Prospecting on the Internet with Instant Messaging
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Course Overview
As you probably already know, the business you're building goes by many different names. It's been called network marketing; person-to-person marketing; direct sales; interactive distribution; affiliate marketing and relationship marketing, to name a few. I prefer the term relationship marketing because relationships are the cornerstone of your business.Let me ask you a question: What's the first thing you do when you meet someone new? You connect with that person physically by shaking hands, right? Then you seek to connect with them personally by asking questions to learn more about them, such as:"Where are you from? What do you do? Where do you live? And so on. What you're doing is looking for things you have in common ö work, hobbies, interests ö that sort of thing, right?
Shaking hands and talking in person is the best way to build relationships. But thanks to technology, it's not the only way to build relationships. You can also Shake Hands On The Internet and use Instant Messaging to build high-touch relationships on the high-tech Internet.
Instant Messaging is a great tool to build your business. I know this for a fact, because my trainings have helped thousands of people grow their businesses using the Internet. And that's what you will learn in this training ö proven strategies that will help you build your business by using Instant Messaging.Why is this course important to you? Because it will help you solve the biggest challenge you face in building your business; that is, finding quality prospects to share your opportunity with.
Once most people have gone through their warm market, they're afraid to talk to strangers, so they drop out of the business. Sound familiar?In this program you will learn a way to access 250 million people from your computer, so that you'll NEVER run out of quality prospects again!
One word of caution ö this course is IN NO WAY meant to replace your person-to-person prospecting activities. It's designed to ADD to your prospecting toolbox.Now, before I tell you more about what this program IS, let me tell you what it IS NOT. This program is NOT about spamming. It's NOT about e-mailing your business opportunity to your family and friends. It's not about meeting people in chat rooms and it's not about buying expensive leads. This course is about building honest-to-goodness relationships online and then sharing your opportunity with your new friends.
I've divided this course into six sections:
Section one is the course overview.
Section two is about me. I invite you take a moment to learn more about me and my background.
Section three is the nuts and the bolts of the course. There are nine lessons each with specific information and techniques that takes the guess work out of using Instant Messaging to build your business online.Over the years, I've had the privilege of sharing my system of using Instant Messaging to build a business with thousands of people, with amazing results. People using my strategies are re-energizing their businesses. If you follow the strategies in this course, I guarantee that you too can get the results you've been looking for!About Max
Max Steingart has been helping people use computers to connect with other people since 1975, when he introduced an innovative computer system to the yacht brokerage industry. Money Magazine called him the ÎMatchMakerâ because his computer generated lists made it easy for boat sellers to connect with buyers. Today, every major yacht brokerage firm in the world uses elements of a system he helped to create to conduct their business.
Max's innovative use of computers expanded beyond boats to other industries in the pre-Internet days. Airplanes, exotic automobiles, sport and luxury cars; thoroughbred horses, fine art, business opportunities and high-end real estate would all be added to his database. In 1989, Max was named the ÎSuccess Story of the Yearâ by Inc. Magazine for creating a company that was the forerunner of e-Bay. AT&T called him a visionary in the computer industry.
Max has owned several successful businesses including the INC 500 publishing company previously mentioned. He's a highly quoted author, an innovative entrepreneur, and an entertaining lecturer. Max has been a keynote speaker at many conventions and conferences. His presentations have been described as entertaining, eye opening, educational and visually dazzling.
Since 1996, Max has been devoted to researching, studying, and developing a systematic method to teach people how to use the Internet and Instant messaging to network with other people for every kind of business. - real estate, stocks, bonds and investments, sales, etc.
In 1998, he introduced ÎThe Perpetual Prospector,â the first generic Internet training program for the Direct Sales Industry, followed two years later by ÎSuccess Online: Network Marketing in the New Millennium.ââShaking Hands on the Internetâ and ÎSuccess Online: Relationship Marketing in the New Millenniumâ were initially published in 2002. Now available in their 5th Edition, they are an essential part of every sales persons Internet tool box.
They can be ordered at his web site - www.successway.com
What people are saying about Max's Internet training courses ö"I haven't seen anything that will impact my industry like your Internet training's since the introduction of video tapes back in 1988. I want everyone in my 80,000 plus organization to hear them. I've never recommended any generic training program that was developed outside my company until now."
Brent Bryson, NuSkin ö Big Planet, Salt Lake City, UT"This program is the most comprehensive, fool-proof prospecting training system ever developed. I predict it will take the network marketing industry to a whole new level of growth and prosperity."Burke Hedges, Author - Who Stole the American Dream
WelcomeA Chinese philosopher once said, "A journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step"The first step to achieving success in any worthwhile endeavor is to properly prepare. This section establishes the foundation for the rest of the lessons in this course and will prepare you for immediate success.The famous hockey player, Wayne Gretsky, who scored more goals than anyone else in the history of the game, said, "youâll always miss 100% of the shots you do not take.ä This section is about taking action. It's about going for your goals. It's the heart and soul of the Online relationship building process.In these lessons, you will learn how to find quality prospects for your business, learn how to contact them and what to say to them.You will learn that finding the right people to talk to about your business is as easy as picking the Green M&M's out of a bowl of candy. You'll be surprised how simple it will be for you to find the right people to talk to about your business. Remember to have fun during your Instant Message business building experiences. My good friend, and author of seven books, Burke Hedges, describes results as being "the barometer of your consistent labor." If you consistently apply what you've learned in section two and talk to people online, you'll get the results you are looking for.You will learn specific techniques on how to introduce your business to everyone you connect with Online in an Instant Message. Let's face it, nothing matters without results. Once you've completed this course and do the work, you will be an Instant Message master.
Lesson 1
Join an Internet Community
In this lesson you will learn about Internet communities and why you want to join one to meet new people.To meet new people and prospect for your business opportunity you'll have to go off your ISP and visit other places on the Internet for your recruiting and business-building activity. I want to emphasize that you do not have to give up your ISP service to join any of the Internet communities I'm going to tell you about.If you want to meet new people in the real world you have to leave your home and go out where the people are. Likewise, if you want to meet new people on the Internet, you still have to go where the people are, but you don't have to leave the comfort of your home to do it. You can access various Internet communities where you'll be able to contact people that are online at the same time you are.In the real world, there are places you can go to meet new people without paying any admission fees or dues ö like the mall, the grocery store or anyplace where people congregate. I'm sure you get the picture.However, there are also places you can go, where you'd want to pay dues to have access to being around the right people. You might join the Chamber of Commerce, a health club, a tennis club, a country club or a yacht club to be able to mix, mingle and network with the kinds of people you'd like to meet, build a relationship with, and have in your business.The same concept applies in the online world. There are many places on the Internet where you can go to meet and talk to people, and you'll eagerly pay membership dues to have access to them. The Internet communities you see on the screen are the equivalent of a huge private club without the astronomical dues.
Yahoo
ICQ
MSN
AOL
Monster.com
In many Internet communities, people post personal information about themselves that you have access to. On the Internet you have the opportunity to pre-select whom you want to meet based on what you know about them.Now, you are probably asking, which Internet community is the best place to meet quality people and why.
First ö you want to join a community that offers access to the most people.
Second ö you want to be able to read a profile of each member to see if they are worth approaching.
Third ö you want a community that is user friendly.
Finally ö you want to be able to keep your company's ISP while still having access to millions of prospects.If you joined a million-plus member country club in order to prospect, wouldn't it be great if every member had a resume pinned on their shirt so that you could see at a glance if they would be worth talking to or not? You would get a brief run down of each member's background, interests, and hobbies. All you do is sort through the profiles and qualify the prospects you want to talk to. That's why I say if you can pick the cashews out of a bowl of mixed nuts, you can find someone to talk to about your business.Remember, whatever investment you make to join an Internet community is considered to be a tax-deductible business expense.Once you've established an Instant Messaging account you are now ready for the next step, which I cover in Lesson 2 ö creating your screen name and profile.
