I loved this book when I was in Amway/BWW. But now I am ashamed that I used all the manipulation techniques this book taught. (Of course, I did not succeed even with the tricks taught in this book.)
Some questions and answers this book has. The questions are the ones coming from prospects and answers are taught to IBOs.
The 1st technique is answer a question with a question. The second is easy answer, followed by a question. (I don't have the patience to type everything, but manipulation and dodging is professionally taught to IBOs.)
Qn 1: "What is it?"
Qn for qn: "It is private franchizing. Are you familiar with it?"
Easy answer: It is a brand new industry designed specifically for the internet. I am part of a group of entrepreneurs who are very successful. Are you familiar with internet-based businesses?
(Only the new untrained guys will say it is Amway out of fear and not knowing what to say.)
Qn 2: Can you tell me more about it?
Qn for qn: "Absolutely! I would like to meet you and share this info. I have Tue or Thu free. Which works better?"
The book says they key is to start your answer with "absolutely", so the prospect thinks you are agreeing with him. But actually the IBO want to meet with the prospect in person!
Amway trains you to always tell two YES options, never YES/NO. They ask "Tue or Thu?" and never "do you want to meet me?"
Qn 3: Is this Amway?
Qn for qn: No, this is not Amway, but what is your understanding of companies like Amway?
All IBOs are trained to answer this question with a NO.
In my experience for about 5 years with Amway, all the people who asked this question were negative and never sat for plan. So no matter what you say after this really does not matter. (They have smelt the Amway in you!)
Qn 4: Is this an MLM deal/pyramid?
Qn for qn: What is your experience with MLM/pyramid?
(Again, they r taught never to say YES/NO. The IBOs are taught to ask questions to prospects, so they never answer prospect's questions.)
My experience - they have smelt you!
Qn: What are my odds of making it with this biz?
Qn for qn: What are your odds of making it without it?
I love this one -
Statement from prospect: I am not interested.
Qn from IBO: thank you for being honest. Which part are you not interested in?
qn: How much money are you making?
Qn for qn: How much money would you like to make?
(Truth is the IBO is not making much... hehe.)
Prospect: I have seen this before.
Qn: What exactly did you see before?
This is nice:
Prospect: Do I have to sell?
IBO: Do you like to sell?
Prospect: Yes/No.
IBO: Great! You will love this business. You need to meet this person at the business presentation who made it in this business and he is exactly like you.
Prospect: Do I have to buy 100 PV every month?
IBO: Do you want to make a PV check every month?
(100 PV costs about $300. PV check for that will be about $7. So the IBO is asking you, essentially, do you want to spend $300 to make $7.)
Prospect: I have always shopped at Costco/Walmart. How does this compare?
IBO: Does Costco/walmrt offer an opportunity to make money?
(Truth - Amway products are very expensive compared to Costco/walmart.)
Tip in the book: What you promote is what your prospect will investigate.
(These days there is so much crap about all the big pins that most IBOs cannot promote the open meeting speakers! :-).)
Another technique in the book to handle any question: I know how you feel. I felt the same way. Let me tell you what I found out. (and then fart whatever you want :-).)
The IBOs will always try to leave some information behind with you, so that they can force their way into your house one more time for a follow up. If you say you are not interested in the biz, they will try to sell you some products or get some of your friends' names and numbers. So if you do not take the information packet, they really have no chance with you.
Its interesting that I recently read Rich Devos's take on the curiosity approach. This was a speech he gave in 1983, here is a link to it http://www.amquix.info/amway_directly_speaking.html
ReplyDeletehere is the part abt being dishonest in saying its not amway
You know, one of the reasons we use the curiosity approach is because people have preconceived ideas of what Amway is. You and I know what it really is, but they have a distorted or warped view; and therefore, if they thought they were coming to an Amway function, they would probably say "No" because of their preconceived ideas. Therefore, would we do is use the curiosity approach, but when it's used indirectly, all we do is give a further bad image for the organization. And people begin to say, "What's the matter, are you ashamed of what you're in? Do you have to be tricky, deceitful, lie to get me to come to a meeting? Tell me it's a fund-raiser, tell me it's a -- it's a how to save money on taxes -- it's a social event" -- whatsa matter with you people, what happened to your ethics? And I have to tell you, that what we're running in to. And that's why we're asking for your total help to stamp out the curiosity approach. If you can't use it correct, then don't use it at all. Then invite them to an Amway meeting, and when they tell you they know all about that, then ask them some questions, such as, "If you know all about it, how does the Diamond Bonus work. How does the Emerald bonus work? Do you know how profit-sharing works." When they say, "No, I don't know that," then you jump right on them and say "You don't know about Amway, you better come to the meeting.
(Unintelligible) . . . that's how you overcome that, but I'd rather have you have to go through that little verbal battle rather to deceive a person and tell them it's not an Amway meeting and then when they get there an hour after they sat down they discover it is an Amway meeting. You know, that's deception, that infuriates people, and that gives this company, and you, a bad image. And so we need your help on some of that stuff, we just got to clean it up.
And that was almost 2 decades ago, and sorry RICH DEVOS(may ur soul rest in peace) but its become dirtier and messier than the BP Gulf oil spill.
And the Emeralds, Diamonds etc are no saints and ofcourse we cant talk about the negatives right, so read it for yourself here:
http://www.amquix.info/amway_hall_of_shame.html
Whoa... had no idea there's material which trains the poor "IBO's" to tackle the questions people ask! I mean being a new 'Biz Owner' how can you not realize you're being taught to trap people?? How would you feel if a certain (unknown) person tries to rope you in for his/her benefit and uses deceitful means at it??!! I got approached by one such couple at a local produce mart and they were relentless... but then I guess they had had their fair share of the training. Being nice to such people is so frustrating when all they want is you get trapped in their BS 'Get Rich' scheme!
ReplyDeleteQn 4: Is this an MLM deal/pyramid?
ReplyDeleteQn for qn: What is your experience with MLM/pyramid?
(Again, they r taught never to say YES/NO. The IBOs are taught to ask questions to prospects, so they never answer prospect's questions.)
LOL this is wat exactly i asked my frenz n d answer from him ^^