How often has this happened to you?

You have a friend you know who would be great in your business, but you have no idea how to start a conversation with her. You’re don’t want to come across as being too “sales-y” or self-promoting, and you’re also not sure how she’ll react when you talk about your business opportunity.

Will she run screaming for the hills or stop taking your calls? Wait – is that her dodging behind the meat counter at your local grocery store (pretending she doesn’t notice you as you make a beeline towards her)? How can you confidently tell friends, family and casual contacts about your business without worrying they are going to avoid you like the plague forever after?

One of the most important skills in network marketing is developing the ability to initiate a conversation about your business, in a way that puts others at ease. Done well, your presentation will flow smoothly and recruiting others will be easy – and enjoyable! Done clumsily, you could stand there like a teenage boy on prom night, red-faced, and stammering – not sure what to say and feeling more embarrassed by the minute.

To help kick off these important conversations, I teach my coaching clients the skill of “relating”.  Being able to relate well with your prospects is a real conversational art (and it goes beyond just casual chit chat and rapport building). Relating is the first essential step you need to kick off a sponsoring conversation so your prospects are interested, feel comfortable, and can hear about your business with an open mind – and heart!

When you call up a prospect, you obviously don’t want to hit her right out of the gate with your business opportunity.  It’s always best to start off with the usual small talk, so you can ‘warm up’ the conversation. (How are the kids? How was your vacation? Is your mother-in-law still holed up in your spare bedroom?) However, as you segue into talking about your business, these 4 points will make it easier to share about your business, and move her to the next step.

1. Step One: Get Her Attention!

In order for someone to be very interested in hearing about your business, you need to make a statement that grabs her attention. Instead of sharing all the exciting facts and info related to your company, or why YOU think this is the greatest thing going – talk about it from HER point of view. Share how your business opportunity can help your prospect get something (a result, benefit or experience) that is especially important to her – or her family.

For example: If you’re talking to a woman who hates her boss and wants to leave a dead end corporate job to have more time with her kids, you might say:

“Susan, I don’t know if you’re aware, but I have a great business that helps women trapped in the corporate world make a great living and stay home with their kids. Several women I know are making a great income from home, and have a lot more time to spend with their family too”.

Or, let’s say you’re approaching a friend who has loves traveling, but needs more time and money. You might say:

“Wendy, I’ve been thinking of telling you about my business for some time. It’s perfect for women like you who want to have more time and money to enjoy a great life. In fact, I could see how this opportunity would be a fabulous opportunity to do more of the traveling you love”.

When you show others how your business opportunity could provide results or experiences that are important to them, you will get their attention! Try to be as specific as possible and paint a picture that will create an emotional response with the person in front of you – focusing on the exact results or benefits you know are most important to her.  

2. Step Two: Be Direct and Don’t Beat Around the Bush

When speaking about your business, be direct and let people know what you want to talk about and why. Don’t be vague or unclear – it will make them uncomfortable and make your job impossible. You have a great opportunity so be upfront. They’ll appreciate your honesty and see you as a true professional.

“I think this opportunity could be a fit for you also. I know many women who are doing very well with it, so I want to at least let you know about it. If you can spare about 10 min or so, I’d love to share some quick details with you, and see if this is something you might want to check out further. Would that be ok?”

3. Step Three: Get Her Permission to Ask Questions

Rather than spout off a bunch of facts, stats and reasons why you think your prospect should check out your business, you’ll gain a lot more ground by asking questions, and getting her engaged in the conversation.

Asking the right questions is the key to your sponsoring success (more specifics on this in future blog posts). But to put the other person at ease (and open to answering your questions) you want to let her know exactly why you’re being so nosy!

“You know, in order for us both to know if this opportunity is a good fit, would it be ok if I asked you a few quick questions? I’d love to know a bit more about your current goals, and what’s most important to you and your family right now. That way, we’ll be able to better assess how this opportunity could really help you. Is that alright with you?”

4. Step Four: Take the Heat Off!

Nobody likes to feel “sold,” and if people think you’re asking questions to manipulate them into saying yes, they will quickly feel defensive. Make your prospect more comfortable by “taking the heat off”.   Let her know upfront that if by the end of your conversation, she just doesn’t think it’s a good fit – that it’s alright to tell you so. This will put you both at ease, and make it easy for you to be real and authentic with each other.

“And – if by the end of the conversation, this business just doesn’t feel like a good fit, just let me know. You won’t hurt my feelings, and I really want to be sure it’s the best choice for you. Most people who learn about it become quite excited, so I at least want to get you all the details – and then you can make the best choice for you”.

Depending on how your conversation goes – you may continue on into a more detailed discussion of your business and all the ways it can help your prospect get what she wants – or set up a quick coffee date or lunch to discuss it in more detail.

By weaving these four points into the beginning of your sponsoring conversation, you’ll be much more successful at introducing the people you care about to your business, and help them easily see the true value that is there for them. And when you’re done, your friends and family will still speak to you and invite you to Christmas dinner – even if they don’t join your team!

Questions or comments on this topic? I’d LOVE to hear them – please post below and I’ll do my best to respond promptly.

__________________________________________________________________________

(Click on the buttons below to share with your Facebook and Twitter contacts…)

Have you ever had one of those “defining moments”… an experience that changes you for good, and generally creates a profound shift in your life?

I had just such a moment in my early 20’s that radically changed the direction of my life and business, and set me up for more success than I ever imagined.

I was especially surprised that all this radical change in my life came about from just one simple little insight – but that’s exactly what happened.

If you’re looking to create a breakthrough in your business, I’m confident this idea can make a big difference for you too.

Find out what happened to me here… (and please post your comments or questions below. I would love to hear your feedback)!

