This is the question I was asked by a good friend a day or two back. Here’s my reply: I’m posting it here in the hope that it will help YOU to resolve this evergreen dilemma for network marketers.

It depends entirely on what the prospect is interested in — products or income. So what I always lead with are…

(Wait for it)…

QUESTIONS!

Bottom Line: It’s about the PROSPECT. It’s NOT about you, your product or opportunity.

People join you for THEIR OWN reasons, not yours. So you need to make sure you know what those reasons are BEFORE you start presenting anything to them.

So how do I know which to lead with when meeting a prospect for the first time? The answer is simple: I always use the ACTION that will turn the KEY to identifying their secret “hot button”. (Remember the Fulfilment Spiral? This is Stage One.)

We have to identify their true unmet need (because needs define markets). This is the KEY to unlock the first invisible barrier.)

The ACTION that turns this KEY is MARKET RESEARCH… asking the right QUESTIONS.

To do this, I use the simplest — and most powerful — form of market research known to marketing…

The Seven Hole System of Market Research

This System of market research is really the basis of all professional market research, including that done for BIG Business by market research firms. As usual, though, BIG Business can’t compete with small business when small business knows what to do. It’s real competitive advantage is small business ignorance!

Before we explain how it works, we’d like you to take a brief test to see how much you already know about this sophisticated approach to identifying your prospects’ needs and wants.

Quick Test

Here are pictures of a human male and a human female. Observe them closely. (If the details aren’t clear enough for you, find real-life examples to observe.)

1. Beside each item, choose the number of each physical feature you’d normally expect to find.
Human Male			Human Female
	Eyes	? 1 2 3 None		Eyes	? 1 2 3 None
	Nostrils	? 1 2 3 None		Nostrils	? 1 2 3 None
	Ears	? 1 2 3 None		Ears	? 1 2 3 None
	Mouths	? 1 2 3 None		Mouths	? 1 2 3 None
2. How many are designed to receive information inward? (Receptors)					? 1 2 3 4 5 6 All None
3. How many are designed specifically to send information outward? (Responders)					? 1 2 3 4 5 6 All None
4. Receptors outnumber Responders by a ratio of…					? 1:1 2:1 3:1 4:1 5:1 6:1 7:1 None
5. So it makes sense to…

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Author Profile  Consults to managements of direct selling companies, small business and home business owners. Writes regular columns and feature articles for various business media, online and offline. Author of several best-selling business books. Presents seminars and workshops, webinars and other training programs. Creator of Fourth Generation Thinking, Selling, Business Systems. Read more from this author