It's All About the Sale but It's Never About the Sale

ABC - Always Be Closing. It's been a salesperson mantra and best friend since the dawn of man. Of course, I wouldn't know anything about that because I'm not a salesperson nor do I have any desire to be in sales. I am a Network Marketer.

I spoke with a gentleman yesterday who three years ago had developed a type of uncommon arthritis. This condition has for the past three years plagued him with back pain and even lesions on his skin and although the doctors have prescribed medication that has helped calm the symptoms (administered via injection), the gentleman continues to search for other more holistic options.

Now, here's what I'm thinking. The product my company carries has shown to be a powerful anti-inflamatory so if I can get it into this gentleman's hands and he has good results... imagine the testimony! My business will explode! Don't you agree? I mean, think of the possibilities!

NO, that's not what I really thought and NO you shouldn't agree.

It's no surprise that I wasn't the first Network Marketer to approach this gentleman with their product. After all, our industry is responsible for the best natural supplements and health products in the world. What is a surprise is that he hadn't stuck with any of the products he was previously offered.

As much as I hate making assumptions, this tells me one of two things: that either A)distributors are making bogus claims about their products (which deserves a blog entry unto itself) or 2)distributor mentality is too much in sync with the attitude I have illustrated above.

I realize that may seem a ginormous whale of an assumtion but don't you think it begs the question that had the previous networkers focused less on the sale and more on helping find a solution to this poor gentleman's problem that'd he'd be more apt to at least try their products for a longer period of time?

Impossible to answer, I know. Afterall it is just an assumtion. However, I think it does bring to light another perhaps more important question: Is it or isn't it about the sale?

My answer: It's NOT about the sale. The sale is secondary. So secondary in fact that I GAVE him two bottles of my product to try out. His main concern is finding a remedy to his condition, not comp plans and bonus checks. So, as a Network Marketer, that is my main concern too. Because of this, I gaurantee you that he's taken the bottles home and is now diligently using and testing the product. And whether he sees results or not, he knows that my intentions were honest and sincere. And you know what? I think I've made a new friend in the process.

That's what I think Network Marketing is all about. If you approach the business like this, you'll see that generating income is not the cause but the effect. Help address people's problems, and your's suddenly vanish.