The Parent Partnership
I.E. associating your team members' parents in the process. They will be partners in preparing your team members having a successful summer.
THE PARENT PHONE CALL
Intention:
1- to help parents understand the facts and benefits of the program so that if their son/daughter wants to pursue it, the parents will be supportive
2- for you to gain insight into how their son/daughter would perform if we select them for the team!
Before the Call:
- Student prepared their parents for the call: gave them the website, explained that you are their friend, and purpose of the call)
- Find out how to address their parents (Mr & Mrs., first name)
- Student texts you an approximate time when you can call their parents
- Be in a quiet, undistracted place with 30-60 minutes open. Dress Smart and Stand Up (helps you be in the right mindset)
REMEMBER
Be polite all the way through. Say ‘yes sir’ and ‘yes madam’ and ‘thank you’.
Be friendly and laugh and have fun.
Answer questions specifically and do not oversell. If you don’t know the answer, tell them that you will nd out and get back to them about it. Again, remember that parents just want to know that their children are not being taken advantage of and that they will be safe. So, be yourself!!
Introduction:
“Hi, Mr_______________, my name is _________________. I’m ________________’s friend who was taking to him about the Southwestern program selling books this summer.” Pause for reaction.
“I just wanted to calL and see if I might be able to answer any questions you have. I know my parents were pretty concerned and had lots of of questions when I first heard about the program.” If parents are together: Did you want to get _______________’s mum on the phone at the same time?”
The main thing is to be low key, relaxed and friendly. Do NOT try and sell them. For example, when you say “Great, thanks,” do not use the same enthusiasm as you would during your sales talk in the summer. Your goal should be to answer their questions and put them at ease, rather than to convince them that Southwestern is the be all and end all.
Tell them a bit about yourself (name, where you’re from, year at university, what you study etc.)
“I’m sure _______________ has told you a bit about this already. Did you have any questions about anything he’s already told you?” Let them ask you the first question. When you answer it, say the following to build your credibility by showing that you are not trying to sell them:’’
“...and this really is the most challenging thing that ______________ could choose to do for the summer. It was definitely challenging for me, but I did like it a lot which is why I’m going back for another summer.”
Once you’ve answered a few questions, you want to give them an overview of everything that happens from now until the end of the summer. Remember, every parent call is different; the main thing is to relax and be as polite and helpful as you can.
“Would you like a bird’s eye view of the summer?
Here are some things to cover in the bird’s eye view:
Selection process: you will meet up several times before the interview, so you can answer any questions.
Training: they will know everything they need to know before the summer starts. Tell them about training meetings on campus, explain what sales school is like (learn A to Z of how to run a business). Southwestern Training Manual.
Place to stay: we try and set this up before students come out. We go out a week earlier and speak to alumni, previous landlords, customers/other people who’d like to host, prospecting. Tell them about your landlord last summer.
Selling: they will be with their team, whom they’ll know very well by then. Explain that doing well is about working hard, not about skill. We collect deposits and deliver at the end of the summer.
Support: students follow Student Managers and talk to their student manager every night for coaching.
Sunday meetings: training and fun activities, describe some of you favorites.
Ask them if they have any more questions and then ask this very important question:
I think _________________ is way above average but more importantly, how well do you think _________________ could do something like this?”
This is so important because now parents will start selling you on why their son/daughter would do well at this.
Then tell them that you think _______________ would do very well at this, and give them a very specific reason why you think so. This will give them confidence.
Tell them about the PSL. PLEASE DO NOT SKIP THIS PART. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT!
“Has _________________ mentioned anything about the Parent Support Letter? Basically, it is a letter that we need parents to read and sign before we can offer students a place to work with us. What it does is allow students to ship books from the company to their customers.
Students handle all the money in our program and the only way students could end up in debt is if they ran off with all the money. When you sign the Parent Support Letter, you’re basically her co-signer on her line of credit. your maximum liability would be $500. Could you please send/email that to _________________?”
IF THEY ASK ABOUT SAFETY:
If you’re interviewing a female, automatically bring it up to parents even if they don’t ask about it. You can bring this up when you’re talking about the 1st 3 weeks and territory assignments, how we research areas before the summer etc. Then explain the training that we do on safety.
