Positively The Most Important Skill To Have To Build Your Network Marketing Business Is…
In my opinion, there is a skill that is positively the most important skill to have to build your network marketing business. I consider it the gateway skill. Do you know what it is? I discuss it in today's video.
I recently had somebody reach out to me and ask me the question, “Out of all of the skills that are being taught inside of network marketing, which skill do you consider to be the most important to learn? Which skill do you consider to be the gateway skill?” My answer surprised them. It wasn't what they were expecting. If you've attended any of my seminars, conference calls, webcasts, or webinars you probably know the answer. If you have not, I'm going to tell you in this blog post, and the answer is not going to be what you're expecting either.
I will tell you this. There are a lot of trainers out there that know how to build a network marketing business. These trainers, mentors, people that I know, admire, and respect, that know how to succeed in network marketing today, that teach the skills inside of network marketing and consider certain skills to be gateway skills. In fact, we just had one of those trainers and mentors of mine, do a training webinar on prospecting and recruiting, and they called that the gateway skill. The purpose of this article is not to contradict what various people consider to be the gateway skill, but to simply give you my opinion on the subject since I was asked.
Now I have to say I understand why they call prospecting and recruiting the gateway skill. If you don't have people on a list, people to talk to and show your business to, you're dead in the water. You're no longer in business if you don't have people to talk to. I get that. Some trainers call the invitation the gateway skill because you can have a whole list of people, but if you're not inviting them and getting them to take a look at your business, you too are dead in the water. I understand that all of the skills in network marketing (prospecting, recruiting, inviting, presentation, following up, closing, getting people started correctly, promoting events) are important skills, but they are not the gateway skill that I
Why do I say this? Well, it does not matter whether it's network marketing or some other business. You show me the most successful people inside of any profession, and I will show you people that have mastered and utilize this very skill that I consider to be the gateway skill. The most successful people in your sphere of influence (your doctor, attorney, etc.) use this skill on you every single time every single day. Do you know what it is? Well, I'll give you a hint. I've already used it on you several times inside of this very article.
So, here it is. Positively the most important skill that you must have is the ability to ask great questions. If you have this skill, and it becomes automatic, you will see unprecedented growth, change and productivity inside of your business, without a doubt.
Now, I will give you several examples of why I say that these other professionals have learned and mastered this skill. When you go to see your doctor, guess what? They're asking questions, even when you don't know they're asking
Next, your doctor walks in and says, “How have you been doing? How are you feeling? Where does it hurt? On a scale from one to ten, with a ten being the pain is excruciating and you cannot tolerate it anymore, and one being it barely hurts, how would you rate the pain?” All of these are questions that have to be answered before they can write you a prescription. Your business should work the same way.
Lawyers are another great example. The most sought after attorneys, the ones at the top of their field, divorce attorneys,
Great teachers and coaches ask great questions. When I was coaching football, I would ask, “Hey, do you know who you're supposed to block? Do you know your responsibility on defense? Do you know, if they're in this formation, what they're more likely to run? Your teacher would put this in forms of tests or pop quizzes. I could go on and on and on but you get my point. Why not use this skill in your network marketing business?
In future posts, I'm going to show you questions to ask when prospecting and recruiting. Conversation starters that are questions. I'm going to show you what questions to ask when inviting when doing a presentation when following up, when you're closing, when getting somebody started correctly, and what questions to ask when promoting events. The most important thing I want you to grasp right now is why it's so important.
The most important thing I want you to grasp right now is why it's so important. One reason is if you can find out somebody's pain, and how you can help them fix it, they are going to be more apt to listen to what you have to say. How do you find out what somebody's pain is? You ask great questions.
If you can find out what somebody's wants, needs, and desires are, and show them how your business can help them achieve them, with your help, you're going to be ahead of the game. How do you do that? You ask great questions. That's aspect number one. Number two, and probably most importantly, it's going to posture you as a professional.
$$$ Golden Nugget $$$
Remember, the person asking the questions is in charge of the conversation. Always make sure that is you.
That tip right there is a golden nugget worth a lot of money, and it will come in handy later down the road when you're overcoming objections. I had somebody reach out to me on social media. They sent me a screenshot of somebody that they were prospecting, a recruit, potential business partner, and they said, “This person just asked me this question. How would you answer it?” I said, “I would ask them a question.” They asked, “What question would you ask?” I then told them the question that I would ask the prospect if it were me.
I needed more information before I could answer their question, so I asked another question. Their prospect replied with another question, and they said, “How would you answer this one?” I said, “I would ask them another question. Here's the question I would ask.” I said, “Do you see a pattern developing here? You must be the one asking the questions. Make sure that that is always you.” Then they replied with “lol (laugh out loud), omg (Oh my God), I see, I get what you're saying now.”
When you're in charge of the conversation, you never have to fear rejection. You're leading this person down a path you want them to go, and here's the magic of this. If they give you the wrong answer, you can fire them. You're in charge. They're trying to get in your business, not you in theirs. I treat this like an interview process.
I'm going to put more training and videos together covering this in more detail, but the next video I'm going to put together is going to be super-sexy good. It's going to cover the magic question that I ask ninety-nine percent of the time, in some form or variation of it. Stay tuned for that, and then, in future episodes, I'm going to cover questions for each of the skills, and various scenarios you will run into.
Did This Help You? If so, I would greatly appreciate if you commented below, like it and share it on Facebook and other social media.
John Morrison’s Network Marketing Blog
Email: John@JohnMorrison.ws
P.S. If you are interested in learning how to recruit and build your business using social media, I highly recommend you CLICK HERE.
P.P.S. If you need help with inviting people to take a look at your business, be sure to sign up and receive FREE access to my webinar on how to do a proper invitation. You can sign up for it by CLICKING HERE and simply filling in the form next to the video.
P.P.P.S. You can get a lot of free training when it comes to developing the skills necessary to be successful in your network marketing business by simply clicking on the resources tab at the top of this page. Feel free to follow me on twitter, facebook, instagram, etc. Simply click on the appropriate social media links located on the page.
Great video John!
John, Thank you so much for the information on the most important skill, the skill of asking great questions. This is indeed a super challenge to take me and others to the next professional level of our business. I believe that asking great questions is the passion and empathy side of our great business. It shows we care about the individual and their most pressing needs, as well as their future. This business can and does change the future of all those that take it seriously and professionally. Look forward to seeing you at Ambition.
God bless you buddy and all your great mentoring.
Pastor Frank Schindler
Mesquite,Texas
I agree whole heartedly that asking great questions is a gateway skilll to have in network marketing. After listening to you this morning on Nir Golan, I realised that that is a skill I am woefully lacking and it could be a great way to actually move the needle on my business. Related to this is how you actually come across to the prospect if you are on the phone, maybe you can also speak to this?
Shawn Oliver, MD.
Thanks for the kind words Shawn. I will definitely address this for you in an upcoming video. In the meantime, sign up for my webinar on the home page where I cover the invitation. I cover this to some degree inside that training. Hope this helps for the time being.
I really believe that empathy is the most important leadership skill to have. I think empathetic leaders make for better leaders, because they’re more authentic, and they show more compassion. What do you think? Let me know your thoughts on twitter @JacobShriar or @Officevibe .
Empathy is also important, but I think the level of empathy can be influenced by the answers one receives from the questions that are asked. 🙂 Thanks for the thought provoking comment.