I really hope you spend hours learning how to invite, because this is where you get good at network marketing.

I’ve said it for 10 years: you can be terrible at everything else and still earn good money in network marketing if you’re good at inviting. If you can invite well, you can always put prospects in front of good presenters and good trainers.

The word invite in the context that I’m using it is the act of asking someone to do something. Go to a movie, meet for breakfast, watch a video, etc.

In network marketing you’re inviting people to look at either the business or the product or both.

1. Business: This is where you show and educate your prospects about network marketing. Have them really understand and believe in its ability to provide adequate income and time freedom. Then show your product or service. This style is sometimes called “top down” or “business first.”

2. Product: Show your prospects only the product (skin care, nutrition, telephone services, Internet services). After your prospect falls in love with the product they’ll know the business is viable. This style is called “bottom up” or “product first.”

The lack of understanding of these two methods causes much frustration to those of us who are in network marketing and those who are not.

Why are People Confused?
Perhaps the best way for me to explain why the confusion takes place is with an example of a stockbroker. What does the stockbroker sell? You may reply, stocks. Well, not really. What the stockbroker actually sells is that you can make money with a stock. So the money you’ll make is the product. You may have heard this referred to as “marketing intangibles.” This is very much like network marketing because often the presenter prefers to “market the intangible,” i.e., that you can make money. This isn’t necessarily a bad method, unless you’re talking to someone who doesn’t understand this conversation.

Suppose we’re talking to a person who comes from a retail sales background. Let’s say she owns a wax candle shop. If she hears a presenter talking about all the money she can make in network marketing, she’ll constantly be struggling to understand where the money is coming from. Many times these people are walking around after the typical presentation saying, "I don’t get it". The reason she doesn’t get it is because she’s used to holding in her hands the tangible product that makes her the money.

This also works in reverse. If you approach a stockbroker and rub hand lotion on his hands and say, "you can make a lot of money doing this", he won’t get it either. He’ll see it as a little “pretty party thing.” Certainly not something that could create a lot of money.

What’s My Point?
How you invite, whether business first or product first will have much to do with “knowing” your prospect. This is the reason networking with people you know is so effective. This is also why you should master both business and product invitations.

In your network marketing company, take the approach that you’re starting your own company. You need a board of directors. In network marketing we call them leaders.

The most important thing for you to understand at this point is you don’t necessarily have to know these people. You probably won’t. You may personally find these leaders or someone in your organization could lead you to them.

What character traits do you want in your leaders? What character traits do your leaders want in you? Why is this important for inviting?

Eagle Eye
Your greatest asset will become your eagle eye at picking leaders. I’ve not found a better way to teach how to spot a leader than just plain experience. However, you can look for certain traits.

How well you do at inviting will greatly depend on the growth of your communication skills. Most people have difficulty with communication. I did! However, the more I study it, the more I realize that communication is what makes or breaks us in life.

It’s your ability to woo your significant other. It’s your ability to get a job, get a raise, get a promotion, get along with others in the office. The signs on the road are the City communicating with us, giving us driving instructions. Whether written or verbal, communication is life. Don’t most conflicts stem from mis-communications? Ever hear “You don’t understand me?” It’s definitely a skill worthy of much research and study.

Don't Like "Sales?”
Often, when people don’t think they’re good at communication they’ll use the phrase, “I don’t like sales” or “I’m not a sales person.” Sales has nothing to do with it. In fact when you picture a sales person, what you’re picturing is a poor communicator. When you’ve been sold, you knew it. You felt it. When you’re in the presence of a really good communicator you may have bought something, but you were never sold anything.

A good communicator will never sell what his prospect won’t buy. There’s no way they could get there. A good communicator, whether a nurse or a networker listens and helps people get what they want.

That’s all. A nurse has to learn the appropriate questions to ask so he/she can find exactly what the needs of the patient are. They must also learn the appropriate responses to the standard questions and concerns the patient has. A networker also must learn the needed questions and the appropriate responses to common objections so they can help their prospect get what they want.

Qualify or Not
Both of the Invitations below are the truth. Which one do you think will work?

Invitation 1
An invite call asking a girl on a date:
Boy: “I saw you on campus the other day and I’m interested in finding out more about who you are. I grew up in Boston, my parents are from New England. My dad’s in the banking business. I’m studying finance as well. What are your interests? Are you available should I want to marry you? How many kids do you want? I want 3 kids. What’s your religion? Shall we sit down and discuss the possibilities?

Invitation 2
Boy: “I’ve seen you on campus and you seem to be a fun person. I’d like to take you to lunch and get to know you better. How does that sound to you?”

Both have the same purpose in mind for meeting.

