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

Good points,

No doubt about it, chasing people is never fun, haven't ever done that, but I know plenty of successful people who do. I founded my first business on the opposite of the usual hard sell, and use to push people away, think about, no rush, I will be here when you need your straight answers to your questions and concerns. I called it unselling and it became a huge part of my success as people were not afraid to refer their clients and customers based on how I respected and appreciated their business.

No one likes auto dealers because the sales people are demanded to hard sell, and that turns off most people, so as I hated to be hard sold too, I decided to operate 180 degrees opposite of the normal, so I never chased customers, which in my mind chased many away for good. No one likes to be pressured into a sale, so I don't lead with anything but information, no BS hype over how great my product is, no BS hype over business opportunities, just the facts, low key, no pressure, like it or not, it works for me.

As I learned long ago in the many businesses I have started and continue to start, I lead with ME. lol People like to buy from people they like, trust and respect, PERIOD. Works for me, and it wll work for you, so learn to earn without the hard sell tactics and you will certainly find success.

Success to all,

 

So YagooFT ....

A common theme to many of my posts, is what I call finding and
filling the "gaps" in comments, statements and suggestions that
posters put up.

You posted you don't lead with either the business or the product.
You "unsell" as you said.

You "lead with information .... no BS and no hype." (paraphrased a bit)

Do you see the "gap"?

The gap is .. what are you doing talking to this person in the first place
then? What got you into the conversation? Why are you sharing anything
with this person? What started the process?

Telling people you lead with nothing ... just information .. is fine.

What they are wondering is, what are you talking about then?

Thats the "gap" you need to be filling if you're going to post something
meant to help people move their business forward.

They can't go out into the public .... see someone ... and just walk up
and say, "I'm not going to give you any BS or hype. I'm going to give
you information now. Sit down ... and listen up!"

You get the idea...... so, fill in the Gap here.

 

For me, I think the product comes first - Any prospect that can't connect with the product, may likely find it difficult to connect with the opportunity the product presents.

BUT how you present the product also matters significantly.

However, you may have problem presenting multiple products at the same time - it may make your prospect overwhelmed. In such circumstance, you'll have to segment and target your prospect on product - by- product basis.

Fortunately, in my own MLM Business, we've got ONLY One Powerful Product - with tools to present either the PRODUCT or OPPORTUNITY. as the need may be.

 

Definitely a lot of great responses! I would just like to add and I believe someone did mention it already,

Typically the product sells its self, if they really like it they will definitely buy!

The opportunity is more of if they are in the right mindset/timing for it.

What I've really noticed is people really join people! If they feel comfortable working with you they will definitely join your team! And the best way to accomplish that is to genuinely show that you want to help them out and not make it seem selfish and just want the money. As the saying goes

You really cant say the right thing to the wrong person, but you can never say the wrong thing to the right person!

 

100% truth!!! Also think of this perspective… If the product is amazing, ALL the distributors/leaders that join your team are already getting benefits and their lives are being changed. People join PEOPLE! I run into too many people who message me and ask for help. I usually ask them where their mentor is and many tell me they "didn't know" they needed a good mentor. No wonder failure rates are high. Thank you for your great response!!!

 

I think it depends on the market you are targeting and what your product is. If you are using the product yourself and are seeing positive results, then by just sharing your results and the product, it will lead to new customers and many of those customers will eventually become distributors too once they see the same results.

 

I agree... I will firmly say it's a combination of:
Your personal vibe/attraction + amazing products + great company with benefits = new team members and new customers. See, when you have team members, they are customers as well. When the products are life transforming and not limited to a certain population, you have way more potential to grow. Best wishes!

 

Looks like everyone here has developed an approach that works for them. Not surprisingly, there is no "one size fits all" approach. I do a mix of online and offline marketing. When I'm online, I usually lead with the business opportunity. When I'm offline, I usually lead with the product. That approach works for me. Some products are crap, or overpriced, or similar to things that can be bought at a brick-and-mortar store, so I can understand why, in those cases, leading with the opportunity is the only thing that people ever do. Other times I hear a pitch from someone and I can't even figure out what their product is, so I have to ask them, "What is your actual product?" If your product is solid, your business opportunity is solid, and you can easily transition from one to the other when you are talking to prospects.

 

Actually ....

If you get really good at "being with people" and you're not in a big
hurry to "pounce" with either your product or your opp, you can in
just a few minutes time, learn .... by being interested in them (which
you do by asking key questions).

Their answers will tell you what to lead with and you can't go wrong
because they will have told you exactly what they want to hear.

 

Well I lead with product, as it's all of them at walmart, best buy, Apple, Home Depot, Macys, etc
Over 4,000 stores. Once people see the value in the discount, and that they get a piece of the pie, they understand the value of the biz op.

 

If you have the right mindset and a product that serves a common need,
you can lead with either.

Most new people feel more comfortable leading with the product, but I'll
tell you that you can move faster and get a higher quality audience if you
learn to listen, lead a conversation with good questions and then use the
product ... to lead into a business approach.

Taking the "customer" or "product lead" approach is easy .. but slow.

 

product and opportunity both goes side by side. you have to keep them balanced. Make your product more appealing to the customer group and search for opportunities/customers at the same time. Can be easily done via outclass marketing strategies .

 

Interesting,

I have always preferred leading with the product for your market will be larger than leading with the opportunity. If you have a product or service that everyone already is using, it makes the sale easier. Then if you have a better product or service for less money, then it will sell itself in most cases if presented as a value decision. When selling the opportunity, you really have to be a good salesperson, and most people are not, they hate selling, even when they have a great product or service. So much more difficult selling the income opportunity as you have to not only explain the product or service, then you have to explain the compensation plan, strategies, and depending on what you are selling, explain the benefits of product or service, not as easy as it is to lead with product only.

Once you have a new prospect purchasing your products, then it is easier to step them up to becoming distributor. So in all cases, I lead with product or service of value at a lower price than they are already spending for similar at local retail outlets. Everyone wants to save money, everyone is more concerned about value these days, and yes, some will be interested in earning an extra income, so hands down, lead with the product or service first. Much, much, much easier, especially for the newbies. Sales is not easy for newbies, too much rejection, so always look for the best products at the best price to sell, this is the path to long term success in sales industry.

Success to all,

 

Opportunity for me

 

I usually lead with the opportunity. I can always convert prospects to customers but the other way is much more difficult.

 

Wow!! Amazing responses everyone! I really appreciate all of you taking time to comment. Hopefully your ideas and suggestions will help someone take their business to the next level. Each opportunity has a different marketing message.
Again thanks for all the amazing feedback!

Cheers
Matthew Jamieson

 

Depends, obviously if you don't have a product you believe in and use yourself, then you have no alternative other than to lead with the business opportunity. People can sense if you are truly excited about your product or service, and if you are not, then you are going to have an uphill battle as I have learned. I can tell immediately when a person is not committed to their product or service, and anyone who leads with the opportunity, I simple ignore them and say, no thanks.

Sure, some will fall for the hype of the money or worse, the spillover fairy when it comes to many MLM launches. It all depends, as it always does on what your opportunity is all about, recruiting or selling a good high quality product at a great price, not the usual over priced me too products in MLMland.

Success to all,

 

I interpret the question as "Do you sell first then try to convert your customers to distributors or the other way around?"

We love our products and could sell them to anybody but would rather pitch the business opportunity that the products create.

 

Im with Karina Rosas,
I first look for the how to do,
then i look for a great product but also for the great opportunity.

 

never about the plan, product or company, its about them.
Why did you join,, except for a few circumstances my guess would be a better life