Lesson 2
How To Create Your Screen Name
In this lesson you are going to learn how to create an effective and attractive screen name so the Internet community identifies you as an authority on success.Let's start by creating your personal screen name. Your screen name is usually the first thing you'll be asked to do when you initially sign up with AOL or the Internet community you choose. I found most people use their birth name for their screen name; however, some people use a series of letters and numbers because they don't want people to know who they are. Your screen name is important because it will be your unique Internet identifier. No-one else within your Internet community can have the same screen name. It's very important to create a screen name that will make it easier for you to build your business and meet people online. Instead of using your name, use words that will help promote you and create interest and curiosity about you and what you do. You want a descriptive name that tells people about you. For example, if your name is John Smith what does that tell other people about you? You could be six years old or sixty. You could be a doctor, a day laborer, an unemployed teenager or a child. The name John Smith tells people nothing about who you are ö right?In the movie Top Gun Tom Cruise had the call sign ÎMaverickâ and it seemed to fit his personality and actions. Your screen name is going to be your Internet call sign and it should fit who you are or more importantly, who you want people to think you are.Your screen name is also going to be the focal point of your e-mail address and will draw attention to your business when you put it on your business card like SuccessMaker2003@aol.com.Now that you've learned about screen names, we are ready to move on to the next lesson on how to create your personal profile.
Lesson 3
How to Create Your Personal Profile
In this lesson, you're going to learn how to create and set up your personal profile to create interest and curiosity about you. Think of your personal profile as your online personal resume or bio. Your personal profile is important because it permits you to list the following things about yourself:
Name
City, state/province and country you live in
Gender
Marital status
Hobbies
Type of computer you use
Occupation
Personal quote that tells everyone that reads your profile, a little bit about your personality, your philosophy of life and your personal values.
All of the information you include in your personal profile will be visible in the Member Directory for all the people using the Instant Messaging system youâre using to see. Likewise you'll have access to all the other profiles posted in the member directory.What you post about yourself in your profile is what you attract. What people post in their profiles is what they want to attract and usually indicates what they want to talk about. The words you use to describe yourself paint a mental image of your occupation in the mind of the reader, so choose your words carefully. The words you use to describe yourself in your profile will paint the proper mental image in other people's minds and that can give you a lot of leverage. Now that you've created your profile, you're ready to go online and network like crazy and meet new people - all from the convenience and comfort of your home.In the next lesson, you're going to learn how to search the Member Directory for the best people to contact.
Lesson 4
Searching the Member Directory and Sending Instant Messages
In this section, you're going to learn how to search a member directory for the best people who are online at the same time you are, and how to send someone an Instant Message.
If you're looking for someone with the word Îsalesâ in their profile, simply type the word 'sales' on the first line and do a search. Every match you get will have the word 'sales' somewhere in their profile.That doesn't mean that the person who created the profile is involved in sales. They could be a teenager who wants to get into sales in the future or is involved with his high school yearbook sales team.It's important to read a personâs profile before you contact them to determine if they're a good candidate to approach and if they have the qualities you're looking for. The words in the profile will tell you everything you need to know about the person.There are so many people online at any given time who you could contact, and I will be showing you how to find the best ones.I suggest that you start your search for people who live in your city or town. You're going to want to check out what's written in the profile of anyone you are considering contacting. Make sure you like what's written about them before you approach them.Sometimes it's useful to look at all the profiles of people in your area whether they are online or not. When you find an interesting profile of someone that is not online and you think you'd like to contact them later, you can add them to your Îbuddy list,â which I'll explain later, so you know when they are online.Keep in mind, you're only able to send Instant Messages to people that are online.You can also search for people by occupations like: doctor, lawyer, chiropractor, business owner, professional, mother, electrician, mechanic, office manager, secretary, administrative assistant, clerk, etc. by using the occupation field. Itâs easy to find someone online that shares your work experience.The screen names people create and the words they use in their profiles are excellent indicators to you of what's important to them and what they like to talk about. Search for people that you have things in common with or who have an interesting profile.
The broader your search parameters are, the more profiles you'll get to see. Your success is going to be based on the quality of the people you contact and talk to about your business, not the number of people. Remember, quality is better than sheer numbers. Since you'll have so many choices of people to talk to, you have to be selective about who you approach online and spend your time with.
I can't emphasize enough the importance of being selective. Make sure you can say, "I'd like to talk to this person, I like their profile."Benjamin Franklin said that if he had an hour to spend chopping down a tree, he would spend 45 minutes sharpening his ax, and 15 minutes actually chopping down the tree. The more time you spend reviewing profiles before you contact them, the more productive you're going to be.You now have an unlimited supply of potential prospects to talk to about your business. All you have to do is take a few moments and search for them.Now that you've learned how to find the best people online to contact, the next step is to learn how to send them an Instant Message. The Instant Message feature allows you to have immediate, one-on-one, private conversations in real time with other members of your Internet community, who are online at the same time as you.Sending an Instant Message is easier than sending email. Now that you've learned how to search a Member Directory for people to contact and how to send them an Instant Message, you're ready to contact anyone online at any time of day or night.In the next lesson, you're going to learn how to begin a conversation with an online stranger and the best Instant messaging opening lines to use to meet new people.
Lesson 5
How to Begin a Conversation with an Online Stranger
In this lesson, you're going to learn how to begin a conversation with an online stranger and begin building a relationship with them.Just like in the real face-to-face world, you only have one time to make a good first impression. The beauty about working online is that you can talk to people anytime of day it's convenient to you. Whether you're in your PJs or your shorts and T-shirt, you never have to worry about how you look. Working online is about freedom and flexibility.Since you're selecting who you're going to be contacting by reviewing their screen name and profile, you will know in advance if they are a prospect for your business.The following Instant Message opening lines will melt the ice and start you on your way to meeting and making wonderful new friends.The first thing you want to say is, "Hello"
Believe it or not, just saying "hello" works very well in beginning an Instant Message conversation with an online stranger. Before anyone answers you, they're going to check out your profile to try and determine what your online agenda is.
Why are you contacting them? They want to see if you're selling something. If your profile is an advertisement for your business they will not respond.
However, if they like your screen name and the information you've put in your profile, then they'll respond to you.
If they don't have time to talk to you at that moment, then they'll tell you nicely and ask if you can talk later. The more interesting you appear to someone, the more likely they'll want to talk to you.
äHello, I was taking a break and did a random search in the membership directory and noticed your profile. It's really a good one. :-) ã
Paying a person a compliment is another very effective online ice breaker to begin a conversation. Adding a smiling face to the end of your comment is a sign of friendship and tells the other person you're smiling.For instance, when you meet someone new anywhere, you're more likely to respond to a person who is smiling than if they had a frown on their face.Giving someone online the impression you're smiling is as easy as typing a colon : then a dash - then the back end of a parenthesis ) Put them all together and you've got a smiling face - :-)
ãHello, I noticed your profile while doing a search for people that liked to play golf. I've been playing golf for seven years. How long have you been playing?ä
People like to talk to other people that share common interests and that like the same things they do. Don't you?It's important in your opening line, if you use this approach, to make a statement and then ask a question in the same Instant Message. This obligates the other person to respond to you and always guarantees you'll get an answer to your question.
