If you’ve been in network marketing a while, then you know that the “warm market” is always the place to start when kicking off a new business. However, you also know that talking to your family and friends can be one of the most frightening, even intimidating tasks we can undertake, especially when we’re new.

Here’s something to keep in mind. This is the first impression of business building that most distributors get when starting off. Therefore, a positive experience in the warm market is absolutely critical in determining whether a new person will continue to move forward with their business or not.

If you’re like most distributors, you were taught (by a well-intentioned sponsor) to approach your warm market with a “selling” mentality. The kind that says go out and get your products or opportunity in front of everyone on your list. Now that might be OK for the cold market, but we’re talking about people that you know on a personal level here. These are the people with whom you don’t want to burn any bridges.

In addition, very often we don’t realize that even though we may be over-flowing with excitement, it can be very difficult for others to feel the same level of enthusiasm, especially if this is their first exposure to our products or opportunity. And without controlling our excitement, it becomes very easy to overwhelm people with too much information causing them to feel pressured or defensive.

So, the difference between success and failure in your warm market is all in your approach. There is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. The good news is, approaching your warm market the right way is a whole lot easier and fun than doing it the wrong way.

Now, before you start talking to people, there’s something very important to remember. No one on your list is looking for your product or opportunity. Therefore, you don’t want to just hit people over the head with your sales tools and hope they’ll be interested. They won’t. You must sort out the interested from the uninterested.

Furthermore, don’t make the “rookie” mistake of trying to guess who would be interested. So many times brand new distributors start out by saying things like, “I just know my brother-in-law is going to love this. He’s got sales experience, he’s energetic, he knows a lot of people, he would be perfect. I’m not going to talk to anyone ’til after I talk to him.” Then they end up chasing this person for days trying to convince them to join just to have them say “no” in the end.

Meanwhile, in the same time frame an experienced distributor has talked to 20 people, sorted out the 7 or 8 interested, and signed up 5. Here’s this principle in a nutshell:

“Professionals sort. Amateurs convince.”

Write that down, stick it where you can see it, and never forget it.

So, how do you go about sorting out the right people? It’s quite simple actually, but it must be done in a very passive way. Otherwise, if you’re too aggressive people will smell a sales pitch and run away, leaving you with nothing but a bad reputation.

There’s a very clever way to sort out people that doesn’t raise any red flags. Here’s how it works:

* Start by calling the people on your list with the premise that you’re simply updating your address book or making sure that the phone number you have for them is still valid.

* Strike up a very friendly and relaxed conversation by asking, “So what have you been up to?” Let them talk as long as they wish and don’t interrupt.

* Inevitably, they’re going to ask you the same question. Tell them about your life, NOT your business. Talk about your kids, your job, your hobbies, or anything. Then make a statement like, “Oh yeah, I also started my own business.”

* Of course they’re going to ask, “Oh really, what is it?” That’s your cue. Make a quick “teaser” statement like “I show people how to lower their cholesterol (or whatever your product does) and make extra money from home.”

* Then, immediately make a third person statement such as, “Hey do me a favor, if you know anyone who could use that send them my way OK.”

* Now, if they don’t respond in a curious manner, drop the subject and get back to the friendly conversation.

* However, if they say something like “What about me?” or “How does it work?”, congratulations you’ve got yourself a hot prospect.

Here’s what you do next. Stop the conversation right there. Control your enthusiasm and DON’T answer any more questions. If you allow your prospect’s questions to steer the conversation, they will always steer you right into the ditch, guaranteed.

Instead tell them, “Look, I’m still kind of new at this and still learning so let me send you some information on it so you can see how it works.”

NOW you can show them your company’s sales tools. Let the sales tools do all the work for you. And when you send the sales tools, send a couple extra with a hand-written personal note asking them to help you out by passing along your information. Your only job now is to follow up. Remember, the fortune is in the follow-up!

And THAT’S how you approach your warm market the right way. This simple strategy accomplishes 5 major objectives:

#1 It sorts out the right people for you so you don’t waste time, energy, or money on the wrong people.

#2 It takes the “selling” pressure off of both you and your prospect.

#3 It removes the emotional element of being rejected.

#4 It virtually eliminates the need to “overcome objections”.

#5 And most importantly, it preserves valuable relationships.

Just remember, everyone on your list is not a customer. Don’t try to guess who is and who isn’t. Just be yourself and let your prospects step forward on their own. And if you’ll do that, you’ll keep your friends and family and building your business will always be easy and fun.