Handling objections in network marketing is a skill you must master if you want to succeed in MLM and this Guide will you become a master at overcoming objections.
I cover how to handle over 25 network marketing objections that you'll face.
Outline: Objection Handling Network Marketing Tips
Objections Are Actually a GOOD Thing
Objections are a good thing because they show that people are paying attention.
If someone raises an objection, it means they’re at least considering what you’re sharing!
Think about it.
The President of the United States isn’t going to give you an objection because he’s not even listening to you!
But if someone has an objection, it means they’re engaged!
This guide will show you master objection handling in network marketing and help you become a top recruiter.
What's Worse Than Objections
You should be welcome and be ready for handling objections in network marketing because no one ever signs up without any objections!
Most people fear objections, but objections are actually a sign of interest.
The worst thing that can happen when you present your opportunity is hearing NOTHING because a prospect who doesn’t ask anything isn’t even considering what you’re offering.
Objections mean they’re thinking about it.
Your job is to help them overcome objections by addressing their concerns.
How to Handle Objections Without Saying Anything
The best way to handling network marketing objections is to answer them in your presentation!
Know that all objections are a result of a prospect's 3 Doubts
1 ) Is this for real?
2 ) Can I do this?
3 ) Will you help me?
These 3 doubts need to be covered in your network marketing presentation.
The best approach to objection handling in network marketing is to make sure you cover them in your presentation with stories and testimonials.
For example, you can handle the “No Time” objection by sharing testimonials of 2 busy moms who were able to build a 6 figure business while raising 3 kids.
If you're presenting to a student, make sure you talk about how another student was able to become successful in your presentation.
Objections Test Your Belief
Before we talk about answering objections, we have to talk about belief.
Do you truly believe you are helping people?
Do you believe in your company, your products, and the profession of network marketing?
Because if you don’t believe, your prospects will sense it your lack of confidence and you will get flooded with objections.
To strengthen your belief:
- Attend events, especially company conventions
- Talk to successful distributors
- Read about the profession
- Use personal development to grow your skills and mindset
Objections Reveal Your Weakness in a Specific Belief
The objections you get often reveal which belief of yours is the weakest.
If you find yourself handling the same objections over and over again, it may be because you have doubts about that area yourself.
Here are some examples
- If you feel your product is expensive, you will keep hearing, “It’s too expensive.”
- If you don’t fully trust that MLM works, you will keep hearing, “Does MLM even work?”
The good news?
You can strengthen your belief through training, experience, and practice handling objections in MLM the right way.
What Are Objections?
They are temporary mental blocks that stop someone from doing something beneficial for them.
You'll find yourself handling in objections in MLM presentations if your prospect has:
- Lack of education
- A previous bad experience
Here's a real world example and you can apply it to objection handling.
For example, a child may resist napping even though sleep is crucial for growth.
This could be due to a lack of understanding or a bad experience (maybe they had nightmares).
The same applies to prospects who have network marketing objections.
Their MLM objections stem from a misunderstanding or a bad experience.
Your job is to help them overcome these objections so they don’t miss out on an amazing opportunity.
How to Master Objection Handling in Network Marketing
Step 1: Welcome it
Objections are a sign of interest.
Step 2: Listen to the Prospect
Let them talk!
The more they talk, the more you understand their concerns and will help you overcome the network marketing objections.
Step 3: Don’t Cut Them Off of Be Defensive
If you fight them, you’ll lose them.
Instead, ask questions and guide them toward the right conclusion.
The secret to being good at objection handling in network marketing is to ask the right questions so that your prospect sees the answer themselves.
Step 4: Be Confident
People are buying your confidence when you're handing objections in network marketing.
It doesn't matter what you say if you don't say it confidently or look nervous.
When responding to any type of objection, remember:
– Say it with a friendly, fun and half serious tone.
– Use a light humored but confident way to answer an objection.
– Show the prospect that the answer is SO OBVIOUS.
– Do it in a non-intruding way to get prospect to open up.
Secret to Objection Handling in Network Marketing
People don’t like to be told what to do.
If you tell them something, they may resist but if you ask questions and let them answer, they convince themselves.
Here's an example of asking questions instead of telling:
Instead of telling them how this business will allow them to spend more time with their kids, you can ask them,
“If you were to do this, how would it allow you to spend more time with your kids?”
Here are other examples of open ended questions that gets them to think and makes objection handling in network marketing so much easier
- “What do you mean by that?”
- “Compared to what?”
- “How do you know that’s true?”