äHello, you have a great profile. I hope I'm not interrupting?ä
You don't know what the person you're trying to contact is doing. This opening line pays them a compliment and their answer will tell you if they have time to talk to you.
When you call someone on the phone, the first thing you should say after your "Hello" is "Is this a good time to talk?" or "Do you have a few minutes to talk?" This same approach works online when sending an Instant Message and gives the person on the other end the chance to tell you if it's convenient to talk.
If they don't have time to talk at that moment, you can put them on your buddy list and contact them later. The important thing is that you've made contact and they're responded. They may even reply by telling you when it would be more convenient for them to talk. If this happens, you know the next time you contact them they will be very receptive to talking to you.Having two or three short five-minute online conversations can be as effective in establishing an online relationship as having a 15 minute extended conversation.
You've now learned how to start an online conversation with anyone.
In the next lesson, you're going to learn how to qualify your prospect with a few simple questions to determine if they would be a good candidate for your business.
Lesson 6
The Most Effective Qualifying Questions To Ask Online
In this lesson you're going to learn the most effective qualifying questions to ask someone online to determine if they are a good candidate for your business.
The three most important business related questions you should ask are:
What do you do?
How long have you done it?
What did you do before?
You're going to want to ask each question separately and wait for an answer before you ask the next question. Even if a person has written what they do in their profile, it's always a good idea to ask the first question. They may answer your question with the same information they gave you in their profile or they may elaborate and provide you with more detailed information. In either case, once they've answered you, you're now in the position to ask the next two questions.
When you ask someone how long they've been working at their job, their answer will tell you a lot. You will learn if they are happy with their job; how long they've been at it; if they're dissatisfied, and so on. The longer someone has been in a job they don't like, the more likely they will be open to looking at other opportunities. Many times you'll get a response like, "I've been doing this too long."
Asking the third question gives you an idea of a person's work history. Are they moving up? Have they been downsized? Are they in transition from one job to another? Are they looking for other opportunities? And so on.
The answers to any or all of these questions will inform you if the person you're talking to is a good candidate for your business.
Always remember to ask your questions one at a time and wait for the answer before you ask another question.
What you will find is people love talking about themselves online and they will tell you things that they would never say to you in a face to face conversation. People online are more open, candid and direct.
Now let's move on. When the person you're talking to starts asking questions about what you do that means you're now ready to move the conversation to business talk and introduce your business. Keep in mind just because someone ask you a question about what you do, it doesn't mean they are interested in your business. You asked them about what they do and they in return will want to be polite and ask you what you do. Get the picture!Ok. Let's go to the next lesson, moving the conversation to business .
Lesson 7
Moving Your Online Conversations to Business Talk
In this lesson you'll learn how to move your online conversation to business talk.
In the last section, you learned to use qualifying questions, such as:
What do you do?
How long have you done it?
What did you do before that?
Pay close attention to the answers. Remember what kind of people you're looking for.
You're looking for people who give positive, encouraging answers.
You're looking for people who want to own their own business.
You're looking for people who are successful but want more.
After you've asked your qualifying questions, the natural response of most people is to ask you, "What do you do?"
It's imperative that you have prepared a well-thought-out answer. You have to be ready to respond when you're asked, "What do you do?" Do not be evasive or deceptive. Your leadership may have some suggestions about how best to answer this question.
Here are some answers to the question, "What do you do?" that you can modify to fit your situation.
I help people get started in their own home-based business.
I work with a group of leaders who teach people how to run a successful business using their home computer.
I work with a sharp group of people who help me run a lucrative Internet-affiliated business.
I work with a group of leaders who teach people how to make money on the Internet in cooperation with a fabulous company.
I teach people how to make money working from home.
Let me emphasize again that your leadership may have some other ideas about what to say at this point. Whenever possible, counsel with your leadership to find out what responses get the best results.
As I have said repeatedly during this course, the best response is to follow the guidelines recommended by your leadership. Most likely, your leaders will recommend one or more of the following four options:
E-mail your prospects information about your company
Direct your prospects to a website
Direct your prospects to a conference call or 800 Number recording
Get your prospects on the phone
Send your prospects an opportunity tape or CD
Don't ever try to explain in detail what your company does. It's important to use the tools and systems recommended by your leadership to give people the big picture of what your company does.
Remember, if at anytime you're uncomfortable with the answers you get or if the conversation is strained or going badly, then end the conversation with, "Don't have time for an in-depth discussion. Bye." Then find someone else to talk to.
One final comment about prospecting online: Many times people online are rushed. Sometimes you'll only have a few minutes to talk to an online prospect. And sometimes it may take two or three Instant Message conversations with a person over a few days before you're in the position to talk about your business. That's okay. Just save their name on your buddy list and get back with them at some future date.
Now you're ready for the next lesson, "How to move from typing online to talking on the phone
Lesson 8
How to Maneuver From Typing Online To Talking On the Phone
In this lesson, you're going to learn how to maneuver your online conversations with your prospects from typing on your computer to talking on the telephone.
In this lesson I'm going to cover three basic things:
You'll learn how to use Instant Messages to get the other person to pick up the phone and talk to you.
You'll learn how to move an Instant Message conversation to the phone in only four Instant Messages.
When you go to the telephone, you're moving from a high tech relationship to a high touch relationship. Always remember, relationships are the cornerstone in your business. And when it comes to relationships, there's no substitute for face-to-face conversations. That's why you want to move your online conversations to the phone and eventually to meeting in person.Now let's talk about the first topic: How to use Instant Messages to get the other person to pick up the phone.
So what are the best Instant Message lines you can use to move your conversations from typing online to talking on the phone?
Here are a few examples of some very effective Instant Messages:
I type with 4 fingers and 2 of them need spell check. Would you be up for talking on the phone?
I am not a very good typist. Would you be up for talking on the phone?
Would it be OK to call you? Or you could call me. My typing is really slowing me down.
Do you have a minute to speak on the phone with me? My typing is really off today.
Do you have the time to talk on the phone for a few minutes? I enjoy talking more than typing. Don't you?
Sometimes the Internet is impersonal. I would love to talk more on the phone. Does that work for you?
That's really all there is to it. If someone likes you, they'll be up for talking on the phone if it's convenient for them. You can make the offer to call them or suggest that they call you. It's nice to give people the option ö ãWould you like me to call you or would you prefer to call me?ä
Keep in mind that people can be reluctant to give their phone numbers to you at the beginning of your Instant Message conversation. Women especially would prefer to call a man as they can block their number from being displayed by caller ID.
But moving your conversation to the phone won't be difficult, if the other person trusts you or is seriously interested in wanting to learn more about your business.Now let's talk about the second topic: How to move an Instant Message conversation to the phone in only four Instant Messages.
I'm going to show you an example of how you can go from an initial Instant Message conversation with someone to talking about your business in only four Instant messages! That's right. It can be that simple and easy if you've selected the right person to talk to.
Who is the right person? It's someone you share some common interests with. It's the person with a good profile. You can tell just by reading their words that you'd like them.
In this example, Jennifer is an Interior designer who found another Interior designer online at the same time she was. Both women shared the same occupation and had some common interests. This conversation focuses on their mutual business interest.
Jennifer's profile positioned her to be immediately liked by Mary. You can be having this same conversation over and over again when you select someone to talk to that likes the same things you do.
Jennifer found Mary online and sent her this Instant Message:
"Hello, my name is Jennifer, I noticed by reviewing your profile, you are an Interior designer. I've been an interior designer for 14 yrs. How long have you been one?"
Jennifer sent Mary the Instant Message and waited for her to respond. In less than 45 seconds, she got the following response:
"Hello Jennifer, my name is Mary. I've been an interior designer for eight years. It's nice to meet you."