What are you committed to mastering in the coming months? Please post your comments or questions below…

If you are like many women in network marketing and direct sales, you launched your business by sharing your products and opportunity with friends, family, co-workers, members of your church, business contacts (and anyone else who was within arm’s reach)! Once you’ve worked through your warm market, you may find yourself staring at your phone, and wondering “who you gonna call?”

Finding super-qualified leads for your home based business is a lot easier than you might think.  The most important key to your success is to first get crystal clear on WHO you want to find. Who are your MOST ideal prospects? Although many different kinds of people may buy your product or join your business, trying to sell or recruit “everyone” is an impossible task.  Your business building efforts will be too unfocused with this shot-gun approach. You’ll waste valuable time, tripping around trying to sell or sponsor everyone who comes across your path, and not gain traction in any particular direction.

That changes when you narrow your focus and go after a well-defined ‘target market’  – prospects who are the perfect fit for you, your products and your business opportunity. Your target market could be comprised of baby boomers, stay at home moms, college kids, realtors, health and wellness professionals, teachers, nurses or others. You get to decide which group is right for you and your business. (If you aren’t clear on this yet – see my previous article on choosing your ideal prospects).

Once you know WHO you are looking for, it will become a lot easier to know WHERE to find these leads. You’ll be able to create a plan to connect with hundreds (even thousands) of your exact targeted group, and start building out your network. Here are some of the best places to start:

1. Live Networking

This approach is probably not new to you, but this tried and true method of prospecting is still the most effective. Nothing beats getting out and meeting people, face to face, to create the kind of solid relationships that can lead to new business.

What can make a big difference in your results, however, is WHERE you are networking live. Instead of schlepping to your nearest leads group, take some time to research your area, and find the group(s) where you are going to find your target market. (This way, you’ll only be ‘fishing’ in the places where you’ll find the exact prospects you are after).

Here are some great resources that can help with your research:

• Le Tip Leads Group – http://www.LeTip.com

• Business Networking International -http://www.BNI.com

•  US Women’s Chamber of Commerce -http://www.uswcc.org/

•  EWomen Network – http://ewomennetwork.com

•  Craigs List http://www.Craigslist.org

•  Chamber of Commerce (they often have a ton of great info on business related groups in your city, etc)

• Community Clubs (such as the Rotary Club, Lions, PTA, or Elks Club)

• The Business Journal -  most of the major cities in the US publish a “business journal” (like the San Diego Business Journal, Miami Business Journal, etc) which list all the major business groups and networking events for your area.  You can find more info here: http://www.bizjournals.com

• Social Clubs. Search on-line to find more socially geared clubs (like mom’s groups, singles groups, investment groups, ski clubs, triathalon clubs, etc) which might also be great places to find your specific prospects.

Ideally, look for the groups most closely connected to your target market. If you are looking to recruit more moms into your team, search out the local PTA or “Mommy and Me” groups in your area. If you are looking for baby boomers or business professionals, you may want to check your local golf clubs or country clubs to see what social groups they offer.

2. Use Social Media to Find Hundreds of Leads On-Line

With so many people plugging into the internet these days, social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and others are fast becoming hot places to meet new prospects. The major advantage to all of these sites is they make it fairly easy to find large groups of your ideal prospects, so you don’t have to find people one at a time. Here are some tips to help you navigate the on-line ocean.

Facebook: Do a search for your ideal prospect (in the search bar at the top of their website) to find the groups or pages that exist for your market.

Looking for a stay at home mom? Put those words in the search bar, and you’ll find plenty of groups, ‘fan pages’ and even blogs where hundreds of these women are already gathering.

Do the same for realtors, chiropractors, lawyers, baby boomers, financial planners, small business owners, or just about any other target market you can think of, and I know you find several places these kinds of people are gathering on Facebook.

Besides searching for your target market by name – ask yourself, “WHO would my ideal prospects follow?” For example, there are thousands of stay-at-home-mom’s connected to Oprah’s page on Facebook and even more on her Twitter profile. You can connect to Oprah’s page, and start networking and creating relationships with the many moms you’ll find here.  Looking for people into fitness and wellness? Check out the triathalon or yoga groups and pages.

Think outside the box and think strategically!  What topics would be of interest to your target market? Baby boomers and retirees may be connected to the AARP page, small business people are connected to Fast Company’s page, etc. Facebook currently has over 700 million users globally, so you can bet your ideal prospects are on here, and they aren’t too difficult to find.

Twitter: Do a similar approach on Twitter, and you’ll find more of your ideal prospects/target market here. Use http://www.Twello.com to extend your search further (this directory is a virtual ‘yellow pages’ for ‘Twitter’).

LinkedIn: This is an amazing site if your target market is from the corporate world or a business professional. As with the other sites, you can search and join groups made up of hundreds of your ideal prospects, and expand your network quickly.

*An Important Note: When networking in the social media sphere, do NOT simply join a group or page, and then start blasting sales-y messages about your products or business. You’ll not only turn people off, you’ll likely be removed from many of these groups.

The best approach on all these social media platforms is to connect with new people, add value in whatever ways you can (sharing ideas, resources, articles, etc) and build relationships.  Ideally, if you have a great free offer that relates to your business (a sample of your products, helpful ideas on your blog or website, etc) you can use this as a way to attract attention and direct some of your connections to your own business website.

3. Attend Expos & Tradeshows For Your Target Market 

Attending conferences or tradeshows gives you the opportunity to do some very “leveraged” networking, and the possibility of meeting hundreds of people in your exact target market. It’s quite astonishing how many different kinds of people or demographics have their own formal “association” and conferences or tradeshows connected to them.

Here are 3 great websites that also provide very detailed information on the tradeshows and conferences going on in different markets:

• www.Biztradeshows.com
• www.TSNN.com
• www.ConventionBureaus.com

(For a more detailed approach to finding great leads at tradeshows and expos, see the previous article on my blog which goes into this in great detail).