By asking open-ended questions, you help them realize their concerns are just temporary worries and not real.
Common Network Marketing Objections and How to Handle Them
Here's how to master common objections that come up after your presentation.
“Is this a Pyramid Scheme?”
One of the common questions and objections that your prospect may say to you is “Is this one of those Pyramid schemes”
or
“I don't like Network Marketing”
and unless you are able to help your prospect get over his misconceptions over the profession, it will be hard for you to get her to join your business.
How to Overcome the Pyramid Scheme or MLM Objection
There are 3 ways different aspects to this objection. In all 3 instances, you must ask the prospect to clarify what he means.
1) Pyramid Objection as a Legal Issue
When you ask him to clarify and if he says that
“Pyramid schemes get shut down and are illegal”,
then you know it is a question of legality.
Then all you have to say is,
“This is absolutely not a pyramid scheme. Pyramid schemes are illegal and I would never get you to do something like that. Now, would you be interested to learn more about what I have to share with you?”‘
2) Misconception about Compensation
When you ask him to clarify and if he says that
“People at the top make all the money”,
her answers reveals that it is a misconception about the pay plan.
Then all you have to say is,
“The best part of our business is that you can start at the bottom and make more money than the people at the top. At my job, I could never earn more money than my boss and that's why I am so excited and love this business so much. Would you be interested to learn more how this works?”
3) Bad Experiences or Lack of Knowledge about Network Marketing
Often your prospect may either:
– Have had a bad experience before
– Know someone that had a bad experience
– Never been involved before but is skeptical due to lack knowledge of the industry
This happens to the majority of people who have the MLM Objection and it is important to be proud of the industry and also find out about his past experiences or understanding of the industry.
If they ask you in a negative tone of voice,
“Is this network marketing?”
This is how you handle the network marketing objection (or the “MLM Objection”)
Important Questions to Ask Your Prospect
Asking questions is the secret to be a master at objection handling in network marketing.
Ask your prospect these questions:
1) Absolutely! What do you know about the industry?
They will usually say they did it before and failed or they know someone that did it.
2) Have you been involved before? Can you let me know your experience?
Be super close attention to what they say!
The purpose of this next question is to get them to acknowledge that the profession works and how this time is different.
3) It may not have worked for you in the past, but as an industry do you think network marketing works?
If they say yes, then you can skip to question 5.
If they say “not sure” or “don't know” you can validate the industry by asking 1 of these 2 more questions
4a) Have you heard of Amway? How long has Amway been around? (answer is over 50 years). If the industry does not work, how can Amway been around for over 50 years?!
or another good question to open your prospect's mind is
4b) If the industry doesn't work, how come they are always so many different network marketing companies around?
The fact that Amway has been around for so long and/or there are so many other network marketing companies around must prove that the profession works.
Your prospect will begin to see that this profession as a whole works.
You follow with the next question.
5) What do you think it takes for someone to be successful?
When you ask this, pay attention to listen to their answers because you want to show them that what you're doing now doesn't have the same issue they faced last time.
6) If I can show you _______ (fill in the blank with what they told you in question 5), would you be open to taking a look?
For example,
If they told you in question 5 that it takes a solid product to work, then you can say in question 6 that
“If I can show you a proven nutritional product that has been rated #1 in independent publication and Olympic athletes use it, would you be open to taking a look?
Another example,
If if they say in question 5 that it takes a solid company with credibility because too many companies close and go out of business then you can say in question 6 that
“If I can show you a stable company that is over 20 years old and is a publicly listed, would you be open to taking a look?
Another example,
If they say that their previous company was only focused on recruiting, then you can ask them
If I can show you a company that focused on customers and product sales and not just recruiting, would you be open to taking a look?'
Focus on Training and They Can Do It!
One of the reasons why most people are not open to network marketing is because they don't think they can do it!
They feel they don't know many people, they're too shy, don't have time, etc.
If what they reply in question 5 is,
“You need to be a good talker or know a lot of people”
You always want to emphasize your team training and how you can help them with what they just said.
For example,
If they say you need to know a lot of people to be successful,
you can reply with,
“If I can show you how our team teaches you to use social media to find people, would you be open to taking a look?”
Make Sure You Listen!
Key to handling objections in network marketing is to pay attention to what the prospect says and actually LISTEN to them so that you can ask the right questions.
Don't just think about what you got to say next because what they share with you will tell you what their real misconceptions are.
Once you can help them overcome their misunderstanding and more importantly show them that this time is DIFFERENT they will be open to taking a look.
