Are You Guilty of Snap Decisions?

Have you ever come across a person you knew within seconds would not be a great team member or customer?

Or on social media, looked up the person's page and decided they didn't “look” like someone who would be interested in your product or business opportunity?

Often, we make snap decisions about someone before even engaging them in conversation and asking the right questions so we can make an accurate evaluation.

Before I share more on how to determine if someone is going to be a good prospect, I'll tell you what happened to me recently.

Before going in the grocery store I grabbed a cart. Do you get frustrated when the cart has debris in it? Well, I do. Why is it people think it’s okay to leave a mess, and why do employees who see a mess not do something about it?

I was aggravated by the trash in the cart I pulled out of the stack and rather than just take another one, I decided to get rid of it.

When I saw a young man wearing black slacks and white shirt by the carts at the entrance, I asked him to please through the rubbish into the waste can for me.

(Thought he might even get the hint and clean out the carts before lining them up for the next customer.)

Well, he gave me a rather annoyed look, but took the stuff from me and proceeded to throw it away. Guess he was home when they covered customer service.

Rather than walk to the trash can two feet away, he dumps the stuff in the recycle bin.

Don't ask me why I felt I had to bring this to attention, but I did.

“Young man, you do realize that's not the trash can but the recycle bin?” Another look; this time more annoyed than before. But he went back grabbed the stuff in a huff and threw it in the proper can.

Then as he started to walk away totally frustrated and angry, the light bulb goes on:

“You don't work here, do you?”

His reply… “No, I don't!” Well, I don't have to tell you how embarrassed I was. I just wanted to disappear!

I apologized for mistaking him for a grocery clerk, but he wasn't having any.

He just gave me “the” look again and went on his way.

So, there it is. One look and I sized him up, decided he must stock shelves and take care of the grocery carts.

I asked myself if I do this when I meet someone who potentially could be a prospect.

You know, take one look and say to yourself, the person doesn't “look” like they would be interested in my product or business opportunity.

Even worse, decide someone visiting your social media page doesn't look like they would really make it as a network marketer or partner.

Big mistake! This could be someone fed up with their 9 to 5 job and maybe thinking of exploring other opportunities. Maybe they need to come up with extra money for bills or college tuition.

You could be looking at the next “rock star” in your company.

How could you possibly know anything about their motivation, needs, or desires without engaging them in a conversation and asking?

You wouldn't.

The first thing to do is start up a conversation and build rapport. Next, ask them three questions that will tell you what you need to know.