Jennifer sent another Instant Message. She said:
"I've been working for myself the last eight years. Do you work for yourself or do you work for a larger firm?"
Mary responded: "I've been working for myself for four years."
Jennifer sent another Instant Message: "Don't you love working for yourself?"
Mary responded: "Yes I do. But, it's sometimes difficult financially between clients. Do you know what I mean?"
Jennifer responded: "Yes I do. In fact, I've been working with a company on the Internet that allows me to make extra income from home between clients. Would you be interested in hearing about it?"
Mary responded: "Yes I would. Could you call me on the phone? I'd prefer to talk to you about it rather than typing."
Jennifer responded: "I'll call you in five minutes. What's your number?"
Mary answered: ãIt's 777-777-7777. Thanks, I'm anxious to talk to you about it."
In four Instant Messages, Jennifer was able to get Mary to the telephone to talk to her about her business.
How did it happen so easily? It's because Jennifer was selective about who she contacted. As a business owner she shared the same income problems that Mary did.
Mary was more open and candid online that she would ever be in person when she admitted that things were tough financially from time to time.
Once Jennifer and Mary started talking on the phone, it was easy for Jennifer to take her friend through the process her company leadership recommends to introduce new people to the opportunity.
Jennifer went on to repeat this same conversation over and over again with other Interior designers. She found that eight out of the 10 designers she approached online were interested in looking at her business.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. You've just seen a real time example of a business conversation you can be having anytime you want. It's time to get online and find someone to talk to. The entire process is fun and you're going to make some wonderful new friends establishing relationships all over the Internet.
Be selective about who you approach and you will have similar results.
Now let's go to the third topic: What to say to your prospects when you talk to them on the phone.
I'm going to break this section into two parts. The first part is what to say on the phone to someone you've already introduced your business to. The second part is what to say to someone on the phone that you haven't introduced your business to.
Let's first talk about what you're going to want to say to someone that you've introduced your business to.
When your Instant Message conversation with someone moves to the point where they really want to know more about what you do, and they're sincerely interested, it's appropriate to introduce them to your business using the tools recommended by the leadership in your company, before you talk on the phone.
Your leadership may suggest that you send them to a website. Or they may suggest that you direct your prospects to a conference call or 800 number recorded message. Follow their lead for the best results.
In Jennifer's case, she followed the instructions she'd been given by the leadership in her company.
This is the point my training ends and your organizationâs training takes over.
You see, my role is to show you how to tap into an unlimited source of people on the Internet and then teach you how to develop quality e-lationships online. But, my role ends when it's time to introduce your business opportunity to your prospect.
I believe there is absolutely no one better than the proven leaders in your company to show you what to do, and what to say when introducing your business opportunity to others. Who better to teach you how to build your business than those who've already built successful businesses themselves ö right?
Think of it as me handing off the baton to your leadership support team once you have a person to introduce your specific opportunity to.
I encourage you to plug into your company's success system. Listen to your leaders. Listen to the tapes. Watch the videos. Familiarize yourself with your company websites. Attend the seminars and events. Become a product of the products. And counsel with your experienced leadership team to learn the best way to introduce your business to prospects. They will teach exactly what you have to do and how to work the business, in order get the most out of your opportunity. I can't emphasize this enough.
After your prospect has reviewed the information, you're now in the position to talk to them on the phone about it. I encourage you to let the tools and system explain your business, instead of trying to explain it yourself.
The idea is not to jump into a full blown business opportunity commercial with them as soon as you're on the phone. All you want to do is further the relationship you started with them online and answer their questions.
Use your phone conversation as an opportunity to learn more about the other person. People love to talk about themselves.
Your online prospect is naturally going to have questions about what they've looked at.
The first question you're going to want to ask, once you're on the phone with someone that has looked at your business is, "What did you like about the information you just looked at?"
Your job is to answer their questions and help them understand what they've looked at or heard, and see the opportunity for themselves.
Now that we've covered the first part of what to say to someone on the phone that you've introduced your business to, let's move to the second part, which is, what to say to someone you haven't introduced your business to, on the phone.
Sometimes you'll really make a solid connection with the person you're talking to in Instant Messages and you'll want to move your conversation to the phone, but the subject of your business hasn't come up yet.
You share the same work experience, or have hobbies in common or perhaps you grew up in the same city or went to the same schools. You both are enjoying the online conversation you're having but the opportunity to talk about your business hasn't presented itself yet.
Since most people talk faster than they can type, it's natural to want to pick up the conversational pace and move to the phone.
When you get on the phone, keep your conversation going in the same direction it was going when you were typing. Talk about the same things you were typing about.
Don't feel like you have to use your first phone conversation to talk about your business. Only mention your business when it's appropriate to do so. When friendship and trust exist between people, it's easier to make a business connection.
When your new online friend trusts you enough to exchange phone numbers, you're beginning to make the transition from an Online relationship to an in-person relationship.
Keep in mind that some people have a telephone phobia and don't like to talk on the phone with strangers
As your online relationship deepens, you will move from a stranger to an acquaintance. When a cautious person you met online is ready to transition to the phone, they will let you know.
Your phone conversation is a wonderful opportunity to tell them your personal story and how you were introduced to your business and why you got involved. It lets them know that you are a real person.
This has been a very important lesson and we've covered a lot of quality material. Now it's time to move on to the next lesson ö How to Follow Up and Keep in Touch.
Lesson 9
How to Follow Up and Keep In Touch
Following up with people is one of the most important aspects of building your business.
Not everyone you talk to about your business is going to want to sign up immediately after you've introduced it to them. They're going to want to check things out before they make a decision.
There may also be things going on in their lives that prevent them from getting started immediately.
People looking for an opportunity will pick the time it's convenient for them to begin.
Sometimes the people you meet in April, may take until December to get involved in your business.
It's important to stay in touch with the people you're connecting with online to maintain your relationship while they're making their decision to get involved and once again, the Internet offers you some distinct advantages in helping you build your business.
When you want to talk to someone in the real world, you call them on the phone, but when you dial the phone, you have no idea if they're home or available to talk.
Many people use Caller ID to screen their calls. You think someone is home, he should be home, he told you he would be home, but all you get when you call is an answering machine.
The online solution to this potential real world problem is called a ÎBuddy List.â
A Buddy List contains the screen names of everyone that is online at the same time you are, that you've put on the list.
You'll only see a name on your Buddy List when the person is signed on to the Internet. You'll actually see when people sign on and sign off the Internet when you've added them to your Buddy List.
Who do you want to put on your Buddy List?
You want to put everyone you feel would be a good prospect for your business on your Buddy List. You're going to want to add all of your online friends to the list so you'll always know when they're online in the future.
When you see a name on your list, it means they're online and capable of receiving your Instant Message. A Buddy List and Instant Messaging will help you connect with people and avoid the frustration of dealing with telephone answering machines.
When you see your friends name on your Buddy List, take a few moments to say hello. Use your time to inquire about how they're doing or ask additional questions.
You may not have the time or opportunity in your initial conversation to move the conversation to a business one. Keep checking your Buddy List and don't hesitate to re-contact someone.
When the time is right, they'll decide to get involved. Don't let your online friends forget who you are by losing contact with them.
The people on your Buddy List are your hot prospects. It's easy to stay in touch with them by sending them a friendly Instant Message.
Most of the people you've established an Online relationship with will add you to their Buddy List. They'll see when you're online and will often contact you when it's convenient for them to talk.
Now that you've learned how to establish relationships with people online and introduce them to your business, all the barriers to your success are down.
