Oliver's Twist - January 11, 2007

Changing Your Script Into A Guideline

I spend a lot of time going over scripts and helping clients convert them to Dialogue Guidelines.

There is a big difference between the two. Scripts tend to be canned and suffocating while Guidelines breathe, allowing your own authenticity to shine through.

Something I find most of the scripts have in common is that, while the first part usually has some general questions, these questions appear random with no understanding as to why they are being asked. The conversation therefore sounds very canned and awkward, just like a telemarketer.

This is a common dilemma that most of my coaching clients are faced with before they come to me.

After this initial general questioning, the scripts will take one of two turns. They either….

1. Go into high gear with lots of presenting and telling wrapped around a "What I'm looking for… " attitude… or
2. Rush the prospective partners to a website or a TeleConference call in the hope that something or someone else is going to persuade them into taking action.

So what can you do if you feel your scripts follow this pattern and you know instinctively they aren't working for you?

If you read my articles regularly, you'll know I'm not a big fan of scripts. They're too rigid and designed for the dehumanizing numbers game approach to selling.

However, I do believe in Guidelines. That's why on page 76 of my book "How To Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety Or Losing Your Friends!" I set out the Natural Selling "Conversation Framework".

The Conversation Framework contains the five stages of a Natural Selling Dialogue and I explain the power and reasons behind asking different types of questions, especially in the Discovering Stage. The Discovering Stage is the second of the five stages and it's where you find out what's important to your potential partner and if there's a fit with your opportunity.

You might find it helpful to think of your dialogues with potential partners as a journey of mutual discovery and the Conversation Framework is the map to guide you. I talk more about how to use this "map" effectively in Chapter 6 of my book.

In the meantime here are some things you can do to personalize your script and start making it into a Natural Selling Guideline.

Focus first on finding out and having a dialogue around these three things..

1. What they are looking for?
2. Why they are looking for it? (This is where the Dialogue will be. Allow them to talk about it by asking MORE questions in the Discovering Stage)
3. What is their level of desire to get it?

When you're satisfied with this, then, and only then, get into more detail about your company.

And by the way, if they ask about the company as you're going through this Natural Selling process of discovery – tell them! Just make sure you keep it short and sweet and don't get caught up in the detail. That can come later when you've completed the discovery process.

To your success...

Michael
MLM Insider #1 Trainer in Network Marketing 2004 and 2005 and author of "How to Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety or Losing Your Friends!" http://www.naturalselling.com/

Feel free to republish this article in your own e-zine or website. Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears: "Reprinted with permission from Michael Oliver, Natural Selling® Sales Training. http://www.naturalselling.com/