How many times have you heard this? Building a business in any field is all about making connections, building relationships and it’s about other people, right? This can be a hard lesson to learn and well worth it when you do. Love this quote above from Martin Luther King Jr. that I stumbled upon the other day and it fit this message perfect!
What’s important are other people and what ‘they’ want. When we stop treating people like a cash machine and instead start to think more about what others are looking for then remarkable things can happen. People become more connected to you and start seeking you out. It’s always better to work harder on becoming a giver vs a taker. Think about what you can do to help other people get what they want. Believe it or not this is also a smart way to really find out if someone’s the ‘right’ one you’re looking to partner with in your business.
Sometimes it seems all we do is give, give, give and nothing is coming back. With patience, persistence, consistent efforts and genuine caring for people suddenly people will start to contact you and you’ll begin to build relationships which eventually form into a solid foundation you will ultimately continue to build on for years to come!
Building strong relationships is also possible to do through social media. I know this because I’ve done so effectively online since 1996. Yeah you may be thinking, she’s a real dinosaur huh? Ok you’re not thinking I’m old are ya? Well I am still a bit ‘old school’ but hey I’m learning and keeping up with all the young social media gurus out there every single day! Some of who were in middle school when I started networking online!
What I’ve seen a lot of people do over the many years I’ve been in this profession is sign up people in their programs online and then never really have any other ‘real’ human form of contact or connection with them. They’re just a recruiter, not really a leader nor do they have much of an influence with people.
I’m talking about connecting with someone over a telephone conversation or meeting them in person. I have been able to form relationships with people I’ve met through the Internet because of keeping in constant contact via email, the phone and have even met people in my network at business conferences over the last twenty years. This really helps people get to know you are real when they can meet and speak with you over the phone and in person. Then the connection you make with them becomes more solid.
Networking can be a lot of fun when your purpose becomes getting to know people by asking – how can you be of service to them? How can you help to move them in the right direction THEY want to go? Always keeping in the back of your mind that it’s not about your direction, it’s about THEIR direction.
When meeting people through social media or offline, find out what they are doing and what are interested in before babbling on about you, your company, your products, and your pay plan. For instance take the time to use their name when you’re reaching out to someone on a personal Facebook message. Ie: Hi Sally, how are you? – What are you up to today or now days Sue? – How’s it going Sue? – What are you doing now Sue?
After all, some people believe it or not, may not be interested in what you probably consider the greatest company and products in the world until you show them that you genuinely care about them and what’s interesting in their world. In other words, what’s in it for them. They might be in the middle of a huge crisis in their life and the timing may not be right for them to look at what you’re doing at the time. They could really need a shoulder to lean on and seeking out someone who really cares for them at this time to understand their situation, circumstances, etc. Try keeping a balance of being of service, being compassionate and also being professional and business minded.
Listen very carefully and find out where a person is in their life and then ask them how you can help them. Sometimes when we meet someone they could have so many personal problems going on at the time that we must move away from them for a while. So, listen carefully and learn to read between the lines.
No matter what a person’s situation though they still may not be interested in what you’re doing and that’s ok, it’s nothing personal to do with you. The important thing is to be respectful of their decision and where they are in their life at this moment. It’s most likely not going to be a permanent situation and you can be there when they are ready if you’re good at following up without being too pushy.
Timing is everything as they say! Just stay focused on other feelings, find out what they want and stay in touch periodically to see how they’re doing and check in to see how things may have changed for them.
Owning a business and becoming an entrepreneur will not be for everyone. Not everyone will have the tenacity to be or stay in business for themselves. Some people are looking for a job as an employee with a paycheck. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. My husband has had a career for over 40 years in the same industry and he’s been paid as an employee and it’s been a real blessing for us. He’s always supported my entrepreneurial passion, and absolutely love what I do!
When someone indicates their interested in getting rich very quickly or they think someone is going build it for them then they may not be cut out for the hard work, persistence, dedication and ability to handle delayed gratification which are some of the realities of being a business owner and entrepreneur.
Focus on looking for positive outgoing people with the above attributes. Spend time and energy on them and not all the one’s who say “no thanks this isn’t for me” and stay clear of the negative complainers. My grandma used to say “You would complain if you were hung with a new rope”! She was a very wise woman! Most granmas are! She also passed that saying on to my mom who passed it on to me! People who are negative and complain about everything will drain your energy. Another life lesson learned over the years!
So how do we find out if what we’re doing is right for someone we meet through social media or when we’re out and about networking? How will people know you are interested in THEM? They will know because you are asking the right questions! Ask what you can do for THEM and then really listen to see if they are ‘RIGHT’ for your business and/or your product. Find out their plan of action. Asking questions also leads to the next question and the next. You learn to become like a detective but without being too personal if they are someone you don’t know very well.
Find out what they do for a living. What are their hobbies? Are they happy doing what they do? What would they like to do? What’s their purpose, their mission? How would they like to change their life? What’s important to them? Where do they want to be in the next 5 years? What have they done so far to move closer to their dreams, goals, their purpose? Do they have a vision for their life? What does their vision, their hopes and dreams look like?
If they do have a purpose great, if not help them to write their purpose and mission down on paper. If they keep doing what they are now will they live their purpose filled life?
Are they entrepreneurial? Do they consider themselves coach-able? Are they positive and outgoing? Do they want to do good things to help others too? Do they want to learn and grow or perfectly happy where they are? Are they willing to do what it takes to achieve their purpose in life no matter what?
Find out if they have experience in Network Marketing and if so find out all about what they’ve done. Ask them what their thoughts are about the profession. Were they successful before and why or why not? What do they need to succeed? How can you help? Are they willing to help your team too?
Pop a few other questions such as:
What attracted them to your opportunity? What sort of business are they looking for? Are they interested in home business tax advantages, having a system that helps automate their business, working cold market leads, warm market, in person presentations, meetings, events, training, self-development, social media?
Let them know you’re looking for outgoing, friendly, positive, purpose driven people who are either entrepreneurial or passionate about becoming an entrepreneur. Does that somewhat describe them? Do they have experience in direct sales, network marketing, sales and marketing, customer service, or have they ever owned their own business? Do they have a sincere desire to help people?
Ask them if training and support are important to them Are they a team player or more of a loner? Are they a self-starter, go getter? What sort of personality do they have? (there have been chapters in books written on this subject so find out more about how to determine personality types and how this can help you connect better with people. This helps you develop better relationships to work more efficiently with others. I’ve got several book recommendations on this so just ask).
What is their time table for taking specific action? Do they have a budget in mind for starting their business? How much time are they willing to commit to their business during the week? Are they coachable? How do see themselves building their network marketing enterprise? What’s the purpose for doing what they do? Help them discover their purpose and set up a concrete plan. Jim Rohn always says “Those who fail – fail to plan!”
People at first contact may not show an interest in your company or products but it’s very possible they will be interested in who you are when you take a genuine interest in ‘them’ first by asking yourself – it’s not what others can do for YOU but what are you doing for others?
Living Life With Purpose!
