A client said to me the other day, "I can't seem to get people to show up to my online presentations after they tell me they will be there." His prospects seemed excited about seeing the information, but never took the next step.

How many times does that happen to you when you are prospecting? You feel like you do a great presentation and the prospect says they are eager to learn more about your opportunity and then they fall off the face of the earth. You probably have GREAT CDs, online presentations, printed literature, flash presentations, Web sites and emails. So why do people still not show up when they say they will?

I ask you to think a little deeper about the process that you are taking a prospect through. Most networkers are so eager to tell a prospect about their opportunity that they miss the most critical (and simplest) step in the exposure process:

KNOWLEDGE OF OUR INDUSTRY!

Does the prospect even know what network marketing, MLM, direct sales or consumer-direct marketing is all about?

The reality is most prospects choose not to follow-up with you or go through your exposure process simply because they do not understand the industry. So most will give you an excuse about why they are not interested.

And you can, in turn, take those excuses and turn them into your own:

• It is not the right time for the prospect

• The leads must be bad ones

• The prospect has no clue

• The prospect probably doesn't have money to invest

• I only call twice and if they don't call back I move on

• They probably weren't the right person for my business anyway

• The prospect doesn't want to sell anything

Sound familiar?

OR you can actually take those excuses and build a 6-figure residual income organization. If you can uncover your prospect's level of knowledge about the industry, you can build a more solid relationship with them, bring them into your business, and develop the type of organization that gets you closer to that 6-figure residual income.

Instead of looking at "objections" as a dismissal of your opportunity, look at them as requests for more knowledge about network marketing and your opportunity. Find out what your prospects need to know and you'll be very impressed with the results that show up in your checks.

Try not to rush to qualify a prospect, because you may be overlooking that "diamond in a rough." Yes, a prospect may make an emotional decision to join your opportunity, but how long will they typically stay with your opportunity if they don't understand what Network marketing is about? If they understand the Network marketing business model, you will notice that they stay in the game a lot longer.

The Network Marketing Business Model is AWESOME!

So how do you find out what a prospect's knowledge of the network marketing industry is? Try this simple approach the next time you pick up the phone to dial a prospect.

Sample Script

Hello, may I speak to (prospect)?

Hi, (prospect), my name is (your name) and I am calling from (your company or team). How are you today? (Prospect), I am calling because I recently received your name from Cutting Edge Media and I understand at one point in time you may have considered having your own home-based business or simply working from home to earn some extra money.

I called for two reasons. First, I simply wanted to introduce myself to you and second I wanted to see how your search is coming along. (Prospect), how is your search going currently?

Ask the following questions after they tell you how their search is coming along:  

• Have you checked out other companies?

• What did you like or dislike about the companies?

• What kind of products or services do they offer?

• How do you define the network marketing industry?

• Do you have past experience in the industry?

Dig deep, you will be amazed at how much you learn about the prospect and where that knowledge will lead you.

Once you focus on your prospect's knowledge and can meet them on their level:  

• You will gain control of the conversation

• Your nervousness will disappear because you will know how to handle the prospect

• You will know where to direct the prospect to learn more about your company

• You will not sound like the other 10 networkers who called them

• You will begin to build a true relationship with the prospect

• Your prospect will begin to feel you really do care if things are progressing for them

• You will slow down your qualification process and actually find the "diamonds in the rough"

• The 800 lb. phone will become light as a feather

Understanding your prospect's knowledge about the industry will truly give you a clearer perspective of your prospects. It will put you in control of your phone conversations and business growth - and the size of your checks.

INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS!

Scott Adams is the founder of www.Leads2YourSuccess.com, which provides focused training for home-based business owners.