But you won't be able to do that unless you really LISTEN with the intention to help them.
Video: How to Handle the MLM Objection
Remember to Listen!
Listening and asking questions will make you a master at objection handling in network marketing
“What Is It?” Objection
This question seems so simple but stumps many and even sabotages distributors who have been in the business for awhile because they end up talking too much
Other version of this question can be disguised as
“Can you tell me more”
or
“What is your business about?”
or
“Tell me about your business”
You are Not There to Sell!
You are not out there to sell the business; this is not your job nor your role.
If you talk too much, then your prospect will lose interest because they don't believe they can do what you're doing.
Your job is to send them a quick video and then collect a decision.
You are not there to sell products nor the company?
People don't like salespeople so if you try to sell them or talk to them to join, they will be turned off.
Also, if you are new, you do not know what you are talking about!
How can you give a great professional presentation in 2 minutes?
So, don’t do it.
What About if You Are Good in Sales?
Maybe you are good in sales… let’s say you have a sales background, so you can give a good presentation.
You will sign up a lot of people, but what you are doing is not duplicatable!
Network marketing is about Duplication!
It is not about what you can do, but what your downlines can do and more importantly, what your prospect thinks they can do!
Chances are that your downlines do not have your sales experience; they cannot be the good talker that you are.
This is why, many times, good talkers don't last long in the network marketing profession. They get burnt out.
They may get some initial success when they can sign up people but it ends up being a low-paying sales job because there is no Duplication.
The BIG money in MLM comes from Duplication!
How to Answer “What is This About?”
The keys to answering this is to be non-salesy and confident.
You want to get them to watch the video, so when you are asked, “What is this about,”
You can say,
“To save you time, take a quick look at this 2 minute video. It'll be much easier”
If Your Prospects Insists to Learn More
If your prospect insists on you to tell them something, then give them a quick 30-second overview of what the business is about and no more than that.
Using the Effective Presentation Formula
There are five things that every prospect wants to know
5 Things that Every Prospects Wants to Know About
1) Industry
2) Company
3) Products
4) How much money they can make
5) Training and support
Everything else falls into these five categories.
Example of the Effective Presentation Formula
I am going to teach you in 30 seconds or less how to inform people of your business in a way that generates interest
“We are in the nutritional business. Our company is Company ABC. We sell _______ products and you can make anywhere from $100 to $200 part-time to anywhere from $200 to $2,000 a month or anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000 a month. For training, we provide optional classroom Webinar trainings or we do on-the-job trainings. Is this something you would be interested in learning more about?”
That’s it; you don’t talk anymore.
This over is short and concise.
It is almost like an elevator speech.
When somebody asks, “What type of work do you do?” this is what you give them.
You do not start talking about the products nor how great the products are because this makes you salesy and people run away.
If They Ask “Can You Tell Me Even More?”
Sometimes they may request right then for more information.
If they do, it is IMPORTANT you don't give more information otherwise you go down a rabbit hole and talk too much and you'll end up either saying the wrong things or your prospect will get confused or bored.
Instead you say,
“I cannot tell you more; that’s not my job. My job is to just send you the video but I can setup a quick. 3 way text or call and our business leader can tell you more and answer your questions.
It is really important that you do not say more than that.
If you answer his question, “Can you tell me more about how much money I could make,” then 1 question will lead to another and you will find yourself doing a presentation that you are not supposed to do!
Then you will lose your prospect and he will not be interested in speaking with your upline anymore because he thinks he knows everything.
Product Specific Objections
Objections on Nutritional Supplements
– I don’t need to take supplements
– I’m already healthy and don’t need supplements
– Products are too expensive
– All nutritional supplements are the same
Remember: When Handling Objections in Network Marketing:
– Say it with a friendly, fun and half serious tone.
– Use a light humored but confident way to answer an objection.
– Show the prospect that the answer is SO OBVIOUS
– Do it in a non-intruding way to get prospect to open up.
What to Say
“What do you mean!”
“Have you heard that doctors say you should take 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday?
“Did you take 5 servings of fruits and vegetables today? If not, do you see why you need to take supplements?”
Also explain that 100 years ago in farming society you could eat that many servings, but not in todays cubicle culture . People don ’t eat 5 servings of vegetables a day but they consume 5 servings of junk food and eat fast food 5 times a week.
“I'm Healthy Already” Objection
Youcanapply the same questions as the“I don’t need to take supplements”
objection:
“How do you know you are healthy?”
or
You can use “How do you know?”
and
“What do you mean?”
