Power Base Reactivation

is the most difficult way to form a company.

Everyone has an existing power base. The people you know?friends, family, relatives, schoolmates, past employ- ers, existing employees, and even your enemies?are all part of it. A power base doesn?t remain the same size throughout your career; it will grow (or cease to grow) depending on the amount of attention you give it. To cultivate and increase the quality of your power base, simply start with what you have. Direct and multilevel marketing companies are effective because they depend almost solely on utilizing and optimiz- ing people?s power bases. Combine a dedicated and relent- less contact of power bases with great products, and you will create a corporation that profits during any economy. Amway, Nu Skin, Herbalife, Mary Kay, Market America, and Kangen Water are just a few examples of companies whose entire model is built on the idea that everyone has a power base; success depends on how effectively those power bases

are informed about the company?s products. Those who make it to these firms? top levels are not great salespeople; they are great at power base reactivation. That is why so many busi- nesses focus so intently on customer satisfaction and knowing how much word of mouth generates future sales. Corpora- tions tend to fail when they rely too heavily on advertising campaigns and claim commitment to customer satisfaction without organically stimulating the power base. When you effectively activate your power base, you will find people who are qualified to purchase your products and motivated to tell others.

You have to be cost effective in generating opportuni- ties for purchasing your product or service during slow eco- nomic times. While a big corporation may be able to afford huge advertising budgets, individuals typically cannot. And while advertising can hit more people faster, it is less personal. To that end, your power base is the single most lucrative way to generate immediate business. Traditional advertising has become ?the dependency? of the twenty-first century whereby the company?s ability to generate business rests solely with mass advertising to people you don?t know who may or may not be qualified or even interested in your product. A majority of advertising budgets are lost to these people. This method of contact may not be an affordable option?even for large corporations?during periods of contraction, when you truly have to watch every penny you spend.

Although reactivating your power base is very cost effective, it does require some degree of effort. Don?t worry

when you begin whether these people are qualified or even interested in your product; just make your list, then contact those on it. Remember that the people you know also know others in turn who may be more appropriate prospects. You want to reactivate every possible contact you have and get your power base to start to work for you. It?s akin to min- ing; think of the people you know as gold, and treat them as you would a gold mine. Post a claim and work it constantly. Neglect it and you will find someone else claiming your fortunes. Worse yet, your power base can sit vacated, unat- tended, and ignored. The fact that you are not working your gold mine effectively does not mean it is less valuable; it just means that you aren?t tapping into its immense potential.

Start getting in touch with friends, family, relatives, and past employers and take a genuine interest in them. Find out what they are doing; ask about their lives, their careers, and their families. People love to talk about themselves, and they really love it when others take interest in them. Let them know what you are doing when it comes up, but understand that tftis is not a sales call. You are simply reconnecting with someone with whom you have been out of touch.

Do not rely solely on e-mail or snail mail for this ven- ture without first getting in touch via phone or personal visit. A phone call is more valuable than mail but can and should be followed by mail or e-mail the same day. Make it clear that the intention of your call is to catch up with those in your power base, not to sell your products or ser- vices. During all economies?good, bad, and indifferent but especially during contractions?contacts and relationships

are everything. If you?ve ever heard the saying ?It?s who you know, not what you know,? then you know that this is true. You are sftort on people, not sftort on money, and tfte people you know eitfter ftave tfte money you want or know people wfto do. It is those people who want and need your service. So the more people you contact, the better chance you have of discovering and selling to those who are members of your target market.

Remember: People like to buy and do business with people they know and like. During times when money is tight, they are more likely to spend money (if they do so at all) on products and services from those they know and trust. You may have had the experience of running into an old friend and to your shock and disappointment discov- ered that they just bought the very product or service that you represent from someone else. Ugh! The pain runs deep and could have easily been avoided just by increasing the amount of contact with the people you know. You can miss these types of opportunities when things are going great? but when times are tough you can?t afford to miss any busi- ness! And the reality is that you should never put yourself in this position, regardless of economic conditions, but now you don?t have a choice?you have to capitalize on every single opportunity.

This process of reactivating your power base might feel a lot like going to the gym after blowing off exercise for six months. It is all new again and you are using muscles that you have not used in some time. Just like working out, once you force yourself back into the gym, and work through the

pain, you will be glad you did! So just push through your resistance and know that your persistence is going to pay off, as long as you keep showing up and working out you will rebuild the muscle and in this case your power base.

The Call

So, let?s talk about exactly how you are going to start reac- tivating your power base. How to make the call and what exactly you might say something like this:

?John, Grant Cardone here. Just thinking about you and wanted to catch up. How are things? What are you doing now? Tell me about the family, the house, the job?? This usually prompts your contact to ask what you are doing; at which point, you tell them and emphasize how excited you are about it. Do not, under any circumstance, mention or discuss or get involved with a conversation about how bad the economy is. No one needs more bad news!

Take the time during the call to collect data and update your files: E-mail and postal addresses, phone numbers, fam- ily and employment changes, etc. The second part of the call?s purpose is to set up a time to meet in person. ?Let?s catch up this month over lunch. When is good for you?? You must commit to and set a time to meet with the person you?re call- ing, because this will bring about two subsequent actions: filling your schedule and making personal contacts. Again, your purpose here is not to sell; it is simply to make contact, reestablish a bond, collect data, and set up a future meeting.

Follow up your reactivation call by sending out a letter or e-mail that same day. Do not wait until tomorrow. Build the habit of doing everything you can now to establish a dis- cipline of taking massive action. End the call with some- thing like, ?Great speaking with you. I look forward to catching up with you in person.? This call and a mailing will then be followed up with a personal visit?whether or not you get a commitment to a future date to meet. Either put the time you both agreed to meet on your calendar, or schedule a date for a personal visit.

Remember, these people already know you. They will probably want to reactivate as well and help you if they can. In fact, these people will admire you for reaching out to them?and will realize that this is exactly what they sftould be doing, too.

Here are a few very important do nots to keep in mind when reactivating your power base:

1. Do not qualify the list.

2. Do not worry about what these people are going to think because you haven?t been in contact for some time.

3. Do not be reasonable with this action.

4. Do not try to make this a sales call.

5. However, do not forget that you are selling. The mere action of reactivating means you?re selling.

6. Do not judge the results of the contact.

Your goal is to do everything possible to reconnect with the people you know, connect with others, network, and get people talking and thinking about you again. Any attention is better tftan no attention. The more people you know, the more likely you will survive?and succeed! So get going on your list of reactivations, and fill your calendar with appointments with everyone you can possibly think of.

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Date: 2016-06-12; view: 157