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After you have learned attraction marketing techniques and attracted qualified prospects to you, what do you do with your potential customer or business partner?

The answer is the consultative approach, an approach heralded by such leaders as Michael Oliver and Ann Sieg.

The consultative approach revolves around the concept of creating meaningful dialogue with people, to uncover their needs. In doing so, you create long term and mutually profitable relationships.

So rather than simply trying to push your needs onto people, your goal is to understand what someone really wants. You only introduce your business opportunity/product/service as potential solutions after a process of discovery and only if there is a good FIT for the other person.

It’s a mindset thing - it’s about changing your thinking. You have to let go of the outcome and resist the temptation to present your solution before you really understand what the problem is, and whether or not your solution is the best one for that individual. You have to learn how to keep your own agenda out of the picture.

Perhaps the greatest gift you can offer someone is to really listen to them and show that you care about their needs. If you embrace this concept, you will not only help someone, but your business will become more meaningful to you as well.

Michael Oliver, who coined the term "Natural Selling",  teaches us a framework forMichael Oliver the consultative approach and he advises all network marketers to memorize it. He calls it his Natural Selling Conversation Framework. Of course, conversations are rarely this linear and you will learn to tailor this approach to fit the person, based on what he or she says.

Natural Selling Conversation Framework by Michael Oliver

1. Connecting Stage   

Use Connecting Questions --  Demonstrates your intent. Puts the focus on the other person.
State how what you do helps others. Problem--solution--question to get other to talk.

2. Discovering Stage

Use Background Questions  -- Finds the present situation--the basic facts.

"Before I get into what I've got, let me ask you a few questions so that we can talk about you and what you're looking for."

"What is your present situation?""How did you get to this point [where you are now]?"

Needs Awareness/Development Questions -- Explores needs/problems, if any. What your customer wants.  Explores circumstances causing the needs. Why your customer wants it. Reveals the features, advantages, and benefits to solving the problem.

"So, what drew you into this type of work?" "Do you enjoy your work?"
"Do you like what you do?/What you have?" etc. "What do you like about . . . ?
"What would you change about your job if you could?" "Why would you change that?"
"Is that important to you?"
"What do you mean when you say ______?"
"How does that make you feel not to have [what you just said you wanted]?"

Consequence Questions-- Expands on the problem. Makes the need more urgent. Explores consequences of making a wrong decision.

"What if you didn't do anything and the situation got worse?"
"How would you feel if you weren't able to _____?"

Solution Questions-- Involves your customer and his or her ideas. Reveals and strengthens the benefits of solving the problem.

"What have you done [OR would you do] about changing your present situation?"

Qualifying Questions -- Confirms whether the other person is ready to take action.

"How important is that to you?" "Why is that important to you?"
"I sense that you're not too sure; how do you see it?"
"How would you feel if you could _____?"
"Are you prepared to change your present situation to get what you want?"
"Does that work for you?" "Is that what you're looking for?"
"Would you do whatever it takes to get you the things that you want?"

3. Transitioning Stage -- Opens the door to presenting your solution.

Transition Questions

"Well, based on what you've told me, I'm doing something that might be what you're looking for. If you're interested, I would be happy to share it with you."

4. Presenting Stage -- Summary and Agreement.  Confirms the correct solution. Presents the specific features, advantages, and benefits of the solution that solve solve the problem and satisfy the customer.

"You said _____, and it's making you feel ____. Well, what I do is _____. What this means to you is that you can do the same thing. You can ____ [advantages--logical side of problem], which will allow you to _____ [benefits that will satisfy personal side]. Does that feel as if it might take care of what you want?"

5. Committing Stage -- Helps other person to commit or take the next steps.

Commitment Questions

"I'd like to suggest as the next step _____. What would be most appropriate for you? Do you see the value in all of this for you?" [Check for agreement. Keep making suggestions. Follow up!] "I'll call you at 7:00 p.m. next Tuesday. You'll have listened to the tape I'll send you, and we can discuss specific aspects of it."

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