Remind them that supplements serve to prevent
You can ask:
“Do people get degenerative diseases overnight?”
Give analogy of car breaking down
“Can you see the internal parts that break down in a car over time?”
Products Are TOO Expensive Objection
“What do you mean?”
“Compared to what?”
“Which is more expensive? Spending more money on products that work or wasting money on products that don’t work”
“What is more expensive? Supplements or a health bill?”
Autoship Objection (Monthly Order)
My experience with the autoship objection went from getting it all the time to never getting it again!
The reason I would consistently get this objection when I started my MLM business in 2003 was that I wasn't confident in answering it because deep down I hated how I had to buy products every month and thought it was the worse part of the business.
Then one day, one my my mentors, Dan, explained to me that I had the wrong mindset.
He taught me that,
“The autoship is the BEST part of the business!!!”
…because that is how you will earn residual income. As your team grows, they will love the products, and each month they will be purchasing products from their own store. You will earn income from their purchases. You earn a little from each purchase, but as your team grows, you will earn more and more.
“It’s not just about recruiting… So even when your leaders go on vacation and take a break, or live the ‘MLM Lifestyle,' your income won’t stop. Your income will continue to flow in because of the customers.”
“Best part is that you don’t need hundreds or thousands of customers to get your business going. You just need 3 – 5 customers and the autoship is no longer an issue.”
“Our business is not just about recruiting, it's mostly about acquiring customers. Here, you don’t need hundreds or thousands of customers like most businesses require—you only need 3-5 customers to get started.”
“Autoship forces you to get 5 customers each month. If you can’t even get 5 customers each month, you should NOT be in business! (What type of business ONLY requires 5 customers!?)”
Once he explained to me, my belief totally changed.
From that day on, I was confident in explaining the monthly orders during my presentations or when the question was asked and this objection never became the issue anymore.
Handling the “I’ve Never Heard of the Company Before” Objection
“That is the BEST PART!!! Because we just started to expand into this area. Would you have wanted to open the first Starbucks in this area or open one now? Can you see the potential and how this can be so exciting?”
What does that tell you about the potential for this opportunity? How would you like to be a pioneer?
Everyone Is Doing That Business Already (Market Saturation)
“If so many people are doing it and are successful, what does that tell you about the company?”
Also… if they bring up market saturation, you can bring up new markets. Ask them if they want to build a global business.
Once they say “yes”, then you can let them know your company is in different countries and will soon launch into new markets.
Can I Do This? Objections
This objection has many variations and can be communicated in the following ways:
I have no time
I can’t sell
Don’t like to do sales
Don’t know many people, don’t have many friends nor big network
I’m not an outgoing person
Don’t want to lose friends
Hard to sell to friends and family
Don’t want to sell to friends (money issues with friends)
I can’t do this or not sure if I can make it
My market is students and they cannot afford supplements
My friends will misunderstand and think it is a pyramid scheme
I need to ask my parents for permission
I need to ask my parents for money
I need to think about it, or, I need to do some research
I’m not ready yet, still need time to consider it
I need to figure everything out
I need to talk to my husband/wife
No Time Objection
Before you answer, you need to find out how much time THEY THINK they need.
Remember, the secret to master objection handling in network marketing is to listen and ask questions!
So the more you know about a prospect, the better!
Find Out How Much Time They Think They Need
Ask them:
“How much time do you think it takes to run a successful business?”
If they say 20 plus hours or an amount that is more than 10 hours, then you can easily overcome this by telling them:
“It takes only 5 to 10 hours a week to grow a successful business from home.”
Using ‘Feel, Felt, Found’ To Answer the ‘No Time’ Objection
I understand how you FEEL …
I FELT that way too when I first …
But what I FOUND was…
Examples:
“I understand how you FEEL because when I first heard about this opportunity, I FELT the same way. I wanted to do it, but I had no time.”
“But what I FOUND through the training was that it was not about the lack of time but the lack of time management skills. Once I applied the time management skills that I learned from our trainings, I found myself having plenty of time to do the business.”
Using the Ben Franklin Close to Handle the ‘No Time’ Objection
You can say:
“Let’s see if there are ways for us to help you have more time in your life.”
Then You Use the ‘Ben Franklin Close’ Method
1 ) Grab a piece of paper and draw out 3 columns.
These 3 columns represent the hours in a day and how you spend them.
2 ) How MuchThey Sleep
Ask them how much they sleep and put that number in the 1st column.
