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Network Marketing Casual Prospecting

Network marketing casual prospecting is arguably the most important skill you can master in your network marketing business as it does not require you to invest a great deal of your time or money. If delivered correctly, this relationship referral method is a very effective, non-invasive marketing technique that every network marketer can feel comfortable with.

Casual prospecting refers to being able to recommend your products and promote their related benefits (or business) in normal everyday conversation, not because you were intentionally looking to prospect the person you are talking to, but because they have presented you with a perfect opportunity to promote what you have to offer.

Breaking the Network Marketing Stereotype

People often form a stereotype that network marketers look for an opportunity to prospect every person that they meet, this is definitely not the norm and we strongly encourage otherwise. There are however conversions that you may have every day that often presents you with the perfect opportunity to casually prospect. It’s up to you as to whether you choose to capitalise on them.

Before we take you through the casual prospecting process, let’s recap an important marketing concept. As defined earlier in this chapter a product is a profitable item that offers a solution to a consumer’s need/want /desire. One of the most valuable lessons you can learn in marketing is that your goal should not be to sell a problem (want/need / desire), but instead offer a solution for a problem that already exists.

In business we don’t create a problem we simply have to develop a strategy to respond to what’s already there.

In network marketing one of the key principles to success is being able to indentify your prospect’s problem and then being able to tailor your solution to meet your prospect’s requirements. Whilst we have already discussed this concept earlier in this chapter it is important that we reinforce it here, as this essentially summarises the entire casual prospecting process.

The art of casual prospecting allows you to recommend your products as a solution to a problem that has already been offered by your prospect in normal conversation. For example if you market health and wellness products and were talking to someone who was suffering from a common cold or hay fever this might present you with the opportunity to do some casual prospecting. Please note in this example below how the message is conveyed via a personal testimonial or a story.

“I used to suffer really bad hay fever as well, but since I’ve been taking these supplements I’ve felt fantastic, you might want to give them a try?“

If they respond with a ‘No thanks’, change the conversation. Remember professionals sort, amateurs convince. If the answer is ‘Yes’, great you’ve almost certainly made the sale, at this point don’t go on and on about how good the products are and what cutting-edge science is behind them (as your prospect will then ask themselves what your motives are – to help them or to sell them); instead revert back to a normal conversation. At the end of the conversation collect their details, such that you can follow-up and organise for them to trial or use the products.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE
Do not make misleading claims about your products or services. You can not only get yourself in a lot of trouble, but you may also be doing your company a disservice as well. While it is ok to give truthful product testimonials and to say that a given product helped you (or another) to deal with a given problem, you cannot promote a product as a proven solution unless there is concrete evidence to support your claim.

Incidentally the example used above is a true story. I personally used to suffer really bad hay fever and would spend a large sum of money to help prevent and control this using medication. After trying a product referred to me by a friend I found almost instant improvement in my condition and as a result I have now been taking this product for several years. Whilst to this day I still don’t know what ingredient improves my hay fever, I don’t have too, all I need to say is that it’s provided tangible benefits for me.

Casual Prospecting the Right Way

So what is the most effective approach to use when casually prospecting? Generally, the best approach is to provide your solution in the form of physical evidence (eg testimonials) of how your products or services have helped you (or someone else) to deal with the identified problem such as that used in the example above. Alternatively if you don’t have a testimonial of how your products helped to solve that specific problem, you can use a testimonial of how your products helped to solve somebody else’s (unrelated) problem and that maybe it could also help them.

For example if somebody presents to you with a common cold you might casually prospect by saying

..“I know what it’s like to feel sick, I used to suffer really bad hay fever, but since I’ve been taking these supplements, I’ve felt fantastic. Maybe they could also help you with your cold? You might want to give them a try? “

The right approach reinforces that your prospect has a problem and that you have a possible solution, inviting your prospect to act accordingly. If your initial statement sparks interest but isn’t enough to make the sale, let your marketing tools (eg. Product brochures etc) do the work for you. For example if your prospect requests ‘more information’, you’re generally best not to try and sell your product by going into the finer details. Instead offer to take their details such that you can forward them some product information. Naturally this prospecting process would be continued by a friendly follow up call to show your concern and see if the information helped.

Three key tips to remember here are:

‘Less is more’ – Wait for the opportunity and then deliver your message briefly in the form of a testimonial or story, but don’t go into a sell.
Swap details at the end of the conversation or ask permission to get back in touch with the person with some further information regarding their problem or need.
Don’t forget to follow-up, as there is nothing more unprofessional than offering to help someone and then not following through.

Casual Prospecting the Wrong Way

The inexperienced networker is often tempted to provide too much information about their products or present it in a way that deters even the most motivated prospects. “Have I got a solution for you, these vitamins are the best...etc.” This blatant sell technique normally results in your prospects responding “No thanks” and you left wondering what went wrong?!

The Ideal Casual Prospecting Situation

Another way to casually prospect is to become a ‘product of your product’. There is no better product promoting opportunity in network marketing then when somebody notices something about you and wants to know your solution, providing you with the perfect opportunity to recommend your product.

Let’s use weight loss as an example. If you’re company has a weight loss program and you need to lose weight, why not make a conscious effort to go through the program yourself, such that when you bump into someone in the street and they see your success (physical evidence that your product works), they will want to hear about your solution. This provides you with the perfect opportunity to promote your product.

There is no better prospecting opportunity as that of when somebody approaches you for a solution. The best way to put yourself in this position is to become a product of your product.

On the next page we’ll look at the network marketing product display method and things you should consider to maximise your traffic and your returns.

Alternatively

Start of Network Marketing Product Prospecting chapter

Product prospecting vs recruiting distributors. What should you do first?

Network marketing product training – Learn how to make your product marketable.

How to find network marketing customers?