What do you lead with? Your product or your opportunity?

The choice to lead with your product or opportunity would greatly depend on your prospect, and the conversation at hand. For example, if you're telling friends how much weight you have lost using "XYZ" product and this peaks interest and questions; probably not a good idea to throw out your opportunity first. However, many prospects are attracted to the MLM profession because of the opportunity to generate a side income. Let's say your prospect is struggling financially and is searching for a solution.

In this case your focus should be concentrated on the opportunity and not so much the products. If you bombarded these prospects with how wonderful your products are and why they should be using them, they may see this as another expense and not a solution to their financial burden.

Don't be afraid to ask your prospects what interested them the most about your company? Their answers will lead you to the best approach.

 

I'm new to this, but so far I have been leading with the product. Most people I encounter are negative towards MLM's. So, I build up the valuable product, explain it well, and then lead into the business side of the company. Even if I know they might be interested in the business from the outset, I start with the product. After all, it's what they are going to have to convince someone to buy.

 

topmlmpro... I gotta go with what Adrian said. Lead with value. There is SO much noise out there... "My product is better than their product." "My plan is better than your plan." We're like a bunch of speed daters trying to "pick up" the next big thing. All of the above statements are from the "seller's" perspective. We have to get better, as an indusrty, at approaching th process from the perspective of the prospect, the potential customer... The 'date', from the analogy above. We must become problem solvers, detectives. We have to ask questions to find the pain and offer a solution to solve their pain. We must become true networkers. In other words we must engage our networks. Even if we don't gain the person as our newest recruit, or sell them a bottle of whatever. If we don't have what they need, but can put them in touch with someone who does, we have gained a potential friend. We may not get invited to their kids Birthday Parties, but I guarantee they will remember what we did for them. They will be compelled to reciprocate and will very likely send referrals to us.

 

Hello everyone I am new here and would just love to connect with business minded people. I am very successful online to be my age but I can still learn a lot more from a lot of different folks.

 

So true! First off always listen to people's stories. It will give you some clues as to what they are really seeking and why. Offer them a solution to fix their problem or add value to their lives.

 

I agree with FreeCashMan.... It depends on where I'm marketing, who I am speaking to.

Is my audience looking for a way to make income, a business opportunity? or am I speaking to people who are looking for a solution to a problem, or have a need that my product can fulfill?

 

It depends on what the product is and how passionate you are about the product. If you wholeheartedly believe that the product will help someone—lead with the product. If the product is truly unique and sells itself then letting it lead will be most successful. Thereafter, the opportunity will naturally fall in place.

 

Most of the time I lead with the opportunity. However there are times where leading with the product (from a customer standpoint) has been more successful. I think the key here is to really listen to the prospect and figure out what the best way for you to serve them will be.

 

Age old question in marketing, product or opportunity, but without the product, there is no opportunity. Leading with the opportunity is the wrong strategy in my opinion for what good is an opportunity without a product or service. You have to have a product of value, high quality, unique if possible, patented if possible, and if you do, success will be easy regardless of the opportunity side of equation.

How many others can sell the opportunity, that is the question. Selling the opportunity will often lead to attrition when your new recruits don't even break even, and quit within three months in most cases. Attrition is a killer, and selling the opportunity is like selling a gift box with nothing in it. You have to have a product people want and need, and if possible, are already using similar product so you do not need to sell a new concept. Most people are not good at selling, so your product or service should do the selling for you based on positive results and saving them money over what they were already spending, so if you think leading with the opportunity is correct strategy, think again.

Success to all,

 

Neither - I first work on earning their trust, then see what issues they have, then I go for the product or opportunity, based on the needs of the initial contact.

 

I think we did like most people at first (without much luck!) but these days my wife and I always lead with a very simple, casual offer to watch a free info video that can improve peoples's situation or at least help them understand the problem better (relating to the specific product we're selling, e.g. a weightloss how-to video to lead on to our weight-loss products) — then the Trellis system does the rest mostly — filtering, educating and 'selling' for us, so we just end with hot leads asking for the product.

Both my wife and I are quite shy, so this approach was a god-send... It also means we can reach a lot more people in a lot less time and don't waste additional time romancing dead ends!

 

If I can show you a way to help others, get healthy and make some money would you take a look?
Thats my intro and it works. Don't have to mention the product it takes care of itself. The best way to
suceed is to help enough people get what they want and you will get what you want. See you at the top.
Life unlimited.