Build a “Life Network” vs  Just a “Business Network”

When looking for leads for your network marketing and direct sales business, I encourage you to keep this intention in mind; rather than just building a network for your business, consider building a large “life network” instead.

A “life network” is a network of people who you just enjoy having in your life. This would include your friends, family, and all the new contacts you’ll be making along the way.

Imagine how fun it can be add 300 or 400 new friends to your rolodex in the next year or so, and how having access to some new, interesting people will enrich your life?

This approach takes the stress out of having to sell or sponsor everyone you meet, and will make your networking a lot more fun. Having a large network of any kind is a huge asset, and one that can definitely generate new business too.

As people get to know you, like you and trust you, you’ll naturally attract new customers and business partners from within this group. By putting your focus on relationships first (business second) you’ll be a lot more attractive to others, and promoting your products and business will come more naturally.

Questions or comments on this topic? I’d love to hear them!

Post them below, and click on these buttons to share this with your team.

Have you ever taken a child fishing for the first time?

I was visiting my family in Canada last July, and watched with delight as my brother took my 4 year old nephew, Sammy, out for his first fishing experience. (It was quite amusing, to say the least!)

For example, when I asked Sammy what kind of fish he wanted to catch, he replied (with great enthusiasm) “all of them!” When my brother looked through the tackle box to find a suitable lure, Sammy insisted on using a “pretty one”.

And as we strategically scanned the lake, looking for the best fishing spots, Sammy excitedly flipped his small pole over the side of the boat (half the time the hook floating ABOVE the water) and kept watch with a hopeful look. Needless to say, he didn’t catch anything, but he certainly had a lot of fun.

As I watched him, I couldn’t help but think that his excited but haphazard approach to fishing is much like how many of us approach building a business. We often go “fishing” for new prospects without much advance planning or forethought, and (despite our enthusiasm) then come home discouraged, and empty-handed!

Building Your Business Is a Lot Like Fishing!

For example, when I’ve asked my clients what kind of prospects are the best fit for their business, they often tell me (with as much enthusiasm as my nephew) “all of them!”

While your business opportunity and products can certainly help many different kinds of people, you need to know who your MOST ideal prospects are (the exact “fish” you are looking for) or it’s going to be very difficult for you to find them (to locate the specific fishing holes in which they “hang out”). Your ‘shot gun’ approach will take up a lot of your time, and produce mediocre results at best.

That all changes when you stop attempting to sell and sponsor “everyone” and narrow your focus to a “target market”. Entrepreneur.com defines the term “target market” as “a specific group of consumers at which a company aims its products and services” …(the key word here being “specific”)!

When looking for new leads, if you focus your efforts on one (or just a few) super-qualified “target markets,” you will be much more effective. In keeping with the fishing metaphor, the shift would look like this; instead of jumping from pond to stream to lake, attempting to catch ‘anything,” decide instead to focus on catching just one kind of fish (trout?) – then locate the steams teeming with trout and fish only in these spots. With this kind of clarity and focus, you’re going to be much more successful.

Defining Your Target Market – Who’s YOUR Ideal Prospect?

So what kind of prospect is the perfect fit for YOUR business? That can depend on your own personality and background, the kind or product(s) you sell, and how your business opportunity is structured.

Success leaves clues, so often the best place to start is to look around your own company, and make a note of the following:

• What kinds of people are already succeeding in your organization? What is the personal/professional background of the top leaders? (For example – do you see many stay at home mom’s, baby boomers, teachers, corporate professionals, wellness experts succeeding in your business)?

•  What kinds of personal qualities/traits do many of these leaders have in common?

• What kinds of people are YOU already naturally attracting into your own team?

•  Who do you LOVE to work with – who is a natural fit for you (based on your own professional background – or personal experience)?

•  What kinds of people appear to be a great fit both for your products – and your business opportunity?

By asking these questions, common threads will emerge. For example, perhaps some of the most successful leaders in your company are stay at home or working moms, who are super motivated to build a business because they want to make a great income AND be home with their kids.

Or perhaps you’ll see many baby boomers are active in your company, both because they love your products and because they are also very motivated to generate extra income for their retirement. You may also see health or wellness professionals who use your products, but also like the idea of having a “plan b” and building a secondary income alongside their current business.

Narrow the Field – Choose Your MOST Ideal Prospects

You should now have a short list of possible target markets, but let’s get even more specific.  Take each one through the “litmus test” to see if you can narrow your choices down to just one or two.

 1. Is This Kind of Person Already Motivated To Change? 

Does this person have an existing problem/issue they are motivated to change (health issue, money problem, lifestyle challenges, etc). You want to find people who have a strong “why” – and who are already looking for the kind of solution that your products or business provides.  (It takes too much extra time and work to “educate” people on why they should change. Find the ones who are already aware they have a problem, and are actively looking for a solution)!

 2. Does This Market Have Enough Money (And Will They Spend It?)

It’s great to have a motivated prospect, but if he/she doesn’t have money to invest in your product, service or opportunity, you’ll struggle to reach your business goals. There are enough people out there, go for the ones who will spend money for the solutions they want.

3. Are There Enough Prospects in This Market? 

Be sure that the target market you choose is specific – but broad. (For example, if you chose “working moms” as your target market, that is extremely specific, but obviously there are enough “working moms” out there that you could focus only on prospecting in this target market, and never run out of leads – ever)!

4. Can You Reach This Market Easily?

Ideally, you also want to choose a target market that you can connect with easily – hopefully in “large groups”. What kinds of clubs or groups might this prospect belong to (networking, business, social, professional associations)? What conferences or tradeshows might she attend?

