Quote:
Originally posted by Dionysus
What do you tell (or do for) potential new members to convince that your organization is superior to others?
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You don't tell prospects that your organization is superior. You make the prospects comfortable with your group, and invite them to select functions where your GLO is doing its thing. Most people join a group because a few people (actually, its usually just one person) made a connection with the prospect.
Recruitment is sales, but its not a fast paced, rapid-fire type of sales. Its low intensity, but involves a lot of follow up and perseverance.
Keep in mind that successful salesmen never rely on magic closing lines. Its about going through the 5 steps of a sale. If you're selling personal electronics behind a counter, you can go through the 5 steps in 10-20 minutes. If you're selling an upscale product, the 5 steps might take 2-3 weeks. If you're going to properly sell your group to prospects, you might be able to do it in a night, but that's not likely. People who join a GLO after knowing its members for a few hours are more likely to depledge, or not be very active. This is usually because the group did not go through the 5 steps of a sale.
Step 1: Opening the Sale/ Introduction/ Establishing Rapport
Closing a sale is very over rated. If you go through all of the steps correctly, the prospect often closes the sale for you. How you start the process is critical, and it is far more important than closing a sale. So, what do you do in this stage? You establish rapport. You talk about anything except what you trying to sell. This is where you get the prospect comfortable with you, and its also where you sell yourself.
Step 2: Qualify the Customer
This is where you ask a lot of questions, and do a lot of listening to see if the prospect is qualified to buy a product. This is where needs are probed with questions. These questions are known as "qualifying questions." Sometimes this is about money. No money? You're probably not qualified to buy a Ferrari. Sometimes this has nothing to do with money. You're a professional orchestral conductor, and you love to listen to music at home? You're probably not qualified to buy Bose, and will have to cough up the cash for a real stereo so that you'll enjoy your purchase. You're a man? You probably aren't qualified for a hysterectomy. You're a man? You probably can't pledge that sorority colony that just started up. You like everyone in XYZ, and you meet the membership requirements? You are qualified to join, and you should!
Step 3: The Presentation
At this point, you've established rapport, and you asked important qualifying questions. Now you present the product. This is where you use a technique called FAB (feature/advantage/benefit.) If you were selling discmen, and your showcase had 30, you would now be able to select a few and present them. The prospective client would not feel like you you were just trying to make a sale because you asked the right questions, and listened to the answers. You might FAB a product by saying "this has Feature X (feature) which is different (advantage) than the competition's Feature Y because you will experience (benefit) more bass. In the case of a GLO, you would present the virtues of your organization, by FABing them, so that you could go to the next step. I wouldn't refer to a feature of my GLO as a "feature." I would use a phrase like "great thing" instead. So, a FABing your GLO might go like this, "A great thing (feature) about XYZ is that, unlike other groups (advantage), you get to know MEEEEE!!!!!! (benefit)" Or, better yet, FAB your group against being an independent. This works especially well if the prospect is comfortable with several members, and may feel like formally joining is not needed. "A great thing about XYZ is our alumni network (feature). This makes it so much easier (advantage) to get a good job (benefit), anywhere in the Country, when you graduate."
Step 4: The Demonstration
If you were selling discmen, you could now demonstrate a few models. You would use methods like "predict and prove" where you tell the prospect what will happen, demonstrate the product, and then the magic happens. You said that feature X would produce more bass, and it does. It took you 10 minutes. You now have credibility, and (because you established rapport) the prospect likes you. The prospect will now probably follow your recomendation. Try demonstrating your GLO in 10 minutes. It can't be done. Try doing it in one night. Almost impossible. If you're going to effectively demonstrate your product, and its a GLO, you will have to take more time. The amount of time that is needed will depend on the prospect, but it will probably take any where from 2-3 days to a few months. The longer this process takes, if its done properly, the more likely the prospect will join when asked. Its also more likely that the prospect will become an involved member. So, "predict and prove" with a GLO might go something like, "we're going to have a car wash, raise some money for a charity, and have a great time doing it." The prospect participates, is one of 10 people who spend 3 hours to raise $80, and has a great time.
Step 5: Closing the Sale
Now you're ready to ask for the sale. In fact, you deserve the right to ask for it. You've done everything. There are no magic closing lines. You don't have to tell prospects anything to convince them that they should join. If they haven't asked you yet, ask them to join. Closing a sale is the easiest thing in the world to do if you've followed all of the proper steps.
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