I have to tell you this short story - it will be very valuable to you.I was playing golf this past weekend with a multi- hundred- millionaire whom I have known for about a year. When we first met, the person who introduced us told him that I was in Network Marketing. A little later I asked him if he knew what Network Marketing was. He replied, "Yeah, that's like Amway, right?" I replied, "Yeah, similar." He said he was familiar with it. I could tell when he mentioned Amway he was "leaning backwards" as is if he hoped I didn't start into a sales pitch. I didn't say anything else, which was the right way to handle this based on Communication Quality # 4, Use the correct amount of assertiveness (from Professional Inviter).
We've been good friends and have gotten together at charity events, traded stock investment ideas and an occasional game of golf.
This past weekend he asked me, "Tim, I know what M.L.M is... but I don't really understand it. Can you 'in real simple terms' describe it?"
Let me make a quick point and then I'll continue. It took him a year to get comfortable enough with me to know that I wouldn't give him a sales pitch! If you recall from the Greeting section of Professional Inviter, I mention that a proper greeting takes as long as it takes! I'll continue with the story...
My friend was about to hit his golf ball when he asked me this question about Network marketing, so I replied, "Hmm, let me think about it while you hit your ball." Why would I interrupt him while he was concentrating on something else? And, why would I waste my words on someone who I know isn't paying attention, right?
He hit his golf ball and I hit mine and then we climbed into the golf cart and headed out. I grabbed the score card and flipped it over to the back and drew a little diagram that looks very similar to an image that I've prepared for you that goes along with this conversation.
So that you get the full impact of how to explain what M.L.M is in 30 seconds, please follow these instructions.
- Click on the link below and download the image.
- Read all of it, and then come back to this text and finish reading how I explained M.L.M to him.
http://www.brilliantexchange.com/docs/Diff.pdf
Alright, now that you've seen what I sketched on the back of the score card let me describe to you what I explained to him.
Knowing his background and knowing that he owns a few companies I said to him the following while sketching it:
"In a traditional company you have a building - same with a network marketing company." I did this while sketching a building.
"You also have a president, vice presidents, middle managers and staff to run the company - same with network marketing." I did this while sketching an organizational chart.
"But here's where it's different, in a traditional company if you have 50 million dollars to advertise and promote your product - who do you give that money to? You spend it on TV, radio, and print ads often with celebrity endorsements." Then I wrote a couple of celebrity endorsement fees. Then I explained, "In Network marketing we spend that same 50 million dollars but on ordinary people who master the product and master how to sell it. A celebrity never masters the product - they just shoot a couple of ads."
His reply was, "Wow - I never new that... but it makes perfect sense. That is not the way I understood M.L.M. Maybe I should use Network Marketing in some of my companies."
Now, keep in mind that there was a lot more "going on" than just this 30 second explanation. I used the 10 Communication Qualities correctly and I used the first step of the Inviting Formula correctly (both found in Professional Inviter).
Whether this gentleman ever does network marketing or uses it in his company - I don't really care. He's an incredible human being and I love being around him. But what occurred is what I hope occurs for all of you - that everyone will share Network Marketing in a professional way so that people will better understand this wonderful industry!
With love and admiration,
Tim Sales