Do a search on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In to see if you can find groups, pages or forums where your target market is already “hanging out” (making it easier for you to connect with many of them at once). You can do a search on the term “stay at home mom”, “working mom”, “baby boomer,” “corporate executives,” “teachers”, “chiropractors” etc on any of these sites to find groups to which they already belong.

How to Find Hundreds of Super- Qualified Leads – Locally and On-Line

Once you work through this “litmus test” – you’ll be able to discover the exact kind of prospect who is perfect for your business – someone who is motivated, qualified and will be a great new customer or business builder. The next step is to create a simple plan so you can find and build relationships with as many of these prospects as possible (and have a system that converts them into new customers or business builders).

Stay tuned for my next article, where you’ll learn how to locate all the best ‘fishing holes” or places to find super-qualified leads, both locally and on-line.

If you already have a target market – please share what it is, and how narrowing your focus is working for you!

Questions or comments – I’d love to hear them. Please post below and click on the buttons to share this with your team.

Trade shows, conferences and expos can be absolute gold mines if you want to find hot new leads for your business, as well as generate instant (and long term) sales.

But promoting your business at an expo can take some time and money to pull off—so before jumping in, it’s worth doing a little planning so you get the best possible results.

Attend a Trade Show, Do Some Research

Before signing-on as a trade show exhibitor, try to attend one in person. Ideally this would be the SAME trade show where you want to exhibit or network, but if not—it’s still helpful to attend any show and do some research.

Wander around and check out the exhibits and booths. What do you like? What don’t you like? Some vendors are conference/trade show pros (and do several shows each year) so you can learn from their expertise and get ideas for your own table.

In addition to attending a trade show, you can also find some great resources online. Here are some helpful articles to get you started:

• Suan Friedmann, 10 Tips to Use Giveaways Effectively at Trade Shows, Frugal Marketing

• Jason Cohen, A Tradeshow Checklist, Born of Experience, A Smart Bear

• Susan Ward, 11 Tips for Trade Show Displays, About.com

• Angelita V. Menchaca, Trade Show Promotion, Lead Gathering and Follow-up, Polaris, Inc.

• Janice D. Byer, Tips for a Successful Trade Show, Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services

Day of the Show Tips

Trade shows only last a short period of time, from a couple days to maybe a week. Once you’ve invested time and money into getting yourself there (with your signs, product samples and other gear) you want to make the most of it.

Here are a few simple but important tips:

•       Focus on meeting people, making contacts, and growing your email list. Leaving the event with a large list of qualified and ‘warm leads” is your number one goal (product sales are secondary).

Although of course you want to make sales at the event too – the “fortune is in your contact list” and you’ll make plenty more sales (and even attract some new business partners) if you continue to stay in touch, develop the relationships you started and add some value as you go (free samples, a monthly newsletter, etc).

Studies show it takes most people at least 7 ‘touches’ before they are ready to buy from you, so using a show to make a lot of new contacts and spark new relationships is a smart idea; you can generate plenty more sales down the road if you stay connected.

•       Make your booth stand out. Use colorful, easy to see, easy to read signage. Use little tricks to bring people to your booth (snacks like popcorn or candy are great bribes to get people over!).

•       Make your exhibit interactive. Can you offer a free consultation or makeover? Show some interesting videos or multi-media demos? Do something unique that makes your booth irresistible?

•       Have a great free offer to encourage people to give you their contact info. What can you offer that people just CAN’T refuse? An amazing deal on your products? Some special bonus they can ONLY get at the show?

Add a “limited time” or “today only” timeline to create urgency and be sure to put out the ole’ fish bowl so you can easily collect  business cards (and more importantly those email addresses) to use for the free drawing and to add to your prospect list).

•       Give away subscriptions to your monthly newsletter or “e-zine” as a cool secondary bonus. Have a sign on your fish bowl indicating that everyone submitting a card will receive your e-zine or monthly newsletter as an extra bonus. It can read something like “Plus…receive a complimentary subscription to our “Fitness First” e-zine, worth $X.”

By communicating your e-zine bonus upfront, you’re making it clear that by giving their business card, people are opting-in to your offer and will be added to your email list. (This is an elegant way to get permission to stay in touch with your leads, and not put yourself in the position of ‘spamming’ anyone by adding them to your email list without advising them first, or asking permission).

•       Stress the benefits and popularity of your newsletter or e-zine if anyone asks about the secondary offer. Reassure people they can easily opt-out at any time, but many people love to receive it. (You may want to print off copies of past newsletters and keep them at your booth for reference).

If you don’t already have an ezine or newsletter for your business, create a free report or bonus article (including juicy tips related to your product or a relevant topic – weight loss, beauty, health and wellness, etc) and use that at your secondary offer – something you can email to your new contacts after the show.

In either case, you’re offering something of value, in exchange for people’s contact info, and getting their permission to add them to your email list.

•       Do whatever you can to make your booth/exhibit look popular. It’s a funny marketing phenomenon: crowds draw more crowds. Use this “crowded restaurant syndrome” to your advantage. Fill your fish bowl with business cards (even if they’re your own) rather than putting out an empty one. Can you hire (or cajole) team members, family or friends to come “hang around your booth” – especially during busy times? Additional bodies will make people feel less “singled out” and more likely to approach your table and check out your offerings.

Network With Other Vendors or Exhibitors

When seminars are in session and the trade show floor is slow, it’s a great time to walk around and meet fellow vendors or exhibitors. The other vendors share your target market and there could be opportunities to cross-promote products or services or create an affiliate relationship with them.

(Imagine – if after the show, a fellow vendor is willing to send an email to her email list, and share about your products or direct people to your website. Perhaps you can do the same for her (assuming, of course, that you have non-competing offers). Creating “joint venture” or affiliate relationships like this can bring in a quick boost of sales – and add a lot of new leads to your own list in the process). Smart, smart marketing!