3 ) How Much Time They Spend At Their Job
Then ask them how much time they spend working and write that in the 2nd column.
4 ) What Else Do They Do Each Day?
Then ask them what they do with the rest of their time and see if you can fill up the 3rd column and make everything add up to 24 hours.
Most prospects can never fill up the 24 hours!
(Don’t help them come up with 24 hours! 😊)
5 ) How to Get Them to See They Have The Time
When they can’t fill up the 3rd column, you can suggest to them that:
“Often, we think we don’t have time, but if we actually go over each hour, we find that we DO have time that we can spend in our business.”
This also does not include weekends! If you take away the time spent at work, you will have time on weekends as well!
If a prospect’s time fills up to almost 24 hours but includes things like TV, Facebook, video games, or other non-income-producing activities, then…
Bring up their WHY and ask them:
“Would it be worth it to give that up?”
Lack of Time Management!
Once you go through the Ben Franklin Close, show them that it is LACK OF TIME MANAGEMENT and not lack of time!
Can’t Sell or Don’t Like Selling (Sales Objection)
Here are a few ways these objections can come across:
Can’t sell or don’t like to do sales
Don’t want to lose friends
Hard to sell to friends and family
Don’t want to sell to friends (money issues with friends)
Stop Talking So Much!
The #1 reason you get this objection is because you TALKED TOO MUCH!
Your prospect always thinks they have to do what you did to them!
If you use an upline or tool to present, simply ask them:
“Did I ever sell you anything?”
“All I did was ask you to talk to someone / watch a video.”
“You’ll be doing the exact thing I did.”
Get Them to See We're Always “Selling” Everyday
Ask them:
“When you think of selling, what comes to your mind?”
They will most likely describe someone pushy or convincing people to buy things.
Think of it this way…
“When you communicate to your friend and decide to eat sushi tonight, are you ‘selling’ or ‘communicating?’”
“In your opinion, what is the difference between ‘selling’ and ‘communicating’?”
Are you “selling” your friend to spend his time with you?
If you come to think of it, aren’t we selling already every day?
Can you see the difference between pushy sales that are annoying and a more warm welcome approach where we are just communicating?
We are simply communicating and sharing with people about products and services we like!
Also, when we go for job interviews, aren’t we selling ourselves?
Don’t we have to convince and sell to our interviewers how qualified we are for the job?
More on How to Handle the ‘Can’t Sell' Objection…
If they really want to make money, then you show them that they MUST LEARN TO SELL!
Remember: For people that say they want to learn how to do business… Sales is the first step they must learn!
Is It Worth It to Learn?
It’s not about what you LIKE to do, it’s about what you MUST DO!
Feel, Felt, Found
Here's how you can use the Feel, Felt, Found approach with this objection:
“I used to FEEL the same way and FELT that I could not do this business because I couldn't sell…
But what I FOUND was that I could learn, and as long as I attended the trainings, I could learn how to communicate better and sell effectively.”
Encourage Them by Showing They Can Learn
“Has there been anything in the past where you had to go and learn?”
“Were you born with the skills and education, or did you have to learn it? It is the same as selling. It is something that we can LEARN.”
“Would it be worth it to learn how to sell if it can help you achieve your WHY?”
“If you could make anywhere from 4 to 6 figures, would it be worth it to learn how to sell?”
NOTE: Their objection to selling may be linked back to their doubt “Is This For Real?”
If they don’t believe in the profession, it may not be worth it for them to learn.
Hard to Sell to Friends and Family
First, ask them and find out why it is hard for them to sell to family and friends.
Guide them to see that we are just communicating and not doing hard sales.
“If you saw a good movie and told your friends, would they listen to you?”
“Don’t Want to Sell to Friends and Family”
Then who would they want to sell to?
If they had something that can really help someone’s life, why would they not share with their closest members?
Also, if they are scared of failure, does that mean it is okay to share with strangers but not close friends?
How does that make you feel as a person? (To sell to strangers is ok but not to family!?)
If you opened up a sushi restaurant, who would be the first people you tell?
Wouldn’t it be your friends and family?
How would your friends feel when you become successful and they found out that you never told them about this opportunity?
Don’t Want Money Issues with Friends
“It requires a team to be successful, and wouldn’t you want your friends to be part of the team? Wouldn’t it be more fun?”
“How would your friends feel when you become wealthy and you never told them about this?”
“How would your friends feel if they saw others become successful but they missed out because you KNEW about this opportunity but didn’t join? They missed out on it until years later!”