 

As time passes, some things never change, and that is what you want to focus on. Certainly, I still like to focus on the product or service rather than the opportunity, but hey, imagine if you had the best products at the best prices and the best opportunity for success. Oh, I must be dreaming. lol

No doubt if you had all three attributes, best products, best prices and best opportunity, it would be a dream come true. Over the years having researched hundreds of home based business opportunities, I have always dreamed of finding the best of all home businesses, and have come close a few times, but sadly, most just missed the mark, most due to poor management, so now having learned this lesson the hard way, I look for top notch management too. So now the perfect opportunity has the best products, best prices, best opportunity and the best management team.

Are there any home businesses which can meet this high criteria? A few, but sadly, very few as I have learned, but hey, I am always researching new companies looking for the best to add to my portfolio strategy of building several long term residual incomes in the home business arena.

Success to all,

 

I don't lead with product or opportunity. Rather I find out what problem or concern the individual I am talking with has and then I find the answer to that question for him. It may be with product (in my case low-cost travel) or it may be in building a business or it may be in helping other people reach heights they never dreamed of. It is our job to HELP the person we are trying to "sell." That is true MARKETING!

 

You Lead With Neither My Friend!

You always lead with value, always!

" People don't join opportunities/products, they join people! "

What is your target markets current problems they face on a consistent basis?

Find out their problems and look for solutions to share with these people.... Use attraction marketing instead of being a pitchy sales person..

Your success is a direct reflection of how many people you help succeed.

To your unlimited success,

 

Whether I lead with the service or the opportunity depends on the person I am talking to. Sometimes I don't lead with either....and I think that's what we forget sometimes. We are so eager to make a new contact that we don't stop and take the time to simply connect with a new person. Perhaps we don't even get their contact information or perhaps we do; but, just because we didn't get a chance to pitch our service or our business opportunity right then, doesn't mean it won't present itself later. In fact, I have found that it naturally comes around later on at a more opportune time and the person is more susceptable to listening after having taken several days, weeks, months, to get to know them, build some rapport, and understand how we can truly help them to achieve their dreams.

 

This is an older post, but people keep commenting, so I wanted to revive it

I ALWAYS lead with ME! I brand myself and my team!!! Yes, the products are amazing and the company is a vehicle that helps achieve financial goals...but it is the power of the team that people invest in, the training and mentoring and the tight support! At least in our case and I will tell you, I have the BEST team in the whole wide world!

 

The age old question.... what to lead with.

Again, this is 20 years at this talking, so take it with a grain of salt as they say

It depends on .... do you want to crawl your way to the top or SPRINT.

I'll let you consider that for a minute while I clear up something. You don't want
to run around being the "Pitch Person" people want to steer clear of because
you're running aroung looking for anyone that can fog a mirror to pitch your
deal to as long as they're standing there

BUT .... you have only so much time, energy, money, time, energy, money .. right?

Take a look at your company's pay plan. WHERE ARE YOUR BEST BONUSES
at for paying you what we call "Now Money" on a weekly basis?

My guess? It's in the Fast Start bonuses or "Pack Bonuses" .. right?

Why? Because that is what drives CASH FLOW.

It's also what drives RANK ADVANCEMENT.

So, if you don't mind a "slow stroll to the top" ... you can do that.

If you want to sprint to the top ... you can do that too.

YOU WILL DO EITHER ONE THE SAME WAY.

Here it is. Whether it's buying leads, finding people in grocery stores,
meeting them on an airplane, running ads .... here it is.

You will ENGAGE THEM IN A CONVERSATION where you will
ask questions. Rapport building questions. Discovery questions.
Questions about their life, needs, desires. Got it?

BUT YOUR QUESTIONS ... will be tailored to either discovering a
desire to build INCOME ... or for "feeling better" or "losing weight"
or "saving money" or .... whatever your product or service is.

And you will LEAD with THAT. Based on what your QUESTIONS
are designed to bring out.

TIP: If you make the choice to build questions around looking for
NEW DISTRIBUTORS ... you will still find CUSTOMERS.

But you will be RUNNING to the top.

If you go after customers ... you will walk to the top.

It's a LOT easier to step a person down to customer than to try
and jack them UP to distributor.

Based on your questions .... will determine which one you're doing.

Have fun with it... try both.

You'll figure it out too.

 

Very true! What a valuable asset you are to the forum!!! Love it! A company is just a vehicle, and it is always amazing to have a top of the line vehicle, but what sells even more is the culture created within the team, the relationships, the vision! Anyone's strong vision will sell better than any company product!

 

I appreciate the kind words.