After the Show, Follow-up With New Contacts

Soon after the show, add your new contacts to your email list (if they’ve opted-in) and quickly send out a great follow-up letter, notice or discount. Send a personal note or email to new high-level contacts. Better yet, call and say how great it was to meet them. Discuss ways you might be able to support each others’ businesses and create a win/win collaboration.

If you met someone who is not only a great contact – but also a “COI” – or a “center of influence” (meaning he/she has a network or client bases who are great prospects for you), spend some time thinking about how you might add value to each other, before you make the call.

Perhaps this person can introduce you to their contacts, and you can help out him/her in some way. This kind of follow-up takes time but these people are your hottest leads—you’ve just met them and already have a relationship established, so they’re worth a little extra attention.

Trade shows can be a major boon to your business, but they take time and money to orchestrate. Plan your efforts wisely and make the most of it.

Have you attended a trade show as an exhibitor? What worked for you? What didn’t?

Please share your thoughts below – or post a question. I’d love to hear from you!

Looking for new leads for your business? Why spend time searching them out one by one when you can connect with hundreds (sometimes thousands) of ideal prospects, all in one place, and in just a few days?

Many network marketing and direct sales professionals already know the value of showcasing their business and products at expos, tradeshows and conferences (one of the most highly-leveraged networking experiences around). It’s surprisingly affordable to get booth space, “set up shop” and start connecting with people passing through.

These days, there are so many different groups and events that can help you build your business. You may already be working local bridal shows or health and wellness expos, but with just a little research, you’ll find MANY other events (local, regional and national) where you can easily reach your ideal customers and potential business partners.

But First – Narrow Down the Field

Although all kinds of people buy your products and join your business, it’s important to identify your “most ideal” prospects. This way, you can target the conferences and events they attend, while leveraging your time and energy (because you’ll only attend events where you’ll find people who are a true fit for what you offer).

Take a moment to answer these two questions:

1. What kind of prospect is perfect for your products?(Who’s already buying your products? Who are your BEST customers)?For example: Men over 40, women under 30, moms, busy professionals, people who want to lose weight, or baby boomers?

2. What kind of person would you love to recruit into your business? (Who are you already attracting? What kind of people are doing especially well in your company?) For example: Stay-at-home moms, corporate professionals, baby boomers, teachers, wellness professionals?

Come up with a “top 10 list” of your more ideal prospects (ideally people who are a great fit for both your products and business) and then narrow the list down to your top 3 “ideal prospects.”

This will be your “target market” or the ‘niche” with which to start.

Conferences and Trade Shows for Any Market

No matter who your ideal prospect is—there’s an event where you can find them (often in large numbers). It’s amazing how many different associations, trade shows, expos and conferences exist these days. With just some quick online research, I found associations for all of the prospects listed below. Indeed, many have more than one association—and some hold events at the national (and even international) level!

Teachers – Nurses – Dentists – Doctors – Health Care Providers – Chiropractors – Dental Hygienists – Massage Therapists – Stay-At-Home Moms – Working Moms – Dads – Baby Boomers – Small Businesses (lawyers, financial planners, accountants, etc) – Executives (men and women) – CEOs – Female Entrepreneurs – Military Officers – Military Wives – Gen-Xers – Retirees

There are also many trade shows and conferences dedicated to specific topics or interests. I was able to easily find trade shows or conferences on the following topics:

Golf – Travel – Beauty – Fashion – Shoes – Spa and Salons – Bridal – Wellness – Fitness – Cosmetics – Spa – Weight Loss – Electronics

If you can identify a specific group or area of interest, there’s probably an association, conference or trade show that already supports it! (Did you know there’s a national association for “Stay at Home Mom’s?)

This is great news for you! If you’re willing to research your niche and come up with a well-planned and executed strategy, you can be showcasing your business at some great new events (likely ones not being thought of by others in your company, or your competitors). Even by attending a few each year, you will connect with hundreds of new leads, and attract many new customers and team members in the process.

Where to start?

Do Your Research

Start by poking around the Internet to find groups or associations for your target market, and see what conferences or trade shows they attend. Use a few different search engines (like Google and Yahoo) to get a good mix of results.

Enter “Target Market + Association” in the search bar and see what comes up. Try this with the words “trade show” and “conference” too.

For example:

Weight Loss + Association

Weight Loss + Trade Show

Weight Loss + Conference

Weight Loss + Organization

Teachers + Association

Teachers + Trade Show

Teachers + Conference

Teachers + Organization

If you want to find events closer to home, or in a specific part of the country, you can also add specific geographic search terms to narrow results by state or city.

Teachers + Association + California

Teachers + Association + San Diego

More Resources

There are some great websites that pull together information about trade shows and conferences in different markets. Be sure to check these out:

• BizTradeShows.com
• The Trade Show News Network-  www.TSNN.com

You can also check with your local chamber of commerce or state convention and visitors bureau to see events scheduled in your area. Tourist information centers and city websites are also great sources of information. (Most major cities have a website showcasing local events.)

Pickup magazines catering to your target market and look through the ads (usually at the back) for events and trade shows. Look at the other ads too—they might give you ideas about other companies and organizations that cater to this market.

And don’t forget to ask around! Talk with people you know in this target market to find out about other events, groups, associations and conferences. Your contacts can often give tips or insider information about these events to help you determine if it’s worth your time to attend or book an exhibitor booth.

Identifying a good conference or trade show to promote your business takes time and research, but the dividends can be huge. Get ready to have fun, work hard and show off your business!

Questions or comments on this topic? I’d love to hear them!

Or – share this with your network by clicking on the buttons below.

