Our company recently held it’s annual convention. There were some sessions that I didn’t get to see right when they happened. So, I have been periodically logging into our virtual learning platform to watch the replays of some that catch my eye. One of the speakers was an Infectious Disease Doctor in addition to being a business owner. She spoke about mindset, authenticity, awareness, emotion, and judgement as keys to prospecting in everyday life. Though Entrepreneur.com defines “Prospecting” as The search for Potential Customers or Buyers; I believe the following tips on prospecting hold true for anyone, in any industry, offering any product, service, or business opportunity.

MINDSET

No matter how great your product or service is or how much you love it, all your prospect is wondering is how your product/service/business opportunity is going to affect THEM. Make the shift to always be thinking how will your product or service help THEM, how will your business impact THEIR lives? Keep a T.I.N.Y. mindset when talking to others. (T.I.N.Y. -Their Interests Not Yours.)

AUTHENTICITY

“Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand. They listen with the intent to reply.” (2).png

Be authentic and listen authentically. Trust is built on a lot of small moments. The more people see the real you, the more you will resonate with them and the more they will trust you. You are also building trust by meeting people where they are and understanding their situation. Listen to understand so they trust you have their needs in mind. As Stephen R. Covey says, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Build trust by authentically listening with the intent to understand their situation.

AWARENESS

People are really busy. You may be impatiently thinking that it’s been soooo long since someone responded to your correspondence but it likely hasn’t been all that long. The busy lives of the person receiving your correspondence may make it seem as if they just got that from you. They aren’t living in your timeline. Your business and product may be a HUGE priority for you but for them it’s not likely as important. Be aware of their realities and adjust your activity accordingly. It's also important be be aware of your own body language to ensure that your body and your message are communicating the same message.

EMOTION

TWO WAYS TO LEAD AND CLOSE CONFIDENTLY (4).png

People get emotionally attached to responses to their offer, causing feelings of self-doubt or negative self-talk which in turn halt forward movement. Years ago when I first started my business I heard this story about a waitress offering coffee and it’s stuck with me ever since: Think of a waitress in a restaurant. If the waitress comes around asking if you want coffee does she cry and become emotionally distraught because you told her NO? Of course not, she just comes back around awhile later and simply offers you coffee again. You either want the coffee or ya don’t. Emotionally detach yourself from the outcome. NO doesn’t mean “I don’t like you.” or “You’ve made a bad decision”. NO simply means not right now.

JUDGEMENT

Have you ever heard the saying “You can’t judge a book by it’s cover.” Who hasn’t right!?! Same goes with prospecting. Your job isn’t to decide ahead of time who will benefit from your offer. Your job is to share information. It’s up to the prospect to decide if it’s right for them.

Example: Full-time Working Mom VS Person With Tons of Sales Experience
A full-time working mom may be super busy with a ton on her plate but she may have a really strong “why” or reason for starting her own side business. That mom’s “why” may drive her to success way faster than someone who has a ton of sales experience but lacks motivation to drive their business forward.

Old School Modern Mama,