UnitCoach

Imagine that you finally have a day all to yourself, some money to spend just on you, and a spring in your step as you walk through the mall, intent on reaching your very favorite clothing store. You come upon it and notice there is nothing in the window. How odd. You step inside and find…nothing.
No clothes hanging on the racks.
No mannequins.
No shoes.
Just a big, empty store.

You can almost hear an echo as you call out, “hello?”

Over by the check out counter you see one saleswoman - nervous, shy, and almost hoping you won’t come over. She has a few samples that you can try on - a sweater (not in your size), a skirt (not your color) and a pair of shoes (wrong size, wrong color, AND wrong height!).

She also has a catalog of all the things the store would carry if it could “afford” to have inventory. You can order things from the catalog but then you’ll have to wait to get them. You may just decide to walk out and never return again.

How do you feel, as the customer, at this moment?

I would feel extremely dissapointed and even a little angry. Part of the fun of shopping, of pampering myself, is to walk out of the store with my purchases in hand. I want to wear them today, not in two weeks. We as women are very tactile. Watch women shop and you will notice that, in general, we will walk through any store feeling the fabric, running our fingers over the shoes, trying on the jewelry. We like to look at, feel, smell, try on, and “own” a product before we purchase it.

Growing research indicates that while over 50% of the people who purchase online are women, many of them buy online only AFTER they have actually seen a product “live and in person.”

Paint this “empty store” picture for your new consultant. Ask her how she would feel standing in the middle of that vast, open space surrounded by a few token items. Then paint her a new picture - one of a store teaming with shoppers, standing three deep at the check out, arms loaded with purchases, adding “upsell” items while they wait.

This is the picture she must hold with her when you discuss the importance of inventory. No consultant serious about her business, who wants to succeed and succeed fast, who wants to earn back their investment in just a few months, would come in with inventory under $2000.

Which store does she want? The one with tons of merchandise and exponential profit that offsprings stores to mall after mall?

Or the one that goes bankrupt in two months?

She says she can’t afford to have inventory? She can’t afford not to!

Now go have a POWERFUL day!
- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach

So you think you hate sales and you’re no good at it. Or perhaps recruiting (which is also sales) feels too “pushy.” You don’t like trying to convince someone to do something they don’t want to.

Then stop!

Where on earth did you get the idea that sharing the opportunity was about hogtying some poor unsuspecting soul, throwing them over your shoulder, and dragging them into a happy life? Did someone along the way tell you that you had to convince, connive, cajole, arm-twist, lie, fib, leave out details, put on a fake voice and a phony expression and do your level best to force someone into a decision to join the company?

There are two ways to look at recruiting. The first makes you feel like you are doing something smarmy and underhanded; that you are on one side of the table and your prospect is on the other side of the table and it’s a big game of chess. Your prospect becomes your opponent and your mission becomes the defeat of all her objections until there are none left and she simply surrenders out of exhaustion. This is the mindset of scarcity and competition. A winner and a loser. A victim and a victor.

The second way to look at recruiting is through a mindset of abundance (there is plenty to go around) and collaboration (we are in this together).

Now don’t discount the enormity of the difference between the two - it is huge. A chasm in fact.

If I showed you a gathering of 100 women and told you to go convince ten of them to join, it might seem like a daunting task. But if I told you that there were ten women in that group that didn’t need convincing, they just needed to hear about the opportunity and they would jump at the chance to join, and all you had to do was go and find out which ten they were, could you do that? Of course you could (and I probably couldn’t stop you!)

That’s what recruiting is all about. It’s not about convincing women to do something they don’t want to do. It’s about finding the ones that want to do what you have to offer.

You simply need to sort them out.

Now go have a POWERFUL day!
- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach

Your prospective Consultant wants a better life and work she can love, but she will often have objections to starting. These objections are very real concerns for her. She may be scared, overwhelmed, or too bogged down in life “stuff” to see a clear picture of her future. You can help her make a life-changing decision by thinking of her objections as ‘clues.’

When she objects to any part of becoming a Consultant, she is giving you a hint, a clue, a secret into what is holding her back. Acknowledge her objection and then follow it with a question that targets her concern.

Remember, the average consultant will stop at the first “no,” the successful one will keep asking questions.

1. Objection: “I don’t have time.”

Possible responses:
“What would you do if your work gave you MORE free time?”
“Perfect! The best consultants were always way too busy to start!”
“Then let me show you how to get ahead of your busy schedule.”

2. Objection: “I can’t afford it.”

Possible responses:
“We all have the money we need for what we really want. What do you want that financial independence will bring you?”
“Perfect! Let’s first start working on getting you a financial reserve!”
“No problem. Let me show you how you can make twice your investment in the first 30 days!”
“What would have to happen for you to afford it?”
“Let’s look at the difference between what it costs and what it’s worth.”

3. Objection: “I’ve already got a job.”

Possible responses:
“What is your job not giving you that this opportunity will?”
“Do you have a financial goal or problem that would benefit from immediate extra income?
“Wonderful! That will provide a terrific cushion until you become financially independent.”

The key is to listen to the objection and use it to ask another targeted question that will address every one of her concerns.

There is a woman sitting at a bus stop. It’s a hot day and there is very little shade. She sits facing the oncoming traffic and is very, very busy….waiting. You pull up to the bus stop in a long, white stretch limousine. Your limo stops and you open the door.

You call out to her, “I’m going your way, would you like to ride in the limo?”

“No thanks,” she answers, “I’m waiting for the bus.”

“Yes, but the bus might not come, and even if it does, it’s an awfully long, uncomfortable ride to your destination. Come join me in the limo, it’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

“No thanks,” she says again, “I’m waiting for the bus.”

You are now absolutely baffled. It seems almost ridiculous that she wouldn’t take the limo ride. Can’t she see what a wonderful opportunity it is for her? Can’t she see that she will get to her dream destination so much faster and better? What’s wrong with her?

Nothing. She’s just not ready to change.

So you get out of the limo, sit with her awhile, explain all the features of the limo and all the benefits of the ride. You tell her how much better her life will be in the limo. You pour out your heart and soul and tell her all about the day you were sitting at a bus stop and your limo pulled up. You point out other women in other limos who are laughing and enjoying life and heading to their dream destination. And she still says, “no.”

In the meantime, another limo passes by the two of you and pulls up to the next bus stop down the road. The woman at that bus stop is ready for a limo…and she gets in.

You see, you can not actually motivate another person. You can only create an opportunity for her to motivate herself.

You can not make her want something. She has to want it all on her own.

When you offer the Mary Kay® opportunity to another woman, you are giving her an incredible gift. A chance to change her life. It is insulting to your business to beg someone to be a part of it. You don’t have to convince anyone of the amazing opportunity you have to share with them, you just have to share it.

Those women who choose to get in the limo will flourish. The others are waiting for a bus. If you spend time convincing them to get in the limo you will miss out on meeting the women who will. Close the door, let them go, and move on down the road.

Now go have a POWERFUL day!
- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach