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“Pssst – hey buddy, can you keep a secret?”
“Ya, sure”
“Well that’s the problem. Network marketers keep the greatest secret never told.”
When you talk to a prospect about the virtues of network marketing, do you mention financial freedom, increased personal time, family time, and more choices in life? Most network marketers focus on these admirable incentives.
But the big secret rarely told is “To create prosperity, you must confront and overcome the two greatest enemies of a well- lived life – fear of rejection and fear of failure. Manage these roadblocks to success and you will improve your life forever. This is the greatest secret never told.
Why is this such a big secret?
I suspect if you told this secret to a prospect, they would ask (or think about asking) “So, how well are you at managing these fears?” Because you don’t want to feel like a burglar caught in the act, you don’t bring it up.
Most network marketers do not know how to help themselves (or others) rapidly manage the fears of rejection and failure. Therefore, they naturally focus on incentives and dreams.
But what if you had the confidence of an Olympic ski jumper when you prospected, made or returned phone calls, and hosted meetings? What if you knew how to teach people in your downline the same set of skills? How would your life change? Would your presentation to a prospect change?
A different dialogue with prospects
Maybe you wouldn’t tremble when the prospect asked you about the success rate of other network marketers. Maybe you wouldn’t feel apologetic when asked how much you were making. Maybe you could turn painful dropout statistics into something inspiring. Maybe you could have an honest and sincere discussion with a prospect along the following lines:
“As you overcome the fears of rejection and failure, an amazing process occurs. Like the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly, making this transformation while realizing your goals is nothing short of amazing.
However, the journey to prosperity has a painful casualty rate. Until now, the odds against a newbie were staggering with a 90% drop out rate. The dropouts would likely say, “Prospecting is hell! I hate the rejection and I hate feeling like a failure.”
But salespeople in other professions struggle with the same problem of rejection and fear of failure. Take major stock brokerage firms. They screen candidates through interview and testing, then narrow the pool to 300. At the beginning of the class of 300, the instructor will say, “Look around, because one year from now only 20 to 30 of you will be with us.”
When people start a new business, the common question from their family, friends and prospects is “How well are you doing?” Generally, they mean, “Are you making any money?” Their yardstick for success is money, (after all this is America).
(Still talking to the prospect) But you should ask about the real measure of success. “Are you overcoming your fears of rejection and failure? Are you moving in the direction of success? Do you like the direction you’re moving in? Are you developing the necessary skills to become prosperous? If so, can you teach me how?”
What if you had a new answer?
Being able to answer “yes” to those questions from a prospect will improve your life and theirs. I think an affirmative answer is more important than telling the prospect how much you are currently making. I think it’s even more important than telling them how much they could make. If they learn those skills, they can earn whatever they want. And you are the one to teach them how.
The universal difficulties of prospecting
The statistics on the problems of prospecting are amazing in their consistency. I recently attended a seminar on prospecting given by Huthwaite, a major worldwide sales training organization. Huthwaite has done extensive research on prospecting. The statistical results were interesting but did not (and could not) measure the amount of emotional angst behind the numbers.
Here’s what their extensive data revealed about prospecting:
• 63% dislike cold calling
• 36% say they seldom do it
• 3% enjoy it
And yet, 88% are expected to prospect. That’s a lot of pressure on a lot of people who do a lot of selling. You are not alone.
Fear is not your enemy
At the same time they paralyze and limit us, our fears serve a protective function for all of us. That’s why they never totally go away. It’s a force almost equal to the pull of gravity. The fear of rejection – caring what others think about us - is wired in our DNA. It’s the major reason why social groups are simultaneously satisfying and frustrating.
I led groups in prisons for eight years and not once did I encounter even the toughest criminal who was immune from the pull of social recognition or acceptance.
Though rejection and failure fears are companions in life’s journey, they need not drive the bus. They can be valued passengers serving as sentries for authentic danger.
The good news is you can learn to corral these fears in less time than it takes to clean a messy kitchen after dinner. Get it free in a previous newsletter archived in this website titled, “The Power Word Process: A new way to overcome fear, doubt and emotional pain”. It will walk you through the beginning steps to tame the untamable.
Or you can get the six-CD album I made with Randy Gage. One of the CDs is devoted to taking you through the steps to taming your fears. It includes two live demonstrations so you get a deeper understanding of the process. In order to get the mental edge, go to www.getTheMentalEdge.com If you order within the next 24 hours, you get $20.00 off and I will pay the postage.
Even more important than overcoming your fears is learning to help the people in your downline overcome theirs. Their success chart could increase faster than Santa’s cholesterol. You can be responsible for starting an avalanche of successful downline people.
The greatest secret no longer has to be a secret.
-Dr. Pete
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