Course Overview
As you probably already know, the business you're building goes by many different names. It's been called network marketing; person-to-person marketing; direct sales; interactive distribution; affiliate marketing and relationship marketing, to name a few. I prefer the term relationship marketing because relationships are the cornerstone of your business.Let me ask you a question: What's the first thing you do when you meet someone new? You connect with that person physically by shaking hands, right? Then you seek to connect with them personally by asking questions to learn more about them, such as:"Where are you from? What do you do? Where do you live? And so on. What you're doing is looking for things you have in common ö work, hobbies, interests ö that sort of thing, right?
Shaking hands and talking in person is the best way to build relationships. But thanks to technology, it's not the only way to build relationships. You can also Shake Hands On The Internet and use Instant Messaging to build high-touch relationships on the high-tech Internet.
Instant Messaging is a great tool to build your business. I know this for a fact, because my trainings have helped thousands of people grow their businesses using the Internet. And that's what you will learn in this training ö proven strategies that will help you build your business by using Instant Messaging.Why is this course important to you? Because it will help you solve the biggest challenge you face in building your business; that is, finding quality prospects to share your opportunity with.
Once most people have gone through their warm market, they're afraid to talk to strangers, so they drop out of the business. Sound familiar?In this program you will learn a way to access 250 million people from your computer, so that you'll NEVER run out of quality prospects again!
One word of caution ö this course is IN NO WAY meant to replace your person-to-person prospecting activities. It's designed to ADD to your prospecting toolbox.Now, before I tell you more about what this program IS, let me tell you what it IS NOT. This program is NOT about spamming. It's NOT about e-mailing your business opportunity to your family and friends. It's not about meeting people in chat rooms and it's not about buying expensive leads. This course is about building honest-to-goodness relationships online and then sharing your opportunity with your new friends.
I've divided this course into six sections:
Section one is the course overview.
Section two is about me. I invite you take a moment to learn more about me and my background.
Section three is the nuts and the bolts of the course. There are nine lessons each with specific information and techniques that takes the guess work out of using Instant Messaging to build your business online.Over the years, I've had the privilege of sharing my system of using Instant Messaging to build a business with thousands of people, with amazing results. People using my strategies are re-energizing their businesses. If you follow the strategies in this course, I guarantee that you too can get the results you've been looking for!About Max
Max Steingart has been helping people use computers to connect with other people since 1975, when he introduced an innovative computer system to the yacht brokerage industry. Money Magazine called him the ÎMatchMakerâ because his computer generated lists made it easy for boat sellers to connect with buyers. Today, every major yacht brokerage firm in the world uses elements of a system he helped to create to conduct their business.
Max's innovative use of computers expanded beyond boats to other industries in the pre-Internet days. Airplanes, exotic automobiles, sport and luxury cars; thoroughbred horses, fine art, business opportunities and high-end real estate would all be added to his database. In 1989, Max was named the ÎSuccess Story of the Yearâ by Inc. Magazine for creating a company that was the forerunner of e-Bay. AT&T called him a visionary in the computer industry.
Max has owned several successful businesses including the INC 500 publishing company previously mentioned. He's a highly quoted author, an innovative entrepreneur, and an entertaining lecturer. Max has been a keynote speaker at many conventions and conferences. His presentations have been described as entertaining, eye opening, educational and visually dazzling.
Since 1996, Max has been devoted to researching, studying, and developing a systematic method to teach people how to use the Internet and Instant messaging to network with other people for every kind of business. - real estate, stocks, bonds and investments, sales, etc.
In 1998, he introduced ÎThe Perpetual Prospector,â the first generic Internet training program for the Direct Sales Industry, followed two years later by ÎSuccess Online: Network Marketing in the New Millennium.ââShaking Hands on the Internetâ and ÎSuccess Online: Relationship Marketing in the New Millenniumâ were initially published in 2002. Now available in their 5th Edition, they are an essential part of every sales persons Internet tool box.
They can be ordered at his web site - www.successway.com
What people are saying about Max's Internet training courses ö"I haven't seen anything that will impact my industry like your Internet training's since the introduction of video tapes back in 1988. I want everyone in my 80,000 plus organization to hear them. I've never recommended any generic training program that was developed outside my company until now."
Brent Bryson, NuSkin ö Big Planet, Salt Lake City, UT"This program is the most comprehensive, fool-proof prospecting training system ever developed. I predict it will take the network marketing industry to a whole new level of growth and prosperity."Burke Hedges, Author - Who Stole the American Dream
WelcomeA Chinese philosopher once said, "A journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step"The first step to achieving success in any worthwhile endeavor is to properly prepare. This section establishes the foundation for the rest of the lessons in this course and will prepare you for immediate success.The famous hockey player, Wayne Gretsky, who scored more goals than anyone else in the history of the game, said, "youâll always miss 100% of the shots you do not take.ä This section is about taking action. It's about going for your goals. It's the heart and soul of the Online relationship building process.In these lessons, you will learn how to find quality prospects for your business, learn how to contact them and what to say to them.You will learn that finding the right people to talk to about your business is as easy as picking the Green M&M's out of a bowl of candy. You'll be surprised how simple it will be for you to find the right people to talk to about your business. Remember to have fun during your Instant Message business building experiences. My good friend, and author of seven books, Burke Hedges, describes results as being "the barometer of your consistent labor." If you consistently apply what you've learned in section two and talk to people online, you'll get the results you are looking for.You will learn specific techniques on how to introduce your business to everyone you connect with Online in an Instant Message. Let's face it, nothing matters without results. Once you've completed this course and do the work, you will be an Instant Message master.
Lesson 1
Join an Internet Community
In this lesson you will learn about Internet communities and why you want to join one to meet new people.To meet new people and prospect for your business opportunity you'll have to go off your ISP and visit other places on the Internet for your recruiting and business-building activity. I want to emphasize that you do not have to give up your ISP service to join any of the Internet communities I'm going to tell you about.If you want to meet new people in the real world you have to leave your home and go out where the people are. Likewise, if you want to meet new people on the Internet, you still have to go where the people are, but you don't have to leave the comfort of your home to do it. You can access various Internet communities where you'll be able to contact people that are online at the same time you are.In the real world, there are places you can go to meet new people without paying any admission fees or dues ö like the mall, the grocery store or anyplace where people congregate. I'm sure you get the picture.However, there are also places you can go, where you'd want to pay dues to have access to being around the right people. You might join the Chamber of Commerce, a health club, a tennis club, a country club or a yacht club to be able to mix, mingle and network with the kinds of people you'd like to meet, build a relationship with, and have in your business.The same concept applies in the online world. There are many places on the Internet where you can go to meet and talk to people, and you'll eagerly pay membership dues to have access to them. The Internet communities you see on the screen are the equivalent of a huge private club without the astronomical dues.
Yahoo
ICQ
MSN
AOL
Monster.com
In many Internet communities, people post personal information about themselves that you have access to. On the Internet you have the opportunity to pre-select whom you want to meet based on what you know about them.Now, you are probably asking, which Internet community is the best place to meet quality people and why.
First ö you want to join a community that offers access to the most people.
Second ö you want to be able to read a profile of each member to see if they are worth approaching.
Third ö you want a community that is user friendly.
Finally ö you want to be able to keep your company's ISP while still having access to millions of prospects.If you joined a million-plus member country club in order to prospect, wouldn't it be great if every member had a resume pinned on their shirt so that you could see at a glance if they would be worth talking to or not? You would get a brief run down of each member's background, interests, and hobbies. All you do is sort through the profiles and qualify the prospects you want to talk to. That's why I say if you can pick the cashews out of a bowl of mixed nuts, you can find someone to talk to about your business.Remember, whatever investment you make to join an Internet community is considered to be a tax-deductible business expense.Once you've established an Instant Messaging account you are now ready for the next step, which I cover in Lesson 2 ö creating your screen name and profile.
