I had a phobia about getting new customers when I first started my online marketing business. This phobia is known as a fear of rejection, and in the sales arena is called a fear of cold calling. It is common problem faced by new entrants to most businesses, and is understandable, given that xenophobia is well known and even reinforced by many of our social structures.
I understood the issue and believed that it did not apply to me as I genuinely like meeting people and am usually unfazed by talking with them. My issue was fear of rejection - rejection of a my business proposals in which I had much emotional energy tied up. When I realized what my problem was I was able to apply solutions.
My mentor instructs on small business strategies. He believes we can break every personal interaction down to basic components, and work out scenarios where the outcomes are optimised, without creating further unresolvable problems for any of the involved parties. Necessarily these strategies must incorporate all parties needs, if they can be ascertained.
By doing this you gain objectivity, and the entire situation is examined without any bias. This tends to empower all parties, without pressures. The interactions and negotiations will be more relaxed, open and without antipathy.
There are techniques that can be used to simplify this facilitation. I personally use a chart which is similar to the Ben Franklin that many are familiar with
My first step is to identify what I want to achieve from the meeting/call or conversation. I do that by identifying my goals, the emotions I expect to experience, and the expectations I have. This takes practice and some thought, as while goals and expectations are concrete, emotions are tricky little suckers. They affect everything we do, at work, at home, with family, friends - and with our prospects and customers.
More difficult is to work on what the other parties expect, what their goals may. Their emotions should be considered in the context of the possible outcomes.
Imagine this: I am to call a prospect, to see if he will be making an application to join my primary business.
My goals are to find out if the lead wants to complete an application, and if they do facillitate the application. If they do not want to at this time my goal is for the lead to stay as a subscriber to my newsletters.
I need to be aware that I could be excited, afraid or disappointed, depending on the possible outcomes.
On the positive expectation, they will submit an application, and/or remain on my email subscriber list. My negative expectations would include a complete lack of interest, suspicion, hostility or rudeness.
Their goal may be to avoid spending money, and to find out what it is that I am marketing. Their emotions may be fear that I will somehow force them to give me money, or to take some advanatge away from them. They may be excited that they may be close to joining a business opportunity, or they may be frightened by it. Their expectations may be that they will be subjected to a sales pitch, and that they will say no.They may also be expecting more information about my opportunity, and they may be expecting to make a decision about that.
By deliberately, consciously predicting these behaviours I am able to plan for them, and could use surprise or other tactics to break them away from their (probably unrealised) expectations so that we can partake of a negotiation based on mutual respect and acceptance of the other parties' goals emotions and expectations..
I understood the issue and believed that it did not apply to me as I genuinely like meeting people and am usually unfazed by talking with them. My issue was fear of rejection - rejection of a my business proposals in which I had much emotional energy tied up. When I realized what my problem was I was able to apply solutions.
My mentor instructs on small business strategies. He believes we can break every personal interaction down to basic components, and work out scenarios where the outcomes are optimised, without creating further unresolvable problems for any of the involved parties. Necessarily these strategies must incorporate all parties needs, if they can be ascertained.
By doing this you gain objectivity, and the entire situation is examined without any bias. This tends to empower all parties, without pressures. The interactions and negotiations will be more relaxed, open and without antipathy.
There are techniques that can be used to simplify this facilitation. I personally use a chart which is similar to the Ben Franklin that many are familiar with
My first step is to identify what I want to achieve from the meeting/call or conversation. I do that by identifying my goals, the emotions I expect to experience, and the expectations I have. This takes practice and some thought, as while goals and expectations are concrete, emotions are tricky little suckers. They affect everything we do, at work, at home, with family, friends - and with our prospects and customers.
More difficult is to work on what the other parties expect, what their goals may. Their emotions should be considered in the context of the possible outcomes.
Imagine this: I am to call a prospect, to see if he will be making an application to join my primary business.
My goals are to find out if the lead wants to complete an application, and if they do facillitate the application. If they do not want to at this time my goal is for the lead to stay as a subscriber to my newsletters.
I need to be aware that I could be excited, afraid or disappointed, depending on the possible outcomes.
On the positive expectation, they will submit an application, and/or remain on my email subscriber list. My negative expectations would include a complete lack of interest, suspicion, hostility or rudeness.
Their goal may be to avoid spending money, and to find out what it is that I am marketing. Their emotions may be fear that I will somehow force them to give me money, or to take some advanatge away from them. They may be excited that they may be close to joining a business opportunity, or they may be frightened by it. Their expectations may be that they will be subjected to a sales pitch, and that they will say no.They may also be expecting more information about my opportunity, and they may be expecting to make a decision about that.
By deliberately, consciously predicting these behaviours I am able to plan for them, and could use surprise or other tactics to break them away from their (probably unrealised) expectations so that we can partake of a negotiation based on mutual respect and acceptance of the other parties' goals emotions and expectations..
About the Author:
Don Fuller has been successfully using this and other methods to grow his online network marketing business for years. If you want more information on the methods available to empower your business and your interpersonal skills, you cab subscribe to our publications by visiting his website and following the prompts to his On Line Opportunity or visit Don's Blog