“If you were digging in your backyard and discovered some gold, you would be excited… and then you realized that there is so much gold that you want to share some. Who would be the first people you share with? After your family, who else would you share the gold with?”
I Don’t Want to Lose My Friends
“Best part of this business is you gain friends. If I help my friends make money, would they be happy or would I lose them?”
“Then don’t do anything to lose your friends!”
My Friends Will Misunderstand and Think It Is a Pyramid Scheme
Important: Find out what they/their friends mean when they say “pyramid”
One approach to this objection is to show credibility of the profession:
Show how it has been publicly traded
History of the profession
How well-known investors like Warren Buffet have invested in it
Asking for Permission Objection
Different Forms of ‘Asking for Permission’ Objection
Ask Parents for Permission
Ask Parents for Money
Need to Talk to Husband/Wife
How to Handle ‘Need to Ask Parents for Permission’
Are you planning to live a life similar to your parents or better?
Has there been times when your parents told you to do something and they were wrong because they did not fully understand the situation or how something works?
How would it feel if you became successful and made your parents proud?
Has there been a time when you had to ask your parents for money and they turned you down because they didn’t understand the situation?
From my experience, that is what is going to happen. Your parents will say no because they don’t understand, and you will be deprived of a great opportunity to make your parents proud.
“I Need to Talk to My Spouse”
The best way to handle this objection is to present to both people at the same time.
This is what you say,
Absolutely!
Insist on talking to the prospect and their spouse at the SAME TIME!
Otherwise, it is like a game of “telephone” and the prospect will make it sound illegal or confuse the spouse.
You can simply say:
“I’d be more than happy to talk to your spouse. But if you just tell her, this is what’s going to happen. You don’t really understand nor know how the business works, and she will get the wrong picture. So I’d be more than happy to spend time and share with her.”
So the GOAL is to get them to open up instead and forget the spouse.
Don’t Know Many People or Don’t Have a Big Network
Here Are a Few Ways to Approach This Objection:
“Do you believe that expanding your network and connections is important?”
“Do you believe who you know is very important to your career and life? That is the best part of this business. You will get to meet a lot of new friends, and it is a ton of fun!”
Remember:
Emphasize the training!
Show them that this time it’s different because of the training that teaches them how to meet new people.
‘I’m Not an Outgoing Person’
For this objection, you can use the Feel, Felt, Found method:
Feel
Felt
Found
“I know how you FEEL… I FELT the same way when [connect to their objection], but what I FOUND was [insert your breakthrough].”
Similar to handling the ‘I Don’t Know Many People’ objection, emphasize the importance of expanding a network.
‘My Market, Which are Students, Can’t Afford’
“Are you interested in a global business or just a small-time business?”
“Because we are a global business, we teach you to market and attract customers from all ages, demographics, and countries.”
“Why are you ONLY considering the student market?”
Emphasize how training can teach them to attract different markets.
What Happens if I Fail?
Other variations of this network marketing objection is ‘I Am Not Sure I Can Do This… Or What Happens If I Fail?’
“What happens if this does work?”
“If it does not work, what is the worst thing that can happen?”
“If it does work, what is the BEST thing that can happen?”
Get them to see that the GAIN is way BIGGER than the fear of loss.
Even better, get them to see that the LOSS of opportunity is GREATER than the loss of investment startup.
‘Don’t Know Many People or Don’t Have a Big Network’
“That’s why you must get involved in this business!”
“Because this business allows you to meet tons of people, and it’s a ton of fun!”
How Much Are You Making?
When prospects question “How Much Are You Making?” keep in mind these 3 points:
These types of questions are “attacking questions.”
You must be confident and maintain posture!
Remember, they need you! You don’t need them!
Never tell how much you are making because you will either be:
Making too much and ‘lying’
Not making enough, making the business not seem worth it
“I don’t tell anyone how much I am making. All I know is that my business is growing great, and I am learning and growing every day! (Or add, it’s a ton of fun!)”
Then say this with POSTURE
The question is:
“How much do YOU want to make?”
Remember, the secret to handling objections in network marketing is asking questions!
and the best way to answer a question is with a question!
You can say:
“My earnings have NO indication of how much you can make. You could earn a lot less or a lot more.”
“Let me ask you this, how much do YOU want to make?”
You can also add after they reply:
“All I know is that the business is great, and I will be leading the expansion. I would love for you to be a part of this so that you don’t miss out.”
And then you always end with a question:
“When do you want to start earning income?”
