you are talking to people “I’m not sure whether or not I can help them but I owe it to them to see if I can. You see the focus is not on you but it is on them. Your purpose in prospecting is to create value for your prospect verses I need to make this sale. When you have the thought which are focused on you and the negative ramification of you not fulfilling your needs you may experience as you get closer to taking the action the more emotion, be it negative or positive, that will get triggered. The amount of emotion that you experience is based on the degree that we need something. These emotions involve fear. So based on your thought the more or less fear you experience. Here are just some of the thought you might have when approaching a prospect. Keep in mind that these thought will not serve you basically because they are focused on you.

– I’m concerned what’s going to happen if I don’t make the sale – focused on you!
– How am I going to make this work? If I can’t make this work then I’m going to have to go find a JOB! Yuck!
– My spouse is not going to continue to support me.

These types of questions running through your head will only create the strong emotion of fear. These emotions are strong because the consequences are so big. To eliminate fear or call reluctance , don’t’ beat yourself up and just do it!! Instead go to the cause of the emotion, the root of the fear. The cause would once again be your concern and purpose behind selling. Your Concern should be – To fulfill a need! Not yours but theirs

Your concern should not be I need to build a business but instead should be to find as many people as possible to help solve their problem.

When you change your purpose, your emotions will shift and therefore your behavior will also shift. You can handle your emotions of fear and uncertainty by replacing them with emotions that empower you. This will change your posture, your confidence and your perspective on rejection.

How do we explain rejection or what is your perspective on rejections. In the book “Learned Optimism” Martin Seligman says “ One of the most significant finding in psychology in the last 20 years is that individuals can change the way they think. We might change the way we explain negative events to ourselves”

How you explain the situations that happen in your life to yourself will determine how you feel. When you explain these situations with the correct perspective you will remain resilient and you can stay focused instead of you getting blown over by the words and your emotions.

What do you tell yourself when you succeed? When you fail? When you are rejected? Your response will determine a great deal to the response and how you feel When you are calling someone does your mind go to “I’m afraid I can’t get through or this person may not want to talk to me. Will they like what I have to say. Will they reject me? Verses …I’m sure that if this person knew how much I could help them they’d look forward to speaking to me

Visualize “Who is it that I can help!” If this person really knew what I had to offer they would be so open to talking to me and taking a look at this opportunity”

Your initial approach should be to gain trust and build rapport. Think – I am eager to meet with this person and I have confidence in my ability to sincerely ask questions about his or her interest and just listen to understand.

What are their interest and needs and can I help them? Ask the appropriate questions so you can understand their needs, wants, problems or goals that they want fulfilled or resolved.

Demonstrate and show them how their need can be fulfilled by what you have to offer.

If they have no need and express no desire (very unlikely) then just say Thank-you very much for your time!! And say to yourself NEXT!

If your purpose is to help them find a solution to their needs do you think you’d be more excited, confident and bold about calling them because you absolutely know they are in their best interest? When you are negotiating or working toward a close remember you are not trying to change their mind. You need to work through their concerns and objections. You are not trying to talk them into anything. Objections are good because it will allow you to clear any confusion or uncertainty they may have about working with you. You want them to be clear about it and you want them to decide for themselves for their own reasons.

Don’t ask “How can I get this person to see things my way or the way I want them to see things. That would be very controlling and they will know that.

A better approach would be “How can I better understand things from their perspective so I can work out a win-win solution

In the closing you want to gain a commitment for an actions. Ask for a decision at the right time and let then close themselves.

Does my prospect believe that this is the best solution for their needs?
Does my prospect believe my recommendations is right for them? Will their decision satisfy their wants and needs to give them value beyond what they expect to receive?

If you can truly answer YES to these questions and have these beliefs in yourself it will increase your confidence and make asking for a decision a true act of service. “I understand and believe that this is really going to fulfill their needs and wants”

When making the phone calls think this and say this affirmation

I AM sure if this persons knows how much I could help them they’d look forward to viewing my presentation” This thought is all about them.

Visualize yourself talking to people and them being thankful that you called them. Keep your prospect in mind all the time and the benefits that you can bring to them and you will make those calls, talk to everyone and find yourself a very successful MLM prospector.