“In sales school, there is special training dedicated to safety and other things for women. It’s really common sense, but we want to make sure and train on it anyway: things like how to dress, never go in a house unless mom is home, if it’s a single dad just sit on the porch with him, stand about seven feet away from the door when approaching. As far as where students work—again, our target market is middle and upper income families with kids—a pretty safe demographic to work with! So we recommend that students don’t work apartments or condos—it’s not where our market lives. Even in nice school districts there might be sketchy areas, so our rule of thumb we teach is, if you wouldn’t feel safe there at night, don’t work it even during the day. They can set up appointments to work after dark. Also, when students are working systematically through their school district, many moms look out for you during the summer. So statistically speaking, students are far safer there than they are on a college campus.”
THE PARENT VISIT
Purpose: to establish a partnership with the parents where you work together to help their student have the best experience.
This is done by:
1. Get to know them (and understand your FY better by knowing where and by whom they were raised!)
2. answer questions; explain the program—the purpose and the practicalities
3.prepare them for the challenges of the book eld—no surprises.
*If the student is available, bring them with you.
What To Bring:
- SWAdvantage sample
- Product slicks
- How the money works
- Your laptop/tablet with summer pictures/video or your business FB page!) PSL/LE (if they haven’t mailed it yet)
- Optional: canvassing charts (especially of students who started slowly), goal card, Parent pack if you haven’t mailed them one yet
Preparation
Leave 1/2 hour before you need to give you time to get gas, get lost…etc. Arrive 5 minutes early. Please wear business casual attire (collared shirt, khaki trousers or nice pair of jeans, shines shoes, jacket). Leave the sample books in the car and only carry your notebook or iPad with all material you need
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARENTS
The Predators: keep calm, they only try to defend what they love the most: their children! Simply try and answer all their questions and calm them down. You do not visit to convince them, and you know that this program is not for everyone.
The Interrogators: they just need information. Answer every question TRUTHFULLY and take as much time as needed. Make sure they know they can call you back if they have any further questions.
The ‘Dudes’: really laid back. It will be up to you to bring the information they need by asking some questions like: “Did Petya tell you what we do” or ‘Did Lenka explained how she will get paid’?
The Unicorns: living in a total different world. Do not take them for granted, they care and will tell you exactly how to coach their kids.
THE VISIT - STEP BY STEP:
Step 1: Walk in. Shake hands. Establish rapport.
Step 2: Sit back, relax, breath! Get to know them. LET THE PARENTS BRING UP SW
Step 3: Answer their questions (use pictures, how the money works handout).
Step 4: Demo the SWAdvantage sample and show slick of other products. Show websites online.
Step 5: Build up the student and talk about why you think they’ll do well.
Step 6: Talk about the challenges—especially how the 1st 3 weeks are hard and we focus on training and HABITS.
Step 7: Explain that it’s like starting anything new—a sport, musical instrument, riding a bike— takes a little bit to “get it,” your body hurts, you’re tired and frustrated...
We don’t expect the students to sell a lot at first. I know for me it was the hardest thing I had ever done. I got really discouraged those first 3 weeks. The one thing I appreciated about my parents is that they helped me to stick with my commitment even when I wanted to give up...because I knew deep down that quitting wasn’t the answer. Eventually it got better and I ended up having a great summer! The main thing is to establish good habits in those first 3 weeks—like laying the foundation of a house (cf. Tree George mp3 - download from Media Resource from advantage4dealers). Habits like working whether or not you “feel” like it; treat people well regardless of how they treat you; be service-minded; integrity; being a problem solver ...habits take repetition over time to become part of one’s subconscious.”
Encourage them, rather than asking their son or daughter about their profit the first month, ask if they’re proud of their effort and attitude! Explain why we work by goal periods, 30 demos. *Show canvassing charts of people you worked with who had different starts to their summer but finished well.
Step 8: If the student is there say,
“I know (NAME) has told me a lot about why s/he wants to do this, and I’m sure s/he’s shared that with you too, but I guess I was just wondering (NAME), at this point, what is the biggest reason that you want to do this?”