Lesson 2
How To Create Your Screen Name
In this lesson you are going to learn how to create an effective and attractive screen name so the Internet community identifies you as an authority on success.Let's start by creating your personal screen name. Your screen name is usually the first thing you'll be asked to do when you initially sign up with AOL or the Internet community you choose. I found most people use their birth name for their screen name; however, some people use a series of letters and numbers because they don't want people to know who they are. Your screen name is important because it will be your unique Internet identifier. No-one else within your Internet community can have the same screen name. It's very important to create a screen name that will make it easier for you to build your business and meet people online. Instead of using your name, use words that will help promote you and create interest and curiosity about you and what you do. You want a descriptive name that tells people about you. For example, if your name is John Smith what does that tell other people about you? You could be six years old or sixty. You could be a doctor, a day laborer, an unemployed teenager or a child. The name John Smith tells people nothing about who you are ö right?In the movie Top Gun Tom Cruise had the call sign ÎMaverickâ and it seemed to fit his personality and actions. Your screen name is going to be your Internet call sign and it should fit who you are or more importantly, who you want people to think you are.Your screen name is also going to be the focal point of your e-mail address and will draw attention to your business when you put it on your business card like SuccessMaker2003@aol.com.Now that you've learned about screen names, we are ready to move on to the next lesson on how to create your personal profile.
Lesson 3
How to Create Your Personal Profile
In this lesson, you're going to learn how to create and set up your personal profile to create interest and curiosity about you. Think of your personal profile as your online personal resume or bio. Your personal profile is important because it permits you to list the following things about yourself:
Name
City, state/province and country you live in
Gender
Marital status
Hobbies
Type of computer you use
Occupation
Personal quote that tells everyone that reads your profile, a little bit about your personality, your philosophy of life and your personal values.
All of the information you include in your personal profile will be visible in the Member Directory for all the people using the Instant Messaging system youâre using to see. Likewise you'll have access to all the other profiles posted in the member directory.What you post about yourself in your profile is what you attract. What people post in their profiles is what they want to attract and usually indicates what they want to talk about. The words you use to describe yourself paint a mental image of your occupation in the mind of the reader, so choose your words carefully. The words you use to describe yourself in your profile will paint the proper mental image in other people's minds and that can give you a lot of leverage. Now that you've created your profile, you're ready to go online and network like crazy and meet new people - all from the convenience and comfort of your home.In the next lesson, you're going to learn how to search the Member Directory for the best people to contact.
Lesson 4
Searching the Member Directory and Sending Instant Messages
In this section, you're going to learn how to search a member directory for the best people who are online at the same time you are, and how to send someone an Instant Message.
If you're looking for someone with the word Îsalesâ in their profile, simply type the word 'sales' on the first line and do a search. Every match you get will have the word 'sales' somewhere in their profile.That doesn't mean that the person who created the profile is involved in sales. They could be a teenager who wants to get into sales in the future or is involved with his high school yearbook sales team.It's important to read a personâs profile before you contact them to determine if they're a good candidate to approach and if they have the qualities you're looking for. The words in the profile will tell you everything you need to know about the person.There are so many people online at any given time who you could contact, and I will be showing you how to find the best ones.I suggest that you start your search for people who live in your city or town. You're going to want to check out what's written in the profile of anyone you are considering contacting. Make sure you like what's written about them before you approach them.Sometimes it's useful to look at all the profiles of people in your area whether they are online or not. When you find an interesting profile of someone that is not online and you think you'd like to contact them later, you can add them to your Îbuddy list,â which I'll explain later, so you know when they are online.Keep in mind, you're only able to send Instant Messages to people that are online.You can also search for people by occupations like: doctor, lawyer, chiropractor, business owner, professional, mother, electrician, mechanic, office manager, secretary, administrative assistant, clerk, etc. by using the occupation field. Itâs easy to find someone online that shares your work experience.The screen names people create and the words they use in their profiles are excellent indicators to you of what's important to them and what they like to talk about. Search for people that you have things in common with or who have an interesting profile.
The broader your search parameters are, the more profiles you'll get to see. Your success is going to be based on the quality of the people you contact and talk to about your business, not the number of people. Remember, quality is better than sheer numbers. Since you'll have so many choices of people to talk to, you have to be selective about who you approach online and spend your time with.
I can't emphasize enough the importance of being selective. Make sure you can say, "I'd like to talk to this person, I like their profile."Benjamin Franklin said that if he had an hour to spend chopping down a tree, he would spend 45 minutes sharpening his ax, and 15 minutes actually chopping down the tree. The more time you spend reviewing profiles before you contact them, the more productive you're going to be.You now have an unlimited supply of potential prospects to talk to about your business. All you have to do is take a few moments and search for them.Now that you've learned how to find the best people online to contact, the next step is to learn how to send them an Instant Message. The Instant Message feature allows you to have immediate, one-on-one, private conversations in real time with other members of your Internet community, who are online at the same time as you.Sending an Instant Message is easier than sending email. Now that you've learned how to search a Member Directory for people to contact and how to send them an Instant Message, you're ready to contact anyone online at any time of day or night.In the next lesson, you're going to learn how to begin a conversation with an online stranger and the best Instant messaging opening lines to use to meet new people.
Lesson 5
How to Begin a Conversation with an Online Stranger
In this lesson, you're going to learn how to begin a conversation with an online stranger and begin building a relationship with them.Just like in the real face-to-face world, you only have one time to make a good first impression. The beauty about working online is that you can talk to people anytime of day it's convenient to you. Whether you're in your PJs or your shorts and T-shirt, you never have to worry about how you look. Working online is about freedom and flexibility.Since you're selecting who you're going to be contacting by reviewing their screen name and profile, you will know in advance if they are a prospect for your business.The following Instant Message opening lines will melt the ice and start you on your way to meeting and making wonderful new friends.The first thing you want to say is, "Hello"
Believe it or not, just saying "hello" works very well in beginning an Instant Message conversation with an online stranger. Before anyone answers you, they're going to check out your profile to try and determine what your online agenda is.
Why are you contacting them? They want to see if you're selling something. If your profile is an advertisement for your business they will not respond.
However, if they like your screen name and the information you've put in your profile, then they'll respond to you.
If they don't have time to talk to you at that moment, then they'll tell you nicely and ask if you can talk later. The more interesting you appear to someone, the more likely they'll want to talk to you.
äHello, I was taking a break and did a random search in the membership directory and noticed your profile. It's really a good one. :-) ã
Paying a person a compliment is another very effective online ice breaker to begin a conversation. Adding a smiling face to the end of your comment is a sign of friendship and tells the other person you're smiling.For instance, when you meet someone new anywhere, you're more likely to respond to a person who is smiling than if they had a frown on their face.Giving someone online the impression you're smiling is as easy as typing a colon : then a dash - then the back end of a parenthesis ) Put them all together and you've got a smiling face - :-)
ãHello, I noticed your profile while doing a search for people that liked to play golf. I've been playing golf for seven years. How long have you been playing?ä
People like to talk to other people that share common interests and that like the same things they do. Don't you?It's important in your opening line, if you use this approach, to make a statement and then ask a question in the same Instant Message. This obligates the other person to respond to you and always guarantees you'll get an answer to your question.
äHello, you have a great profile. I hope I'm not interrupting?ä
You don't know what the person you're trying to contact is doing. This opening line pays them a compliment and their answer will tell you if they have time to talk to you.
