Edification will grow your MLM business

At first glance, network marketing is so simple – we just get customers for our products, and we recruit others to do the same.

Then… when you peek behind that curtain, oh my gosh, there is so much to learn if you want to grow a big business out of it.

HOW do you get prospects to listen, and make the decision you want them to make (sign up with you)?

This requires leadership, which requires credibility which gives you influence.

Management is getting others to do what you want them to.

Leadership is getting others to want to do (for themselves) what you want them to.

See the difference?

In selling and recruiting, because these people aren’t your employees and you don’t have a salary you can threaten to take away if they don’t act, prospects must be led.

So how do you get people to trust your insight and follow your lead?

You have to establish credibility.  You can’t really give it to yourself, though.  You start telling people about how great you are, and why they should listen to you, they will get turned off.

BUT, if you brag on someone else, they always listen to that!

Because there are four different personality types, you want to appeal to all four because you may not know for sure what their priorities are.  These priorities are money, facts, fun, helping others.  So to edify your expert, be sure to say “Mr ____ knows how the big money is being made, he’s got all the facts, he’s also down to earth as he loves helping people, and he is also lots of fun.”  Now if you really know their key driving priority, you can focus even more on that one.  You’ve got to build up your expert as if he/she walks on water and glows in the dark!  Make your prospect WANT to talk to this person you spoke so highly about, and make them feel honored and privileged to have the opportunity.  THIS is so key to successful recruiting.

If you treat this process too casually, and say “Hey, let me put you on the phone with my friend Jeff so he can talk to you” this will give Jeff NO influence with your prospect to get them to sign up with you.  So if you’re not doing the proper edification BEFORE you connect the 3-way call, you are hurting your chances of success.  Notice I said do the edifying BEFORE the call, not after you connect the parties and the expert has to sit there and listen to it.  That is awkward.  Edify, connect, introduce, be quiet.  Did you also hear what I said there?  Be quiet.  If you interject on the call because you feel you have things to say, you are de-edifying the expert and essentially have wasted his/her time.  The expert is leading the prospect down the path towards signing up with you, so be careful not to derail the direction of the conversation.

Here is an example of edification:

“Beth, I am so glad you liked what you’ve seen so far about the company.  I am even more excited because I am being mentored by one of the very best in the entire country, Mr. Nelson.  Let me tell you about him.  He knows how the big money is being made in this business.  As a matter of fact, he’s been helping countless people to develop another income stream in their part time efforts a few hours a week, and I’m so excited to have his coaching!  When you said you want to earn more income, THIS is the person who will help you do it. And note that he knows all the facts, he’s down to earth and loves to help people like he’s helping me, and will help you too.  And he’s ton of fun, you’re going to love him!  If I can catch him for just a couple of minutes, since he’s quite busy helping people and living the good life, I want you to hold on so I can connect us on the phone together.  Again, if we catch him it will be our lucky day, hold on!”

EDIFY all the time.  Edify to build credibility and give influence.  Your upline will use this influence to get your contacts to want to join your team and mission.  And your upline expert will edify you back at the end of the call so that your prospect will now listen to you more attentively going forward as well. See that?  You gave influence away, but then it was given right back to you in a way that works.  Again, you can never edify yourself effectively.  But you can give it away and have it given back to you. It’s the system that works in network marketing.  Use it daily!