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Overcoming Booking Concerns
By Jane Dueber

When it comes to the art of booking, there’s a new twist on an old saying “Give a Direct Seller a show and she has income for a day. Teach a Direct Seller to book a show and she has income for a life time!” That is why successful Direct Sellers take time to learn the art of understanding and addressing the concerns of potential hostesses and customers.

Whether our intent is to schedule a sales appointment, a group demonstration or an opportunity interview, all direct sellers must learn to effectively ask for what they want on a regular basis. But that’s just the beginning, isn’t it? Acknowledging that you will, with certainty, encounter “natural consumer resistance” to your offer is important to building a thriving direct selling business. So let’s take a look at some ways you can address common booking concerns in a natural, more comfortable way.

Identify Common Concerns
Experts say there are no more than six common concerns to every selling situation. On a piece of paper, write down the most common concerns you face in your business on a regular basis. Your goal is to be prepared with one or more possible responses to each of these common concerns. Many companies provide this in their training literature so be sure to utilize the material that is already available to you.

Turn The Concern Into A Question
What makes handling concerns so challenging for many direct sellers? For most, the process of asking for what you want is frightening because it puts you in what is viewed as a vulnerable place for possible rejection. But what if you were to gain a new perspective on their response but reframing it not as a rejection of your offer, but a request for more information? You can do this by view each concern as a request for additional information.

Example: “I don’t know enough people.” Adopting a new perspective allows you to view her concern as a question. “Is it OK if I have just a small group of friends?”

Example: “I am so busy these days, I just don't have the time to hold a show.” Viewed as a question, you can see that she is asking either: “How much time does it take to prepare?” OR “Why should I spend my precious time to hold a show with my friends?”

By viewing their concern as a simple request for more information you’ll be less likely to take their resistance personally and better able to provide them with the information they need to make a decision. Finding the underlying question gives you the opportunity to provide a potential hostess with an alternative perspective she may not have otherwise seen.

Feel – Felt - Found
Another creative way to address common concerns is the time-tested “feel, felt, found” method of offering a new perspective. What makes this so effective is that it gives you a comfortable way to remain in agreement with your potential hostess, while offering her another “view” on the subject.

Using the second example of an objection above of “I’m too busy,” your response using the feel, felt, found method might sound something like this:

“Carol, I can understand how you feel. Some of my hostesses also felt that holding a show takes a lot of preparation and time. In fact, I’ve found that my average hostess spends only about 30 to 45 minutes preparing her guest list, making a few telephone calls and sending a few e-mails. I do the rest! On the night of the show I also keep it very simple and bring everything we’ll need for a great show. That way, you can enjoy a “girls night out” with your friends. I promise… the time you spend preparing is insignificant to the fun and free products you enjoy in return!”

Let’s look at each component of the response a little closer:
Feel: “I understand how you feel...”
This is where you show empathy with how your potential hostess is feeling. When you show you understand how they feel, they are more open to hearing what you have to say.

Felt: “I (or someone else) felt the same way…”
Let your prospect know she is not alone and you or others have felt the same way. Relate your experience and show empathy for the prospect’s feelings or objections.

Found: “I’ve found that...”
Share what others (or you) found to be true so that they can see another perspective on the situation.

Keep in mind that when you approach the process of asking for what you want and addressing common concerns as a natural and comfortable way to clarify what you are offering, you will not only enjoy the process more you will also experience the joy of having others accept your invitation more often.

Article by: Jane Deuber is a Co-Founder of the DSWA and a highly rated industry trainer who is known for her innovative, down to earth training style that inspires distributors into action.

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