The argument in this industry is which one is better? People who are pro invitation #1 will tell you that they’re pre-qualifying their prospects. So they’re not wasting their time on people who don’t qualify. The outcome was that this guy had to make 72 calls to get a girl to say “sure, why not.”
The outcome was 72 calls = 1 date.

People who are pro invitation #2 will say that you sit down for lunch and you put your agenda aside and you just talk and be friendly. You listen to them. Find out what their needs and desires are. Help them get it.

The outcome was, she isn’t interested in going out with you but she thinks you’re a great guy and has 3 roommates and 2 sisters who she wants to set you up with.
The outcome was 1 meeting = 5 dates.

I’m suggesting to you that invitation #1 is “sales” and that invitation #2 is “networking.”

I’ve heard distributors invite people to look at network marketing much like invitation #1. I’m not kidding. To show you, pick up a tape recorder and record yourself. Even though you know you’re recording what you say, your conversations will still resemble invitation #1. Example: “My company does this, I’m making x amount of money, my company has this, and I have this, etc...

Please understand that if you’re working in the "cold market" you need to do a little qualifying. When I’m working with an inbound call, I find it to be the only way to cut through the riff raff.

Purpose Behind Ever Running Advertisements
My whole purpose in running an ad is to find someone in transition. Some people are in transition because they’re lazy. Some people are in transition because they’ve been caught by circumstance (i.e. their corporation was sold, department eliminated, etc.). They’re the ones I’m after! Once I find them I try to get to know them very well. Devote myself to him or her and truly help them build an organization utilizing people they know.

I was recently in a boardroom of a non-network marketing company where this corporation was trying to evaluate the value of one of the partners. The absolute number one most important thing that gentleman brought to the table was his “contacts.” This placed his valuation at approximately $10 million dollars.

Networking is a very profitable industry to know. I commend your willingness to study it. Be a student of this inviting subject forever, but don’t wait more than a week before doing it, even if it’s just tiny steps.

Below are some example scripts that I’ve used. They use both invitation #1 and #2. Enjoy.

Watch a Video
This is my favorite. It’s both effective and efficient.

You: "Jeff, this is ___, I need your help. A very intriguing business has come across my desk recently. Quite honestly it’s gotten me excited. Jeff, I'd like to send you some of the information and get your feedback and hopefully your help. “What’s your address(or)Is your address still ____?.”

*If they ask for more information right then say:

You: “I’m sure you’ve got questions and I definitely want to give you answers, but it’s the big picture that I want you to see. Not bits and pieces. That’s what’s in the video I’m sending you. I’m going to run this to the post office right now (or) call FedEx right now so you can get this right away. Jeff, promise me this video is not going to sit on your counter top…that you’ll watch it right away. Will you? Great. So let’s talk ____ (Tuesday).”

Listen to an Audio

You: "I have the inside track on a solid way to make serious money. You need to hear this. Listen to this audio and let me know if any lights come on."

You: “Hi Jeff, this is Mark, do you have a minute or did I get you at a bad time?”

Jeff: “No, I have a minute.”

You: “Great, I only have a minute myself...
I'm working on a side business project related to __________(fitness, technology, telephony etc). Are you familiar with the growth that's taking place with this industry?”

Jeff: “Sure!”

You: “Let me ask you a question. If the money was right and it didn't jeopardize your career, would you be open to a business idea that would allow you to take advantage of this positioning?”

Jeff: “Yes!”

You: “Great, does it make sense to get together and go through some of the details?”

Jeff: “Sure!”

You: “Are you open minded when it comes to business? ___. Good, listen to this audio and let me know if you see dollar signs.”

Hotel Meeting

You: “Do you have your calendar in front of you?”

Jeff: “Yeah, go ahead”

You: “How does Monday night look for you?”

Jeff: ”That works.”

You: “Great, meet me at the East-Gate Marriott at 6:45... do you know where that is?”

Online Movie or Presentation

You: “Hey Ted, a business colleague showed me something I want you to see. What is your email address? I’ll send it over to you right away. It will take you about 20 minutes to go through it and I believe you’ll find it very valuable.”

Send them either “What the Wealthy Buy on Pay Day” or “Brilliant Compensation.”

OR

You: "Mark, I surfed into something you’ve just got to see. Are you on the web right now? If so, what’s your email address and I’ll hurry and send it over your way. Be watching your email for a message from me.

OR

After creating an interest in your company's products or service say something like:

You: "John, what we need to do first is get you some information that will explain how we're taking our products to the market. After that we'll be able to have a more intelligent conversation. You use the Internet right? Well write this down... better yet, can you log on now?"