One of the fastest ways to find new customers and partners for your business is to get out of the house and start networking. But to make networking pay off you need to know what to say when the conversation turns to”…. and what do YOU do (for a living)?”

When this question comes up, you have only a small amount of time to communicate who you are and what you do (in order to grab the other person’s attention and generate a positive response).

The Big Mistake

The most common mistake women make when asked “what do you do” is to talk too much about OURSELVES. It’s so easy to launch into a detailed explanation of your company, or share all the interesting facts and science related to your products. (When you have something unique and valuable, it’s hard to not get carried away!)

You may find yourself saying something like “Well…. I’m a wellness consultant with XYZ company and we’ve been in business for 30 years and we have a line of bionic products featuring the latest in nuclear science that keeps anti-aging radicals at bay… (blah blah blah)….”

If you’re like me, and have made this mistake many times – you can pretty much predict how others will respond. They stare blankly (like a deer in headlights), take your business card, make some polite excuse and then wander off. The real crime is that they leave with no real understanding of what you do and, more importantly, what you can DO FOR THEM.

If you really want to grab people’s attention – in a way that’s going to lead to new sales and business for you – you need to focus your conversations on other people (not yourself); the easiest way to do this is with a well crafted “elevator speech.”

You’ve likely heard the term before; if not, an elevator speech is a short, compelling message you share with a prospect during a brief encounter (such as going up a few floors in an elevator) to communicate what you do in a way that will generate some positive interest – and leads to a next step (exchanging your business cards at the very least, or another chance to connect and have a more detailed discussion).

What Should I Say?

The best way to format a compelling “elevator speech” is to keep it simple, and focus as much as possible on “what’s important to the other person” vs talking about yourself. You want to position “what you do” in a way so that other people can easily “get the value” and recognize how your products or business can help them. Here are a few examples you can use to start crafting your own killer elevator speech:

Sample One:

I help ___________________ (your prospect) ________________ (achieve benefit or result you know is important to them).

For Example:

I help moms to make a great income working from home.

I help small business owners to boost their monthly income with an extra source of revenue.

I help baby boomers to feel healthy and have tons of energy.

Sample Two:

A slightly more complex elevator speech focuses on both the IMMEDIATE benefit and LONG TERM benefit of your product/business. The long term benefit captures the overall feeling or experience that the prospect ultimately wants.

I help ________________ (your prospect) to ________________ (get this result/benefit) so they can ________________ (have this experience or feeling, what they REALLY want).

For Example:

I help moms to make a great income working from home so they can spend more time with their kids during the most important years.

I help small business owners to boost their monthly income with an extra revenue source so they can retire early and spend more time on the golf course.

I help baby boomers to be healthy and have tons of energy so they can feel fabulous and really enjoy their retirement years to the fullest.

Sample Three:

Another variation of the elevator speech communicates what people AVOID by using your product/business. Many people will do more to avoid pain than gain pleasure. This approach grabs attention and motivates people to take action.

I help ________________ (your prospect) to _______________ (get this result) so they don’t have to ________________ (feel this pain/or deal with this problem).

For Example:

I help moms to make a great income working from home so they don’t have to feel guilty about missing out on time with their kids.

I help small business owners to boost their monthly income so they can sleep better at night, knowing they don’t have to worry about their retirement fund.

I help baby boomers to feel healthy and have tons of energy so they don’t miss out on the fun retirement years they’ve worked so hard for.

Write It Down

Using the above examples as a guide, write your own elevator speech. Be sure that it:

….Focuses on your PROSPECT (not you)

….Communicates clearly what you can do FOR THEM (results, benefits, experiences, feelings)

….Shows what you help them AVOID (pain, problems, costs, etc.)

….Focuses on WHY (they should use your product or join your business) over WHAT (what’s involved, the details, logistics, etc.).

“Why” connects people to their emotions. It provides them with reasons and motivation to buy your product or take action. “What” focuses on information and logic, such as the features of your product or business. (“What” can be interesting but it won’t motivate people to take action in the same way that “why” does).

Memorize and Use It

The most important aspect of creating an elevator speech is to MEMORIZE IT.

There’s no point in writing a killer elevator speech if you don’t have it memorized and ready to go. And be sure to practice it—at home, with your kids, on your friends, on your pets (any captive audience will do)

Whether you’re in an elevator, on a play ground, or at a business association meeting, you can use your “elevator speech” to grab people’s attention – and turn a brief meeting into a coffee date or phone call where you’ll have more time to share about your products and business and transform “casual connections” into new customers and business partners.

Questions or comments on this topic? I’d love to hear them!

Or – share this with your network by clicking on the buttons below.

Why do so many women feel uncomfortable approaching others about their network marketing or direct sales business? They believe in their product, they believe in themselves, they know their business opportunity can literally change lives, yet they hesitate. Can you relate? If so, it’s likely that you’ve been taught a way to recruit others that feels a bit “unnatural.” You may have been instructed to use a cheesy script or “old school” technique that can leave you feeling like a bad used car salesperson.

Does It Have to Be This Way?

Absolutely not! Fortunately, there is a different approach to sponsoring that will make this experience so much easier for you (and believe it or not – you’ll even come to enjoy it!) Women who use this approach feel so much more comfortable and confident when talking about their opportunity (and therefore take more action and get much better results than ever before).

By following this simple five-step process you’ll engage people in meaningful conversations. They’ll trust you, be a lot more open-minded, and seriously consider whether your business opportunity can help them achieve their goals. The best part? You don’t have to leave your integrity at the door.

Five Steps to Elegantly Recruit New Business Builders

Step 1: Serve, Don’t Sell

“Recruiting with integrity” is about service, not about selling. You’re not out to convince people to join your business, but to see if you can make a positive difference in their lives.