‘How Many People Do You Have?’
This is an “attack question” and similar to asking “How much are you making”
The key is to answer with posture
Anyway, that is a wrong question for a prospect to ask.
This business is NOT about how many members you have but how much volume and products are sold.
For example: A team of 10 distributors that move over 1000 points of volume a week is worth more than a team of 100 distributors that do nothing.
Confidence and Posture Overcome Objections
Remember… People are always BUYING YOUR CONFIDENCE AND VISION!
Here are a few more ways to handle objections in network marketing and how you can approach them with confidence and posture.
Credit Card Debt
Prospect: “I don’t have money and don’t want to put this on my credit card.”
“Have you heard of No Money Down real estate? Would you like to invest with YOUR money or someone else’s money?”
“What do you think the best businessmen do? Do they invest with their own cash or their bank’s money?”
“Business people borrow startup funds and then use their profits to pay back their loan…”
Prospect: “I’m in credit card debt already.”
“How much do you owe and what is your plan to get out of debt?”
“If you are already $20,000 in debt, what’s another $500, if you can produce the cash flow to get you out of this debt?”
“What’s the BEST thing that can happen if you do this?”
“I’m Satisfied with My Life Now”
These people forgot to dream.
They have dreams and put them aside.
Your GOAL is to guide them to see their dreams and then help them recognize that they MUST CHANGE and do something to achieve their dreams!
Ask them:
“If you did not have to work, what would you do? (This reveals their dream.) If you could do that all day, what would that be worth?”
“If I could show you how to achieve that dream, would you be open to taking a look at something?”
“I’ve Got to Think About It”
Do you think your prospect will go home and actually think about it?!
It is a COVERUP for the real objection!
GOAL: Find the hidden objection.
If you ask them:
“What do you have to think about?”
Your prospect will be DEFENSIVE and close up.
They know that if they tell you the real objection, you will try to convince them and get them to join. So they won’t tell you.
Remember: Defensive and closed prospects are NO GOOD!
So the goal is to get them to open up instead.
How to Respond to This Objection
“I absolutely agree you have to think about it!”
You surprise them because you agreed with them, and they will let their guard down.
“You must be serious, or else you wouldn’t have to think about it, right?” (They will have to agree, or else they lied to you.)
“Just out of curiosity, what do you have to think about … is it my personal integrity?!”
Now they feel bad because they think they offended you!
Then you ask these one after another,
“Is it the integrity of the company?
Is it the products?
Is it the training?
Is it the earning potential?”
They will keep saying no until you finally name the real objection, or they will just tell you.
REMEMBER THE GOAL!
That is… Find the hidden objection!
Once you have the hidden objection, you help the prospect overcome the objection and then go for the close, or ask:
“Do you have any other concerns before we help you move forward and start earning some income?”
“I Need to Do Some Research”
For this approach, you can use the same approach as the “Think About It” objection.
You can also confidently say:
“From my experience, you can research all day and NOT understand the business. It is like researching sushi. You can do all the research you want, but would you REALLY KNOW how sushi tastes like? You just have to try it out.”
“What happens is, when you research, you lose time and opportunities! And time and opportunity is money!”
“You’ll learn more in 30 days in the business than all the research you’ll do.”
“If you are unsure, that’s why our company has a 30-day money-back guarantee for you to give the business a test drive.”
“I’m Not Ready Yet”
The same concept from the “Think About It” objection applies here as well.
Meaning…
Do not ask them, “Why aren’t you ready?”
If you ask them “Why not?” they will be defensive!
Simply agree with them and follow the same process as the “Think About It” process (see above).
Remember… Your GOAL is to find the hidden objection!
Dealing with Analytical Prospects
Many won’t sign up on the first or second meeting and if you push them too much, they may get turned off.
These analytic prospects love to study and study, so let them go and “research” and “figure it out” a little.
But after you give them time, and if they have REALLY taken time to go over things, you have to CONFIDENTLY go ALL OUT and get them to join because they NEED THAT PUSH.
Otherwise, they will always be stuck in paralysis by analysis.
Don’t push them in the beginning, but after enough time, you MUST PUSH THEM.
No Money Objection
Most of the time, it is an excuse from the prospect and indicates that they don’t see the VALUE of the business.
If they saw the value, everyone could come up with the money.
There is a HIDDEN OBJECTION that prevents them from seeing the real value.