When you call someone on the phone, the first thing you should say after your "Hello" is "Is this a good time to talk?" or "Do you have a few minutes to talk?" This same approach works online when sending an Instant Message and gives the person on the other end the chance to tell you if it's convenient to talk.
If they don't have time to talk at that moment, you can put them on your buddy list and contact them later. The important thing is that you've made contact and they're responded. They may even reply by telling you when it would be more convenient for them to talk. If this happens, you know the next time you contact them they will be very receptive to talking to you.Having two or three short five-minute online conversations can be as effective in establishing an online relationship as having a 15 minute extended conversation.
You've now learned how to start an online conversation with anyone.
In the next lesson, you're going to learn how to qualify your prospect with a few simple questions to determine if they would be a good candidate for your business.
Lesson 6
The Most Effective Qualifying Questions To Ask Online
In this lesson you're going to learn the most effective qualifying questions to ask someone online to determine if they are a good candidate for your business.
The three most important business related questions you should ask are:
What do you do?
How long have you done it?
What did you do before?
You're going to want to ask each question separately and wait for an answer before you ask the next question. Even if a person has written what they do in their profile, it's always a good idea to ask the first question. They may answer your question with the same information they gave you in their profile or they may elaborate and provide you with more detailed information. In either case, once they've answered you, you're now in the position to ask the next two questions.
When you ask someone how long they've been working at their job, their answer will tell you a lot. You will learn if they are happy with their job; how long they've been at it; if they're dissatisfied, and so on. The longer someone has been in a job they don't like, the more likely they will be open to looking at other opportunities. Many times you'll get a response like, "I've been doing this too long."
Asking the third question gives you an idea of a person's work history. Are they moving up? Have they been downsized? Are they in transition from one job to another? Are they looking for other opportunities? And so on.
The answers to any or all of these questions will inform you if the person you're talking to is a good candidate for your business.
Always remember to ask your questions one at a time and wait for the answer before you ask another question.
What you will find is people love talking about themselves online and they will tell you things that they would never say to you in a face to face conversation. People online are more open, candid and direct.
Now let's move on. When the person you're talking to starts asking questions about what you do that means you're now ready to move the conversation to business talk and introduce your business. Keep in mind just because someone ask you a question about what you do, it doesn't mean they are interested in your business. You asked them about what they do and they in return will want to be polite and ask you what you do. Get the picture!Ok. Let's go to the next lesson, moving the conversation to business .
Lesson 7
Moving Your Online Conversations to Business Talk
In this lesson you'll learn how to move your online conversation to business talk.
In the last section, you learned to use qualifying questions, such as:
What do you do?
How long have you done it?
What did you do before that?
Pay close attention to the answers. Remember what kind of people you're looking for.
You're looking for people who give positive, encouraging answers.
You're looking for people who want to own their own business.
You're looking for people who are successful but want more.
After you've asked your qualifying questions, the natural response of most people is to ask you, "What do you do?"
It's imperative that you have prepared a well-thought-out answer. You have to be ready to respond when you're asked, "What do you do?" Do not be evasive or deceptive. Your leadership may have some suggestions about how best to answer this question.
Here are some answers to the question, "What do you do?" that you can modify to fit your situation.
I help people get started in their own home-based business.
I work with a group of leaders who teach people how to run a successful business using their home computer.
I work with a sharp group of people who help me run a lucrative Internet-affiliated business.
I work with a group of leaders who teach people how to make money on the Internet in cooperation with a fabulous company.
I teach people how to make money working from home.
Let me emphasize again that your leadership may have some other ideas about what to say at this point. Whenever possible, counsel with your leadership to find out what responses get the best results.
As I have said repeatedly during this course, the best response is to follow the guidelines recommended by your leadership. Most likely, your leaders will recommend one or more of the following four options:
E-mail your prospects information about your company
Direct your prospects to a website
Direct your prospects to a conference call or 800 Number recording
Get your prospects on the phone
Send your prospects an opportunity tape or CD
Don't ever try to explain in detail what your company does. It's important to use the tools and systems recommended by your leadership to give people the big picture of what your company does.
Remember, if at anytime you're uncomfortable with the answers you get or if the conversation is strained or going badly, then end the conversation with, "Don't have time for an in-depth discussion. Bye." Then find someone else to talk to.
One final comment about prospecting online: Many times people online are rushed. Sometimes you'll only have a few minutes to talk to an online prospect. And sometimes it may take two or three Instant Message conversations with a person over a few days before you're in the position to talk about your business. That's okay. Just save their name on your buddy list and get back with them at some future date.
Now you're ready for the next lesson, "How to move from typing online to talking on the phone
Lesson 8
How to Maneuver From Typing Online To Talking On the Phone
In this lesson, you're going to learn how to maneuver your online conversations with your prospects from typing on your computer to talking on the telephone.
In this lesson I'm going to cover three basic things:
You'll learn how to use Instant Messages to get the other person to pick up the phone and talk to you.
You'll learn how to move an Instant Message conversation to the phone in only four Instant Messages.
When you go to the telephone, you're moving from a high tech relationship to a high touch relationship. Always remember, relationships are the cornerstone in your business. And when it comes to relationships, there's no substitute for face-to-face conversations. That's why you want to move your online conversations to the phone and eventually to meeting in person.Now let's talk about the first topic: How to use Instant Messages to get the other person to pick up the phone.
So what are the best Instant Message lines you can use to move your conversations from typing online to talking on the phone?
Here are a few examples of some very effective Instant Messages:
I type with 4 fingers and 2 of them need spell check. Would you be up for talking on the phone?
I am not a very good typist. Would you be up for talking on the phone?
Would it be OK to call you? Or you could call me. My typing is really slowing me down.
Do you have a minute to speak on the phone with me? My typing is really off today.
Do you have the time to talk on the phone for a few minutes? I enjoy talking more than typing. Don't you?
Sometimes the Internet is impersonal. I would love to talk more on the phone. Does that work for you?
That's really all there is to it. If someone likes you, they'll be up for talking on the phone if it's convenient for them. You can make the offer to call them or suggest that they call you. It's nice to give people the option ö ãWould you like me to call you or would you prefer to call me?ä
Keep in mind that people can be reluctant to give their phone numbers to you at the beginning of your Instant Message conversation. Women especially would prefer to call a man as they can block their number from being displayed by caller ID.
But moving your conversation to the phone won't be difficult, if the other person trusts you or is seriously interested in wanting to learn more about your business.Now let's talk about the second topic: How to move an Instant Message conversation to the phone in only four Instant Messages.
I'm going to show you an example of how you can go from an initial Instant Message conversation with someone to talking about your business in only four Instant messages! That's right. It can be that simple and easy if you've selected the right person to talk to.
Who is the right person? It's someone you share some common interests with. It's the person with a good profile. You can tell just by reading their words that you'd like them.
In this example, Jennifer is an Interior designer who found another Interior designer online at the same time she was. Both women shared the same occupation and had some common interests. This conversation focuses on their mutual business interest.
Jennifer's profile positioned her to be immediately liked by Mary. You can be having this same conversation over and over again when you select someone to talk to that likes the same things you do.
Jennifer found Mary online and sent her this Instant Message:
"Hello, my name is Jennifer, I noticed by reviewing your profile, you are an Interior designer. I've been an interior designer for 14 yrs. How long have you been one?"
Jennifer sent Mary the Instant Message and waited for her to respond. In less than 45 seconds, she got the following response:
"Hello Jennifer, my name is Mary. I've been an interior designer for eight years. It's nice to meet you."
