Things to do Before An Event
Over the next few days I'll be posting the sections of my special report "How to Make the Most of the Holiday Season With Natural Selling". Here's the first part dealing with what you can do to prepare before an event.
Some preparation before the event will pay you dividends.
Your Personal Introduction
I've talked before about the best way to respond when someone asks you the question
"What do you do for a living?"
Rather than respond with your job description ("I'm an office administrator" or "I'm in the health and wellness industry"), which probably won't mean very much to the other person, use what I call your Personal Introduction.
Let me illustrate with an example. If someone asks, "What do you do?" you could respond with something like this…
"You know how people nowadays are finding it harder to get ahead, what with corporate downsizing, the lack of job security and the higher cost of living?"
"Well, what I do is help them set up their own business, so they can start taking care of themselves and their families once again."
Then finish with asking a question like…
"Let me ask you, what do you do?"
The "mechanics" of the Personal Introduction are
• Problem (e.g. Job downsizing, Lack of Job Security, Lack of Free Time)
• Solution ("Well, what I do is help people…")
• Question (Put the focus back on the other person…"What do you do?")
So, before an event make sure you've reviewed your personal introduction so you can reply easily and naturally when someone inevitably asks you the question "What do you do?"
Replace Your Personal Agenda With Your PURPOSE
If we agree that the purpose of a business is to help other people solve their problems, then selling can be viewed as a 'Problem Solving Exercise', not as a telling and persuading exercise as the current and old paradigm is taught.
Being on Purpose then, is using Dialogue to simply Discover if the person you're talking with has any problems you might be able to help them solve.
If they do, and you can help them with your solution, you will achieve your Personal Agenda (what you want).
It comes from a place of exploring if there is a need and if you can help, not from a place of trying to sell something.
In my 25 years of experience, having been there and done that, I can assure you this process will eliminate any anxiety about talking with people. It is the FASTEST way to qualify them and move your business forward.
Have a Plan!
Review what it is that you want to achieve from the event. If you decide that you want to talk with 5 new contacts, then have that in mind.
Some questions that you might want to ask yourself:
• Who do I want to meet?
• Is there anyone I have to meet?
• What kind of questions can I ask them?
Decide to Enjoy the Event!
If you're dreading a particular function, what do you think is likely to happen? It's going to be terrible! You seem to get what you expect! So, decide that you are going to enjoy yourself.
Put yourself in the right frame of mind. One of the best ways I have discovered to do this is decide that you're not going to talk about yourself, and instead ask others about themselves! You'll soon find that most people are looking, to a greater or lesser degree, to achieve the vision or better health that you have within your power to help them achieve.
This is another benefit of focusing on your purpose!
Business Cards!
Finally, make sure you've got business cards on hand. Don't hand them out straight away unless it's appropriate (at some business functions, for example). However, you do want to be prepared.
The next part will cover what to do at the event itself.