*IT IS BEST TO PREP THE STUDENT BEFORE THE VISIT THAT YOU WILL BE ASKING THEM THIS QUESTION
Step 9: Communication and cell phones - Share about stat calls, PCs on Sundays, following a SM...the on-going support we offer.
PREPARE THEM that we encourage FYs to leave CELL PHONES OFF during the day and WHY!!
“Cell phones have become such an easy crutch. Most students are used to calling someone whenever they are sad or discouraged or lost or indecisive about something or bored... In the summer for me to truly learn to motivate myself, talk myself through low points, really use my head to be a problem-solver—to really mature and grow stronger—I to learn to “walk” without my crutches. I put my cell phone in my trunk during the day—still had it nearby for emergencies—but I wasn’t as tempted in those moments of frustration/despair/ boredom to rely on someone else to get me through it. That night/Sunday when I had gotten myself through the challenges, I felt great calling my SM/parents... Besides, my mom would have no idea what to tell me when I was frustrated with my territory or wasn’t getting people to sit down with me—she’d never done the job. We encourage students to talk to the person who can make a difference. If they’re having an issue with their mom, they should call their mom! If it’s with their roommate, well, they probably need to talk with their roommate. If it’s with their work, they can talk to all kinds of other people, but the one who can probably coach them the best is their manager.”
Again, forming intentional HABITS that work for a great life!
Step 10: Prepare them for that phone call home...and when to call SM or DSM
Be sure they have your name and phone number that they can call during the school year and in the summer. Give them your DSM or the office number for if they ever need to reach someone during the day (explain that you’ll have your phone off, too, while you’re working). If the FY isn’t there, I talk about…
“If (Travis) has a bad day and calls you, sometimes it is helpful to call me and let me have a heads up so that I know that it will be important to talk to him that night.”
Step 11: We can be partners in helping your son/daughter succeed and grow this summer.
Any other suggestions you have for me as your son/daughter’s coach? How to help the FY when she’s struggling, doing well, red flags to look for...
Step 12: Invite them to the parent coffee (date, time and location) if there’s one coming up.
Step 13: Get PSL signed if it hasn’t been yet, leave a parent pack, thank them.
Step 14: Put a thank you card in the mail the next morning.
At any point that the parents might be defensive, you say, “You know Mr/Mrs. Jackson, I didn’t stop by to convince you that this is something (NAME) should do, that’s between you all. I just wanted to make sure I could answer your questions. You’ve known him a lot longer than I have; how do YOU feel he’d do in a program this challenging?”
REMEMBER: NO WORRIES! 9 times out of 10 the parents feel 100% better about this just because they met you and realize you are a good person with their students’ best interests in mind!
THE PARENT PARTNERSHIP FOLLOW-UP
It is crucial for you to follow up with your team members to solidify your partnership with their parents. It only consist on sending 3 letters
Letter 1:
The objective of the first letter is to thank them for welcoming you in their house and express your excitement to have met them as well as working with their son/daughter. Please be personal and include some details related to their son/daughter (sport they practice…etc). Enclose some facts about the program (oldest direct selling company in the US, 3,000 students from over 400 universities worldwide…). Finally refer to your first summer and how important the support/motivation from your parents was.
Letter 2:
The second letter consist on giving them a short summary of their son/daughter’s progress in his/her training and how proud of him you are. Thank them for their involvement so far and emphasize once more how important it is in having a successful summer with Southwestern (you can once more refer to your own first summer). Finally, let them know they can count on you calling them every 3-4 weeks to give them some update on their son/daughter’s progress (and please do call them retry 3-4 weeks).
Letter 3:
Just before the summer. This is a very crucial communication. In this letter, not only you will reassure them that their son/daughter’s are ready/where they need to be at this stage of the training, but you will also give them a lot of information about the summer: dates of Sales School, travel to Turf, start week 1…etc. In addition, you will give them important informations about communication during the summer, when you will call them with some updates (these Golden Parent Phone Calls - Week 0, 3, 6, 9, 12) and how and when they can reach you.