Example:
Buying a new Mercedes ML 550 for only $5,000 vs. paying $90,000
Buying a brand-new MacBook Pro for $500 vs. $2,500
Ways to Overcome the ‘No Money’ Objection
“Why did you think I brought this opportunity to you?!”
Let them answer, and after they say something, confidently say:
“That is exactly why I wanted to share this with you—because you don’t have any money.”
“I know you work very hard. How does it feel to work hard all these years and still not have any money?”
“What is your plan to change your situation so that you have more money?”
Listen to their plan.
If they have no plan, then suggest they get started.
If they have a plan (such as a second job), ask them:
“How does this compare to what you plan to do?”
Listen to them!
“What are the advantages and disadvantages?”
This will help you find the real objection.
“Aside from having no money, are there any other reasons that would prevent you from getting started?”
This attempts to find the real reason. The prospect may or may not tell you. If they tell you, then great!
Using the Direct Approach on the ‘No Money’ Objection
Here's an example of what you can say:
“From my experience, I know you have the money. But what you really mean is that there are a few things that you are unsure about, and that is what is holding you back from getting started. What concerns do you have?”
Can They Achieve Their Dreams?
If you know what their dreams are, then you can get them to see that Network Marketing is the only way they can achieve their dreams.
For example:
If they say they have no money, and you know their dream is to buy a house for their mom, you can ask them:
“If you were to do this business, would you be interested in making big money or little money?”
Let them answer, and then ask:
“What would some of the things you would do if you had that money?”
Most likely, they will say their dream.
“If you do what you do now, how long will it take you to achieve that?”
Answer will be a long time.
And then you suggest:
“Do you see how Network Marketing can help you achieve that faster?”
No Money but Want to Get Started
Once in a while, it is a real reason, and if the prospect is really interested.
For example, they want to get started but are waiting for their next paycheck to come in but that will NEVER happen because money is limited and they'll always use the money for something else.
You can start working with them but set requirements and commitments to see if they are really interested.
Start training them as if they are new associates (goal setting, contact list, etc.)
Introduce them to the team.
Often, meeting the team and seeing how fun it is removes any remaining fears.
If they go to trainings, then you know they are serious and real.
If they don’t, then you know ‘No Money’ was just an excuse to cover up the real objection.
Be The Authority!
Predict and Let Them Know What Will Happen!
One way of maintaining authority is by ‘predicting’ and letting your prospect know what can happen in a situation.
For example: If a prospect gives the objection “I need to talk to my spouse.”
“I’d be more than happy to talk to your spouse. But if you just tell her, this is what’s going to happen. You don’t really understand nor know how the business works, and she will get the wrong picture.”
Another example:
“From my experience, you can research all day and NOT understand the business. It is like researching sushi. You can do all the research you want, but would you REALLY KNOW how sushi tastes like? You just have to try it out.”
Being the Authority Eliminates Doubts
Being the authority after letting the prospect share their thoughts will help erase their doubts about “Can I do this?” or “Will you help me?”
People always follow leaders, and being confident will make you someone that people want to follow.
Being In Control When Handling Objections in MLM
The one who asks the questions is ALWAYS in control.
That’s why it is important to listen!
Don’t talk more than your prospect.
Always, always end a sentence with a question!
Remember…
Whoever speaks first after a question is asked ALWAYS LOSES.
And that’s simply because you give up control of the conversation.
Asking questions not only gets your prospects to talk more, but questions also help them see the benefits of the opportunity.
Get Them to See the Benefits
Remember… Get them to see the benefits!
If they have no time…
Ask them:
“How would your life change if you HAD more time?”
After they answer, then ask them:
“Do you see why we need to help you get started?”
If they have no money…
Ask them:
“How would your life be different if you HAD more money?”
After they answer, then ask them:
“Do you see why we need to help you get started?”
If they don’t know many people…
Ask them:
“How would your life be different if you expanded your network and knew more people?”
After they answer, then ask them:
“Do you see why we need to help you get started?”
Summary: Objection Handling Network Marketing Tips
The more you listen and ask questions to get your prospects to see the solutions themselves, the better you'll get at handling objections in network marketing.
Always listen and find out how you can HELP prospects.
You are on a mission to help people!
When people don’t join or buy, they have deprived themselves of something that benefits them.
You do your best to help them overcome their objections, but ultimately, it is their decision.
Just like a teacher can teach, but the student must study!
One who asks the questions CONTROLS the conversation!
Simon Chan is a business coach, podcaster, speaker and best selling author who helps network marketers recruit and build a team by staying consistent with a Simple Online System. Full bio