Flying somewhere in the world almost every weekend, I have learned an important lesson:
Don’t talk to the person sitting next to you!
Why this anti-social choice? On a five or eight hour flight, even on a two-hour flight, you run the real risk of being locked into a one-sided conversation about the other person.
It’s like attending a “Business Networking Meeting”:
Ask someone, “What do you do?” and be prepared for a torrent of verbal trash and unadulterated BS that only stops when the other person decides that you’re not going to buy from him, at which time here turns you off fast, turns his back, and turns on his next unsuspecting victim.
People are Not Interested in You
You should realize that when people ask, “How ya doin’?” they really don’t want an answer. When they inquire about your business, they’re only trying to find out if you will buy their products or services – they’re looking for sales signals or buying signs; they’re prospecting. They are not interested in you, your welfare, or your opinion – unless it leads to buying their stuff.
Why This Poor Behavior is GREAT for You!
Sell, tell, push, and pressure – it’s amazing how so many broke, self-employed salespeople, has-beens and wanna-be’s, think that if they inundate you with enough egotistical, boring, self-aggrandizing information, you’ll eagerly whip out your check book and buy from them. And that, dear reader, is excellent news.
Why?
Because it gives you the opportunity to benefit from this mindless and desperate behavior. It offers you the lucrative opportunity to get people to send you more business than you can shake a stick at, using a simple, yet highly effective approach.
OK, so here is your action plan:
#1 – Only talk with successful people.
First, only talk with successful people who are capable of sending you lots of business, and many, qualified prospects.
#2 – Don’t talk about yourself.
Second, don’t talk about yourself, your products or services, your needs, opinions, or family. Nobody cares. Get used to it.
#3 – Recognize and drop losers fast!
Third, if the person you’re talking to looks at his Blackberry, interrupts you, or answers his phone, drop him like a hot cake. If he’s badly dressed / groomed, or appears arrogant or distracted, move away fast. If he’s a loser, he will refer you to losers.
#4 – ONLY talk about the other person.
Fourth, only talk about him:
- his products
- his family
- his goals
- his challenges
- his pain
- his needs
- his dreams
- his hopes
Dig deep with open-ended, strategic questions to find his Hot Button.
- What keeps him awake at night?
- What are his secret desires and fears?
- What does he want, or want to avoid, most of all?
Sincere, focused attention on him will make him like you and feel connected. Match and model his movements, speed, tone, and personality type to get in harmony with him, without going over the top (he sneezes, swears and burps, so you do, too).
#5 – Find solutions to bring relief for him through other people or their resources.
Fifth, find solutions, bridges, and relief for him through other people or the resources of others. That’s what Joint Venture Brokers do, and we get paid by the businesses providing those solutions. (This is what I specifically teach at our DollarMakers Bootcamps or through the Home Study Course. You can read more about that here.)
We like people who help us, relieve our pain, and protect us, don’t we? We tend reciprocate when people do us favors and make us feel good about ourselves. The more value you can create for the other person (while getting paid for the referrals, of course,) the more likely he is to want to reward and repay us.
#6 – Set up reciprocation (that is also in his favor).
Sixth, after solving his problems, (not before,) alleviating his pain, and making him feel like a million bucks, show his specifically and exactly how he can reciprocate and return the favor, and how that will earn him generous commissions and favors from you that can be applied directly to his previously revealed Hot Button.
This is where you can set up a Referral System, Piggyback Mailing, Host Beneficiary Relationship, Endorsed Mailing, or other Joint Venture, again speaking specifically in the interest of the other person, never your own.
Solve More Problems = Get More Business
Zig Ziglar said:
“You can get anything you want out of life, if you’re prepared to help enough other people to get what they want.”
He didn’t say, “Run your mouth, blow your own trumpet, bore them with your false promises, and they’ll buy from you just to get rid of you.”
Solve the problems of good people and they will send you more business than you can shake a stick at.
Joint Venture Brokers get paid for solving, not selling.
We see every problem and goal as an income source, or dollarmaker. We understand that knowing what someone’s Hot Button is and knowing how to release the resources required to help others get what they want, with no cost or risk, is the way to wealth and strong relationships.