Before approaching anyone about your business, decide to come from a place of curiosity and non-attachment. Check your agenda at the door and put other people’s needs and desires first. Your prospects will pick up on your sincerity, and be more open to your questions and suggestions.

Step 2: Listen More, Talk Less

Many women (blame it on our enthusiasm) talk too much when sharing about the business. We can go into (overwhelming) detail about the compensation plan, the history of the company, or the science behind our products. We can unintentionally hijack the conversation (and leave our poor prospects staring blankly at us with that “deer in the headlights” look)!

When you are recruiting someone, spend the majority of your time listening. Ask questions to find out what is meaningful to them. Ask about their job, income, family life and kids. What are their goals? What is their ideal lifestyle? Aim to spend 80 percent of your time listening and only 20 percent talking.

By listening and asking questions you’ll learn key information about your prospect’s main problems, concerns or dreams, and how your business could possibly help them in these areas. Without uncovering and connecting to their most important problems or desires, any information you share about your business won’t carry much weight.

Step 3: Have Nothing to Hide

Many of us have been taught ways to snag prospects into discussing the business (without being completely upfront about our intentions). Ultimately, this approach just doesn’t work. People can smell your insincerity a mile away. You may get them to agree to a meeting, but they won’t be truly interested in what you have to say (and chances are, will make a last minute excuse and now even show up).

It’s better to be direct and sincere. Tell people you have a business opportunity that could possibly be very helpful to them. Point out the benefits that are relevant to them (and you know what’s important to them because you’ve listened, asked questions, and uncovered their motivation). Share how you think your business can help them reach their goals, then ask if they’d be willing to sit down over lunch or coffee to learn more.

Step 4: Take the Pressure Off

When you meet over coffee, start by taking off the pressure. People will fear that you’re going to try to sell them something they don’t want. Tell them upfront: you’re not there to convince them of anything—you just want to educate them about your business so they can make an informed decision. Let them know you only want them to join the business if it’s an absolute fit (and mean this!) and there are no hard feelings if they say “no.”

By being completely honest and up front, people will trust you more. They’ll feel more comfortable answering your questions, and you’ll be more “attractive,” especially to the more polished professionals or business people in your warm market.

Step 5: Be Willing to Not Sponsor People

So you’ve come from a place of integrity, listened, asked questions and removed any pressure. You’ve finished your coffee, but your prospect seems only mildly interested—what now?

You’re far better off sponsoring a few people who are serious about your business than many people who are not. Trust your gut (as hard as that may be!). Don’t waste time and energy trying to recruit someone who’s just not a fit – it won’t be a workable situation for either one of you.

Knowing when to let go of a prospect (and move on to someone more qualified) will give you the confidence to act with integrity. There are plenty of people who want what you have. Be brave enough (and picky enough) to find them—then everyone wins.

Questions or comments on this topic? I’d love to hear them!

Or – share this with your network by clicking on the buttons below.

Should you blog? Put this question to one of the 3,600 women attending the BlogHer conference held recently in San Diego, CA and you can guess her response. For three days, several thousand women from different professional backgrounds (including many “work from home” moms) attended this conference to sharpen their internet skills and explore new ways a “blog” can make them money while working from home.

A blog (short for “web log”) is a type of website that makes it easy to share content and articles with people you know (and even those you don’t). Blogging is a bit like writing an online journal: you write about things important to you, and people who share your interests read and respond to what you have to say.

What amazed me most about at the BlogHer conference were the corporate sponsors at the event. Companies like 3M, McDonald’s, PepsiCo, Sesame Street, Procter & Gamble and many others paid big dollars to be sponsors and have vendor booths at the show.

Why such generous support? These companies recognize the power of women to sell to other women. They know that product recommendations by “women who blog” increase sales. This selling method is so powerful that, in many cases, these companies are willing to pay advertising or sponsor fees to have women bloggers review or mention their products.

Companies recognize the trend: women will buy from women they trust, and they will make buying decisions based on the recommendations of other women.

How does this relate to your network marketing or direct sales business? Tupperware was one of the first companies to recognize the female phenomenon. Tupperware originally intended to sell its plastic containers in department stores but soon realized they’d sell more products by having women sell to other women. By selling to women in their personal networks (women who already knew, liked, and trusted the host) the product was easy to sell. Sales boomed, and the direct sales profession was born!

Today, online blogging is adding a new twist to direct sales and network marketing. Looking to grow your business, increase sales or promote your opportunity? Consider the benefits of starting your own blog:

1.      Connect with new people and position yourself as an expert

A blog is a great way to create value for others. You can use it to share “how to” information, simple articles, and tips. Focus the content of your blog by choosing a theme that fits with your product or business. For example, if you sell wellness products then your blog could cover health and wellness or weight loss ideas. If you sell beauty products, offer the latest information on fashion, jewelry and skin care.  If you want to add new people to your team, offer content related to making money from home. There’s a lot of flexibility so build a blog that fits your personality and goals

2.      Develop relationships that lead to new sales

As you share valuable information (and even personal updates from time to time) your readers will start to connect with you on a personal level. They’ll grow to know, like and trust you. As they receive value from the tips you share – the “rule of reciprocity” kicks in and they will be generally become more interested in your products or business. But it’s important to create value and build relationships first, so don’t start selling the minute you launch your blog. You can mention occasional product offers or talk a bit about your business but don’t overdo this (a good ratio to keep in mind is to provide 80% great content – 20% business or product promotion). If people want further information you can provide links that direct them to specific pages on your company site.

3. Build your email list and expand your network

Blogs sites are “search engine friendly” so they can bring you new leads from the Internet. When people search on a specific topic (such as “weight loss,” “anti-aging products,” “how to make money from home”) blog articles related to the topic can pop up in search results (and if one of those is yours, it will bring new leads to YOUR site).

