Dodo Loves Marketing

How should we reach out to the people on the committee?

Your goal in dealing with the committee is not to walk in unprepared, but rather to do the necessary work up-front to reach out to all the members of the group before your meeting. This may mean a long series of phone calls, e-mails, and even face-to-face meetings before your committee presentation. Only you can determine whether this investment of time and effort is worth it. However, in deals that carry high price tags, it is quite common for a committee to deliver the final recommendation, and it may well be worth identifying the key players and discussing their priorities ahead of time. ..more

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It is quite common for our request for a Next Step to meet with the following response: “Let me bounce this off the so- and-so committee (or: such-and-such a work group) and see what they have to say about it.”

Or:

“I’ll have to run this past the committee—they make all the decisions in this area.”

Or:

“It looks good—we just need to get approval from the committee, but don’t worry, that’s just a formality.” ..more

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Save this for the potentially huge account (or huge current customer) you know you are about to lose to a competitor. (Clear it with your boss first, of course.) ..more

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Recall that one of our Wrong Reflexes is Non-communication. We too eagerly disengage from the other, withdraw, escape to safety behind a wall of inaccessibility.

Being unavailable for contact ensures that conflict remains unresolved. A sage once said, ‘Abstinence from communication is the essence of conflict‘. Without doubt, no resolution is possible without communication. So, the first and most fundamental requirement is to establish a time in which communication can occur.

It works even betterwhen both people know it. But on many occasions you alone will initiate and actively manage the process. So we will assume that you are solely responsible. ..more

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The purpose of planning the context, is to create a setting for effective communication.

Location

A private place that is free from interruptions should be selected. Importantly, phone calls and people walking in should be prevented. Even music should be eliminated. Moving objects or people are visual distractions. The meeting should occur in a private room that other people will not inadvertently enter. A place where neither person feels on home turf, or a site preferred by your Other is best. ..more

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Performing your two tasks within the recommended structure and context of the discussion releases energy that is bound up in conflict. This produces a shift in attitudes from me-against-you to us-against-the-problem.

THE STRUCTURE

The meeting consists of four parts: The Opening, the Invitation, the Dialogue, and the Breakthrough. Let’s flesh out the skeleton with examples of how each part may be performed. ..more

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3. Invent OPTIONS for mutual gain.

Interest-based bargaining promotes a less contentious climate in the Dialogue that aids the search for both-gain solutions. In this more collaborative mode, you may search creatively for alternatives that might benefit both of you. Now the Dialogue is a problem-solving discussion where your orientation is us-against-the-problem rather than me-against-you. Ideally, both disputants can brainstorm possible solutions, listing as many ideas as you can think of without worrying about how practical or promising they are. Once a pool of alternative solutions has been brainstormed, each option can be tested for compatibility with each disputant’s underlying self-interests. ..more

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Simply engaging in face-to-face conversation in the appropriate context while complying with the Cardinal Rules helps people manage their differences and build more satisfying relationships.

But the sceptical reader is asking, ‘What about skills? Aren’t special skills needed in the Dialogue?’

How old are you? You have that many years’ experience in the school of life. You have learned more than you may realise about how to communicate, about how to get along with others. Of course, we also learn ineffective communication patterns along with more positive skills. But, on balance, most adults who are able to maintain friendships, hold jobs, join groups, and survive the crucible of family life possess sufficient communication skills. ..more

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The activities of your implementation project won’t always happen in the way or at the time that you plan them to. The way to counteract the difficulties that arise from these diversions from your plan lies in the way that you create and use your implementation project monitoring and control system. When created and used with care, this system will identify the project’s drifts and divergences and provide you with what you need to put your project back ‘on line’. ..more

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To help him prepare, ask him to write down answers to these three questions before each meeting:

A. What actions have you taken? These should be the details of his performance over the last three months. He should include scores, rankings, ratings, and timelines, if available

B.What discoveries have you made? These discoveries might be in the form of training classes he attended, ..more

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Sooner or later you’ve got to begin someplace. Why not with Your own group? Sometimes, because of organizational constraints, the only meetings you can affect are the ones in which You participate. It makes sense to test these ideas in your own back yard. There is no better place to develop your skills and gain experience. If you’re going to spend valuable time and energy participating in meetings, why not make them more productive and enjoyable? Here are eight steps you can take as manager/chairperson to introduce the Interaction Method into your meetings. ..more

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Problem people frequently create turmoil and dissension in the work group. Being able to stand aside from strong emotions and think logically and creatively is a most critical skill, but one which will require preparation and practice. Let’s look at a series of steps which you might try to sort out a problem with a person at your workplace.

