If you are building a business or organization that depends on marketing products and services and recruiting, we assembled this information for you.

First, the information here is not original. We credit the many mentors who’ve taught us over the years.

Next, no single script will work for every person or situation. We attempt here to break things down in an easy to understand, simple to follow way.

Finally, you may be reading this in its rough outline form as we try and get thoughts down and continue to refine and develop the page.

Now, let’s assume you already have a list of warm market contacts. If not, you need to develop that list before going any further. Otherwise, you are simply gathering nails with no wood to drive them into.

Hopefully, you have a mentor in your business who is experienced and working with you, because this page is about the art of inviting, not the art of convincing, selling, or converting. Leave your business and product knowledge behind for this part of your business. You don’t need it. In fact, it will hurt you more than help you. I am not going to help you here become an expert. That comes in time, and the last thing you want to do is hold your money hostage. If you are in the right kind of business with the right people the last thing you want to do is “get baptized” and come out of the water an expert. You are not the message. You are not the deal. Some may have to work at checking their ego, but it will pay off big time if you do.

OK, your list. Check. You have a list of at least 100 people with phone numbers, email addresses, and a little about them and how you know them – what your relationship is to them.

Next, you need an event or a tool. This may be your website, a webinar, a phone call, a live meeting, a three-way call with a mentor, a sit-down presentation, a magazine, a DVD…you get the picture. For what comes next let’s say the event is a webinar or conference call. You want as many of the 100 people on your list to be on that call or webinar. This is your business “launch” or “grand opening”.

These people should all be warm contacts, not leads, not strangers. They are friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, fellow congregation or organization members, people who know your face and name and will answer the phone when you call as long as you call when they can answer.

Now you need the details of your event – the web address, phone number, pin or code, everything your contacts need to get on, get in, participate. Have this information in a form you can copy and paste or enter easily. You want to make sure it’s not technically or mechanically difficult. You want to remove the possibility you will mistype or that spell correction will send your contacts into internet or phone la-la land. Try using the very information you are sending yourself before sending it to anyone. Try it multiple times.

Back to the list. The people you have listed fall into one of three categories.

  1. Those who look up to you. They listen to your advice. They think of you as a mentor – at least potentially. Many may be younger, or have fewer job and life skills – but not necessarily.
  2. Your peers. They know you well. These people are mostly your age, maybe even your classmates, tend to be your closest friends, have the most in common with you. This may include those you’ve “hit on” for other opportunities in the past.
  3. Those you look up to. These people have professional jobs, may be or may seem to you to be more economically successful. You may look to them for advice, mentorship, and leadership.

How you approach each type must be different. Go through your list and label your contacts 1, 2, and 3, or A, B, and C, whatever works for you.

If you don’t have people from all three groups, your list is incomplete. Stop now and work on your list some more.

Next item of preparation – you need alternatives. Let’s say your target is getting people on a webinar Thursday evening at 7 PM local time. Great, but what if they’re busy? Have 2 or 3 alternative ways you can expose your contacts to the information. Your final fall back will be something like this. “John, I appreciate you so much. I know you are busy just like me. The timing just isn’t right for you. Tell you what, the last thing I want to do is leave you out. I’ll call you back later and see if we can find a time that works better for you. Fair enough? Great. Hey, gotta run. I’ll call you in [some not top distant time frame like a couple days, next week, etc.]”

Now you are finally ready to pick up the phone and make a call. Don’t relay here on text messages, email – especially mass email, etc. Your voice is the most important tool here. It needs to express excitement, sincerity, and enthusiasm – BUT it need not be over the top. You don’t have to be bouncing off the wall – unless that is your “normal”. Being normal, being real, is equally important, and finding that balance is critical. If your normal is monotone and sedate, you don’t want to come off as a late-night TV pitch man selling the latest gadget for only $19.95. Be NORMAL, be YOURSELF.

Now, as you begin your call, the first thing you want to do, regardless of category, personality, or circumstance is to find out if their schedule will even permit them to participate. No need to spill your candy in the lobby if they are not even in the office, right?

It might start something like this. “Hi, Jan, this is Rick. Hey, I know you’re probably busy – I know I am. I just wanted to check and see if your calendar has a brief opening [insert time and date of your event].” If it is, continue. If not, be ready with one of your backup events or your fall back mentioned above. They may try to pump you to “spill the beans” then and there. You must resist without seeming evasive. If they do, your response might sound like this. “That answer is precisely why I’d like to get just s few minutes of your time.” You are not trying to be evasive anymore than you would be if someone wanted to taste your cake one ingredient at a time before it even got mixed or baked. If you think, “I am evading the question” they will too. If you think “I am saving the taste test for the finished cake,” that thought will also come across. It’s YOUR attitude that will lead theirs. This is why your leaders and mentors will harp on POSTURE.

Once you’ve established that they at least can potentially attend your event based on their existing agenda…

For people in category 1, you can speak to them as one giving advice or opportunity, as in, “John, I recently took a look at some powerful information, and I thought of you. It may or may not be for you, but I think you’d be wise to take a look so you can make an informed decision. Do you have something to write with? Note: Naturally, you are NOT going to rely on their hand writing or interpretation. You will text, message, and or email the details, but getting them to act is essential.

For your buds, your homies, those in category 2 it will be more like this. “Judy, you know how we’ve talked about finding a way to create some extra income. Well, I think I may have found it. I’m pretty excited about it, but I want to get your feedback – kind of a sanity check. Have you got something to write with?

Finally, your category 3 folks…”Jim, for a long time I’ve been looking for a way to create some additional income to feed my wealth building plan you advised me on…I’ve found something, but I’d feel a lot better if you could take a look at it and see if it makes as much sense to you and it does to me. I’d greatly appreciate it if you could be on the [call, webinar…etc.] and give me your feedback.

Remember, you are not selling your product. You are not presenting. You are not telling them about the opportunity. You are inviting them to look at the information with you.

If you remember your role here – the inviter, you will have HUGE success. Like the person being read their Maranda Rights as they get arrested, most people fail to “not say anything that can be used against them”. This is the number one point of failure in our industry as well. Don’t “spill your candy in the lobby”. don’t “spill the beans before dinner is served.” Don’t “serve the cake before it’s mixed and baked.”

If you are a part of our team your webinar will be at webinar.30fold.com. The dial in number is (641) 715-3580 pin 973813#.

To learn more trade “secrets” and put your business in high gear I highly recommend you check out a book that’ is becoming a textbook for the industry, Building an Empire, by Brian Carruthers.