As new people visit your blog – ideally you want an easy way to stay connected. Insert a simple form or “opt in” box on your blog and offer something of value (a free report, product samples, a newsletter, etc) in exchange for contact information. (You can see a sample of my offer and “opt-in box” in the top right corner of my website at www.SavvyNetworkMarketingWomen.com.)  Once you have the contact info (and most importantly – the email address) of your new leads,  it’s easy to stay in touch and further build the relationship.

Interested in creating your own blog? Visit the BlogHer website at http://www.BlogHer.com for ideas.There’s an astounding number of women blogging on all kinds of topics (health, business, politics, food, parenting, money, fashion, and much more).  No doubt you’ll be inspired to add this powerful tool to generate new leads and sales for your business too.

To get started building a blog, go to http://www.Wordpress.com. This system is FREE to use and has a number of appealing templates so you can customize the look of your blog to compliment your own products/business.

Questions or comments on this topic? I’d love to hear them!

Or – share this with your network by clicking on the buttons below.

If 82% of the network marketing/direct selling profession is comprised of women – why are the top levels of leadership in most companies still dominated by men?

This is an important question (one that’s too complex to answer in a single blog post) but I do believe women have one particular habit that kills our business growth and keeps us from succeeding at the levels we could.

Men, Women and Business Challenges

Men and women face similar challenges when building a business, but where we differ is how we RELATE to ourselves as we go through these challenges.  Men seem better able to remain objective about business issues; they don’t take the ups and downs of entrepreneurship too personally.

Women, on the other hand, have a more difficult time dealing with setbacks and challenges. Call us “sensitive, “overly emotional” or “thin-skinned,” but many of us take what happens (or doesn’t happen) in our businesses personally. We can be so critical of ourselves, can’t we? When our business doesn’t measure up, WE don’t measure up; our self-worth and confidence can get very tied to our results and bottom line.

The Habit That Keeps You Stuck

Our crazy, overdeveloped “inner critic” goes on a rampage when our results aren’t what we expect them to be. Worse – many of us start to believe only by being hard on ourselves will we create the results we want (because how else will we stay motivated, right)?

Ironically, beating yourself up is the habit that keeps you from succeeding. Why? Because criticism (whether self-imposed or external) robs us of our enthusiasm, energy and ability to create what we want. It zaps our self-esteem and keeps us from our real power.  

Imagine a Small Child

Imagine a small child learning to tie her shoes. As her parent – would you criticize her every mistake? Such “negative feedback” would put a dent in her self-confidence, and no doubt she’d soon give up.

Funny though – as women, we do this to ourselves all the time. When a prospect fails to return a call or cancels a meeting, we make that event about us – OUR worth and abilities. We criticize ourselves for not “doing it right” – and doubt if we have what it takes to succeed. The entire process puts a major chink in our confidence and makes us want to give up.

In contrast, what if you praised that little girl for every attempt at tying her shoes? With compassion and positive feedback, she’d enjoy the process of learning; she’d continue her efforts and get better (and faster) results.

Your Inner Cheerleader

Compassion and positive feedback are the keys for women’s success too! How you relate to yourself (as critic or cheerleader) impacts your confidence, the action you take, and the results and income you create. Instead of berating yourself, what if you developed your “inner cheerleader” – and learned to be more encouraging and compassionate with yourself when facing a challenge?

This may feel “counter-intuitive” to you (especially if you have a well-developed inner critic)!  You may say to yourself – “Well, if I’m too easy on myself… I’ll get soft and not follow through… I won’t create what I want.”

In fact, the opposite happens. The kinder you are to yourself, the more empowered you will feel. Positive feedback motivates women more than anything, and when we give it to ourselves, business challenges lose their hold on us. They stop being a reflection of our worth and start becoming opportunities for growth and learning.

 5 Ways to Turn Your “Inner Critic” Into a Powerful “Inner Cheerleader”

Here are a few simple exercises that my clients (and myself) have used that can keep you inspired even when facing tough business challenges.

1.      Focus on what’s working (even in the most challenging situation, SOMETHING is working).

Where are you winning? What ARE you doing well?  Keep track of your accomplishments (daily if you can) and give yourself a ton of recognition for everything positive.

2.      Look for lessons and opportunities in every challenge. What if everything really does happen for a reason (and it always serves us)? Ask yourself, what is the lesson in this current challenge? How can I use what I’m learning here to move my business forward?

3.      Be more compassionate with yourself, and allow yourself to feel what you are feeling. Speak to yourself in compassionate ways.

“Of course I’m upset… what I am going through is tough, and it’s understandable to feel frustrated. AND – I acknowledge and congratulate myself for _______________.  I know I am learning a lot right now, and with a little more time and practice I’ll create what I want.”

4.      Focus on WHO you are, not just WHAT you are doing. WHO are you becoming as you pursue your goals? What strengths and qualities do you already possess, and which are you developing?

What you create (results, sales, etc) will come and go – but WHO you become in the process of building your business is the only real and lasting measure of success.

5.      Keep a WIN journal for a minimum of 2 weeks. For 5 minutes a day (or longer if you wish) jot down answers to the following questions:

~Where AM I winning right now?

~What am I really proud of right now?

~WHO am I becoming every day by building my business?

~What can I do to be my own best “cheerleader” right now? How can I be more compassionate and supportive? How can I encourage myself?

It’s natural to feel discouraged when working through business challenges (whether you are male or female!).  I strongly believe, however, that as we learn to silence the “inner critic” and become better cheerleaders to ourselves, women will tap into our real strengths, and easily create the business and lifestyle we deserve.

Comments or questions on this topic? I’d love to hear them…

Or share these tips with your network by clicking on the buttons below.