Effective Prospecting In Network Marketing

Prospecting is defined as the act of looking forward to/expecting/anticipating a potential buyer or customer and it involves mental consideration.  Effective prospecting is expecting/anticipating a potential buyer or customer more effectively (i.e. in a way to avoid loss or waste; to gain a desired effect).   The question here is: How do you find your prospects to build your network marketing business?  Are you prospecting and doing so effectively?  Are you looking for, considering your prospects OR are you in front of anyone and everyone?  That is not effective prospecting.  Are you approaching your Warm Market: i.e. family, friends, neighbors, etc. and asking or even begging them to listen to you?  If so, this is not effective prospecting.  Are you making that list of 100 people without going through a mental process of considering their needs?  This is not effective prospecting.

When I started in network marketing a few years ago, I reached out to my cold market (my warm market being short lived) by placing small, inexpensive ads in local papers or handing out business cards and brochures and I followed-up with appointments...on the average 1 in 20 of my contacts.  Then travelling to the appointed destination to meet with my "potential prospect", I would expound on my opportunity, educate him/her on my product, and proceed to convince him/her that what I had was what they needed.  An hour or two and a few cups of coffee (on me) later I was on my way home or perhaps to another such appointment.  I spent 50-80 hours reaching out in this manner before obtaining ‘a' customer or enrolling ‘a' Rep.  Does this sound at all familiar?  Believe me, this is not effective prospecting!

Fortunately, I was introduced to the Art & Science of Marketing (but not after struggling for 3 years) and learned to ‘target' my prospects:  to look for/consider individuals that had a need, want, and desire for what I had.  I learned that effective prospecting had nothing to do with convincing.  For sure Effective Prospecting scrapped what my company was heralding: "Everyone who breathes is your market!"  Does this sound familiar?  Well, it is absolutely false! 

By implementing effective prospecting along with the most economical marketing tool on the planet today...the phone, I find hundreds of targeted prospects to talk to every day.  Given that two hour scenario above, I now dial, connect with, and close a true prospect into my business every 7 to 8 hours and you can too.  Effective prospecting is simple.  It is not only effective in terms of your time, but also your money and energy.  Time is money and, for me, my time is precious!

Effective prospecting is the difference between someone purchasing and someone not giving a hoot about your product.  Effective prospecting results in the right individuals joining your business each and every week versus monthly.  Effective prospecting has everything to do with the right message to the right person and making a connection.  Effective prospecting is about qualifying an individual for what you have and how you can help them.  Effective Prospecting is key to building a network marketing business with ease and confidence...ultimately resulting in success.