Jennifer sent another Instant Message. She said:
"I've been working for myself the last eight years. Do you work for yourself or do you work for a larger firm?"
Mary responded: "I've been working for myself for four years."
Jennifer sent another Instant Message: "Don't you love working for yourself?"
Mary responded: "Yes I do. But, it's sometimes difficult financially between clients. Do you know what I mean?"
Jennifer responded: "Yes I do. In fact, I've been working with a company on the Internet that allows me to make extra income from home between clients. Would you be interested in hearing about it?"
Mary responded: "Yes I would. Could you call me on the phone? I'd prefer to talk to you about it rather than typing."
Jennifer responded: "I'll call you in five minutes. What's your number?"
Mary answered: ãIt's 777-777-7777. Thanks, I'm anxious to talk to you about it."
In four Instant Messages, Jennifer was able to get Mary to the telephone to talk to her about her business.
How did it happen so easily? It's because Jennifer was selective about who she contacted. As a business owner she shared the same income problems that Mary did.
Mary was more open and candid online that she would ever be in person when she admitted that things were tough financially from time to time.
Once Jennifer and Mary started talking on the phone, it was easy for Jennifer to take her friend through the process her company leadership recommends to introduce new people to the opportunity.
Jennifer went on to repeat this same conversation over and over again with other Interior designers. She found that eight out of the 10 designers she approached online were interested in looking at her business.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. You've just seen a real time example of a business conversation you can be having anytime you want. It's time to get online and find someone to talk to. The entire process is fun and you're going to make some wonderful new friends establishing relationships all over the Internet.
Be selective about who you approach and you will have similar results.
Now let's go to the third topic: What to say to your prospects when you talk to them on the phone.
I'm going to break this section into two parts. The first part is what to say on the phone to someone you've already introduced your business to. The second part is what to say to someone on the phone that you haven't introduced your business to.
Let's first talk about what you're going to want to say to someone that you've introduced your business to.
When your Instant Message conversation with someone moves to the point where they really want to know more about what you do, and they're sincerely interested, it's appropriate to introduce them to your business using the tools recommended by the leadership in your company, before you talk on the phone.
Your leadership may suggest that you send them to a website. Or they may suggest that you direct your prospects to a conference call or 800 number recorded message. Follow their lead for the best results.
In Jennifer's case, she followed the instructions she'd been given by the leadership in her company.
This is the point my training ends and your organizationâs training takes over.
You see, my role is to show you how to tap into an unlimited source of people on the Internet and then teach you how to develop quality e-lationships online. But, my role ends when it's time to introduce your business opportunity to your prospect.
I believe there is absolutely no one better than the proven leaders in your company to show you what to do, and what to say when introducing your business opportunity to others. Who better to teach you how to build your business than those who've already built successful businesses themselves ö right?
Think of it as me handing off the baton to your leadership support team once you have a person to introduce your specific opportunity to.
I encourage you to plug into your company's success system. Listen to your leaders. Listen to the tapes. Watch the videos. Familiarize yourself with your company websites. Attend the seminars and events. Become a product of the products. And counsel with your experienced leadership team to learn the best way to introduce your business to prospects. They will teach exactly what you have to do and how to work the business, in order get the most out of your opportunity. I can't emphasize this enough.
After your prospect has reviewed the information, you're now in the position to talk to them on the phone about it. I encourage you to let the tools and system explain your business, instead of trying to explain it yourself.
The idea is not to jump into a full blown business opportunity commercial with them as soon as you're on the phone. All you want to do is further the relationship you started with them online and answer their questions.
Use your phone conversation as an opportunity to learn more about the other person. People love to talk about themselves.
Your online prospect is naturally going to have questions about what they've looked at.
The first question you're going to want to ask, once you're on the phone with someone that has looked at your business is, "What did you like about the information you just looked at?"
Your job is to answer their questions and help them understand what they've looked at or heard, and see the opportunity for themselves.
Now that we've covered the first part of what to say to someone on the phone that you've introduced your business to, let's move to the second part, which is, what to say to someone you haven't introduced your business to, on the phone.
Sometimes you'll really make a solid connection with the person you're talking to in Instant Messages and you'll want to move your conversation to the phone, but the subject of your business hasn't come up yet.
You share the same work experience, or have hobbies in common or perhaps you grew up in the same city or went to the same schools. You both are enjoying the online conversation you're having but the opportunity to talk about your business hasn't presented itself yet.
Since most people talk faster than they can type, it's natural to want to pick up the conversational pace and move to the phone.
When you get on the phone, keep your conversation going in the same direction it was going when you were typing. Talk about the same things you were typing about.
Don't feel like you have to use your first phone conversation to talk about your business. Only mention your business when it's appropriate to do so. When friendship and trust exist between people, it's easier to make a business connection.
When your new online friend trusts you enough to exchange phone numbers, you're beginning to make the transition from an Online relationship to an in-person relationship.
Keep in mind that some people have a telephone phobia and don't like to talk on the phone with strangers
As your online relationship deepens, you will move from a stranger to an acquaintance. When a cautious person you met online is ready to transition to the phone, they will let you know.
Your phone conversation is a wonderful opportunity to tell them your personal story and how you were introduced to your business and why you got involved. It lets them know that you are a real person.
This has been a very important lesson and we've covered a lot of quality material. Now it's time to move on to the next lesson ö How to Follow Up and Keep in Touch.
Lesson 9
How to Follow Up and Keep In Touch
Following up with people is one of the most important aspects of building your business.
Not everyone you talk to about your business is going to want to sign up immediately after you've introduced it to them. They're going to want to check things out before they make a decision.
There may also be things going on in their lives that prevent them from getting started immediately.
People looking for an opportunity will pick the time it's convenient for them to begin.
Sometimes the people you meet in April, may take until December to get involved in your business.
It's important to stay in touch with the people you're connecting with online to maintain your relationship while they're making their decision to get involved and once again, the Internet offers you some distinct advantages in helping you build your business.
When you want to talk to someone in the real world, you call them on the phone, but when you dial the phone, you have no idea if they're home or available to talk.
Many people use Caller ID to screen their calls. You think someone is home, he should be home, he told you he would be home, but all you get when you call is an answering machine.
The online solution to this potential real world problem is called a ÎBuddy List.â
A Buddy List contains the screen names of everyone that is online at the same time you are, that you've put on the list.
You'll only see a name on your Buddy List when the person is signed on to the Internet. You'll actually see when people sign on and sign off the Internet when you've added them to your Buddy List.
Who do you want to put on your Buddy List?
You want to put everyone you feel would be a good prospect for your business on your Buddy List. You're going to want to add all of your online friends to the list so you'll always know when they're online in the future.
When you see a name on your list, it means they're online and capable of receiving your Instant Message. A Buddy List and Instant Messaging will help you connect with people and avoid the frustration of dealing with telephone answering machines.
When you see your friends name on your Buddy List, take a few moments to say hello. Use your time to inquire about how they're doing or ask additional questions.
You may not have the time or opportunity in your initial conversation to move the conversation to a business one. Keep checking your Buddy List and don't hesitate to re-contact someone.
When the time is right, they'll decide to get involved. Don't let your online friends forget who you are by losing contact with them.
The people on your Buddy List are your hot prospects. It's easy to stay in touch with them by sending them a friendly Instant Message.
Most of the people you've established an Online relationship with will add you to their Buddy List. They'll see when you're online and will often contact you when it's convenient for them to talk.
Now that you've learned how to establish relationships with people online and introduce them to your business, all the barriers to your success are down.
posted by Rian Ahmad | 3:47 AM
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