1 Treat the person with respect

Just as it often takes two people to make a problem, frequently requires participation of the same two to reach mutually agreeable solution. Threat and intimidation can hinder problem solving, so be certain to approach the person with sort out a very sticky and difficult work problem by approaching the other party firmly and positively. Jennifer’s opening words were particularly impressive: ‘There seems to be a spot of bother in this matter and I’m calling to ask for your assistance in sorting out the problem.’ By asking for the other person’s help and assistance, there was little or no threat and a mutually agreeable solution was readily negotiated. ..more

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“Those women talk too much.”

Women are reputed to be verbose in meetings. They are said to talk too much, become emotional and not get to the point. It is vital for your career development to lay this ghost to rest.

Don’t be unnaturally timid or quiet, but learn to understand the mechanics of meetings. Recognise the different roles that people play during meetings.

Say your say in a meaningful way. By taking my meetings seriously, doing my pre-meeting homework thoroughly and devoting attention to the basics of clear communication, I take great delight in disproving this particular myth.

Master the art of meetings and your verbal comments will actually be sought after. ..more

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Women bring their own particular strengths to any meeting. I have found that women are particularly sensitive to interpersonal relationships and emotional undercurrents in meetings.

Feminine intuition is alert to those hidden agendas, secret coalitions and potential conflict situations. We read non-verbal messages accurately, the raised eyebrow or the sideways glance, especially when they are sent by aggressors or allies! ..more

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Step 2: Follow up the initial contact

Within a couple of days, once the prospect has had an opportunity to see the video, telephone her. Don’t leave it too long. You want to catch her while she is still keen to find out more about network marketing. If she is interested, set up an appointment immediately to discuss the opportunity further. You’ll need about an hour.

Exactly where you hold this meeting is a matter of choice. It could be at the prospect’s home or at your home office, or you could invite the prospect to a presentation meeting where she will meet a group of enthusiastic networkers. Circumstance will dictate which is the best option. ..more

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Step 1: The introductory meeting

Make the appointment and arrive on time; not early and not late. Try to meet both husband and wife if you meet with a married couple. Throughout the meeting talk in a relaxed and conversational way. If the meeting is in the prospect’s home, make some opening pleasantries. You might comment about an attractive painting on the wall or the lovely roses in the garden, anything to break the ice.

But this is a business meeting, so don’t labour the social side. Start your presentation properly by saying that:

• you have joined a company and you are excited about it, and that the business offers a significant moneymaking opportunity
• your organisation is a growing one and there is room for everyone to make money
• you are going to present an idea for her consideration but that there will be no pressure on her to make a decision. If she decides not to participate, you will not bug her. ..more
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How to start a conversation about networking

If you listen carefully to what people say, you can steer just about any conversation around to network marketing. These opportunities will come up continuously. Suppose you are at a social function. You meet someone new. During the conversation you might say in a relaxed and conversational way: ‘Education? Well, you know, John, I was looking at an article in Time the other day on the rising cost of education. Horrific! Luckily I heard of a great way to make money and results look promising.’ (The factual approach.)

‘Susan, you said to me a moment ago that you’d love to travel overseas every year. If I could tell you of a way to make this kind of money, would you be interested?’ (The question approach.)

‘Phil Turner? Of course, I know him. As a matter of fact he was very interested in a money-making idea I came across. It’s called network marketing.’ (The personal-reference approach.) ..more

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Some networkers dread objections. That’s the wrong attitude! You should welcome objections (strange as it may seem) because, as long as the prospect is raising objections, she is interested in the product and networking. What she is really saying is: ‘If you can show me my objection is unfounded, I’ll join.’ And that’s a much better situation than the customer who simply walks away and is not interested.

Also, a question is not necessarily an objection. It can be a sincere desire to know more; a sign of interest.

Often the prospect has doubts and uncertainties about network marketing or the value of the products you are selling. She may genuinely need time to think it over because the whole concept is new. An objection means that you have not really sold the prospect the idea of network marketing. You have not dispelled the fear that she is making the wrong decision and that the benefits you promise will not materialise. ..more

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